The portable plasma device MobiPlas developed at INP is designed for mobile wound treatment. Cold plasma is used in medicine primarily for poorly healing wounds. Credit: INP
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP) have developed a new portable plasma device called "MobiPlas" that will make the use of cold plasma in medicine even more flexible in the future. Thanks to its compact design, the device can be used on the move, opening up new possibilities for treating skin diseases and supporting wound healing. The device is described in the journal Plasma Medicine.
Cold plasma is already used successfully in medicine to treat infections and poorly healing wounds. However, the devices approved to date are usually connected to a fixed power and gas supply. Dr. Robert Bansemer, Head of the Plasma Sources Department at INP, explains the new approach: "MobiPlas is designed for easy transport and flexible use. It requires neither a fixed power supply nor a fixed gas supply. It is also compact, robust and very easy to use. This means that it could be used, for example, in outpatient treatment in the future."
The device uses argon as the carrier gas and has a refillable steel tank, similar to a paintball gas canister. This allows MobiPlas to operate autonomously for up to 10 minutes, which is sufficient for standard wound treatment. Power is supplied by a portable power bank. An integrated control unit regulates the generation of high voltage and the flow of gas fully automatically.
The safety and performance of the unit has been tested to an official standard for medical plasma equipment. Ozone levels remained below acceptable limits at a distance of more than 20 centimeters. The temperature at the tip of the plasma jet reached a maximum of 40°C, making it suitable for medical use. The measured electrical currents that could reach the patient were well below the specified safety limit.
During testing of the first prototype, there were occasional current fluctuations caused by the heating of a component in the power supply. Solutions have been developed to optimize the operating characteristics.
The INP has already developed and launched plasma medical devices in the past. Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Weltmann, INP's scientific director, comments, "With the development and successful approval of the kINPen med for wound healing, INP has already brought plasma medicine out of the laboratory and into hospitals. We are continuing our intensive research into new device types that will open up additional areas of application and target groups."
Bansemer explains, "With its compact design, safe operating parameters and ease of use, the new MobiPlas system is very promising for commercial use in mobile medical applications. We are continuing to work on optimizing the device and finding a partner for medical approval."
More information: Robert Bansemer et al, On the Development and Characterization of the Novel Portable Plasma Device "MobiPlas," Plasma Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1615/PlasmaMed.2025057641
Provided by Leibniz-Institut für Plasmaforschung und Technologie e.V.
