KAIST: Proven Wound Healing with Wearable 'OLED Patch'
by Jeong Ilwoong
Published 13 Apr.2026 08:30(KST)
A smart patch capable of self-adjusting treatment intensity to heal wounds has been developed. By combining light and medication, this patch can double the speed of wound recovery. Simply applying the patch enables wounds to be healed quickly and effectively.
On April 13, KAIST announced that a research team led by Professor Choi Kyungcheol from the School of Electrical Engineering, together with Dr. Sung Dae-kyung from the Korea Ceramic Technology Institute and Professor Park Chansu's team at Chungbuk National University, has developed a "self-regulating wound treatment patch" technology.
This technology is based on a structure that combines an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with a drug delivery system.
Ointments can cause side effects if overused, and photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, which uses light to promote cell regeneration, loses efficacy if the appropriate dosage is exceeded. PBM is a non-invasive treatment method that uses low-intensity light to accelerate the recovery of cells and tissues.
The joint research team developed the “self-regulating wound treatment patch” technology with a structure that combines an OLED and a drug delivery system, aiming to address the limitations of conventional treatments, which make it difficult to properly adjust the intensity of ointment and PBM therapies.
The core of the research is the concept that "light controls the medication." When exposed to light, the body generates reactive oxygen species (ROS). Often referred to as "active oxygen," these substances stimulate nanoparticles, triggering the release of the drug.
In other words, the amount of ROS produced varies depending on the intensity of the light, and by adjusting the light, the amount of drug released can also be naturally regulated. When exposed to light, cell regeneration is promoted, and at the same time, ROS acts as a “switch,” automatically releasing only the necessary amount of medication. This is an “intelligent treatment method” that maintains optimal therapy without the need for manual adjustment.
To realize this, the joint research team developed a 630 nm wavelength OLED patch that adheres closely to the skin.
This patch is designed to evenly deliver light to induce cell regeneration, while regulating the release of an optimal amount of antioxidant medications such as Centella asiatica extract (commonly known as tiger grass), a plant-derived ingredient with skin regeneration effects.
Additionally, the patch is produced in a wearable form that fully adheres to the skin's curved surfaces, minimizing light energy loss and maintaining a temperature of around 31 degrees Celsius during prolonged use, thereby preventing the risk of low-temperature burns and ensuring safe usage.
The joint research team confirmed the stability of the patch, with its performance maintained for over 400 hours, securing the possibility of actual medical device application.
The therapeutic effects of the patch were also verified through experiments. In skin cell experiments, "combination therapy" using both light and medication showed faster recovery than single treatments. In mouse experiments, the wound recovery rate after 14 days of treatment was 67%, about twice as fast as the control group (35%).
Professor Choi stated, "This research is an example of expanding OLED-based light therapy into a combination treatment platform where drug release is automatically regulated according to the wound condition." He added, "Based on this, the joint research team plans to further develop intelligent treatment technologies that can autonomously respond to a patient's physical condition in the future."
Meanwhile, Hyejeong Yeon, a doctoral student from the KAIST School of Electrical Engineering, participated as the first author of this research. The results were published online in the international journal 'Materials Horizons' in January, and were also selected as a Front Cover Paper in March.
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