Scientists at Georgia Tech have created a biomaterial that, once injected, mimics a platelet and helps to clot blood. It’s an artificial platelet. “These ‘artificial platelets’ augmented the work of natural platelets, reducing clotting time by 30% and blood loss by as much as 40%,” the researchers said. Ideally, they will be freeze-dried and carried by the military personnel to be injected on the battlefield, when needed, thus increasing the chances of survival for wounded soldiers.
When injected into the body, the artificial platelets circulate in the bloodstream but don’t start working until they’ve reached a wound. Since the artificial platelet finds the wound on its own, the person injecting it doesn’t need to know where the wound is for it to work properly. There is still more research to be done before this can be used in people, but they are estimating that it will be available in just three to five years!