A smartphone tool for checking diabetic foot ulcers
Official title: Smartphone-based optical scanner to physiologically assess diabetic foot ulcers
Funded at Florida International University · NIH-11098464 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is creating a new smartphone tool to help people with diabetes and foot ulcers get better care, especially when they can't easily see a wound care expert.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida International University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Miami, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $539,012 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EB033413-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098464 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is for individuals living with diabetes who are at risk of or currently have diabetic foot ulcers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without diabetic foot ulcers or those whose conditions are not related to wound oxygenation may not directly benefit from this specific tool.
What this research studies
Many people with diabetes are at risk for foot ulcers, which can sometimes lead to amputation, and getting proper care has become harder recently. This project aims to develop a special smartphone tool that can help doctors and patients understand the health of a foot ulcer, even outside of a hospital or clinic. The tool uses light to measure oxygen levels in the wound, which is a key sign of healing. By combining this with visual information, it hopes to provide a more complete picture of the wound's condition. This could help identify serious ulcers that need immediate attention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could help patients with diabetic foot ulcers receive timely and appropriate care, potentially preventing complications like amputations, especially in areas with limited wound care specialists.
How similar studies have gone: While smartphone tools for wound imaging exist, this project is developing a novel approach to combine visual assessment with physiological oxygenation measurements using a smartphone.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida International University
Miami, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Godavarty, Anuradha — Florida International University
- Study coordinator: Godavarty, Anuradha
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-
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Wound fluid test to predict healing in diabetic foot ulcers
This project looks for chemical signals in the fluid from diabetic foot ulcers that could tell adults with diabetes whether a wound will heal with standard care or need a different treatment.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.