Smart Mat Designed To Help Diabetics Avoid Amputations

Students at Jackson State University have developed a smart mat that can help diabetics prevent amputations.

The mat can detect the temperature of both feet and send the results to an Android app, according to Engadget. High glucose levels can be hazardous to diabetics' lower limbs and led to ulcerations and ultimately the loss of a limb.

The risk of diabetic patients needing amputation has been quite high, the American Diabetes Association notes. This has been because along with a loss of circulation, patients also lose sensation, making it more likely for them to get sores or infections.

The senior students were inspired after one of their relatives lost her foot a few years ago, according to the press release from Jackson State University.The team was made up of four engineering students that are studying at the University's College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Diverse Education reported. During the six-months it took to create the mat, the students worked hard on researching before they began developing.

"We looked at some other studies, and we saw that they used some type of thermometer but the patient had to take the temperature on their own and write the data down and communicate it back to their doctor and we wanted to streamline that," team member Jordan Barber said.

While the product still needs more work, the team said that it would likely sell for around $500, as that was what it cost to make the mat.