Bacterial/cellular recognition impedance algorithm

A method for characterizing unidentified cells or cell structures in a sample, said method comprising:

• positioning a device within a dressing positioned adjacent a surface of a wound on a subject containing the sample, the device comprising a controller and at least two electrodes;
• monitoring, via the controller, at least one characteristic of the sample located in an electrical path between the electrodes;
• obtaining, via the controller and utilizing the at least two electrodes, at least one normalized impedance response of the sample over at least one frequency range, wherein the normalized impedance is a measured impedance divided by a baseline impedance, wherein the measured impedance comprises at least one of a real or an imaginary part, and wherein the baseline impedance is an impedance response of the sample over the at least one frequency range with substantially no cells in an electrical path between at least two electrodes;
• identifying, via the controller and within a set of data containing a plurality of normalized impedance responses associated with a corresponding plurality of cell types, at least one characteristic of the normalized impedance response over the at least one frequency range that is indicative of a single cell type within the plurality of cell types;
• and
• characterizing, via the controller, at least one unidentified cell to determine cell identity by using the identified at least one characteristic of the normalized impedance response over the at least one frequency range,
• wherein:
• the determined cell identity is characteristic of at least a cell type and a stage of growth of the at least one unidentified cell in the sample;
• and
• the at least one characteristic of the normalized impedance response used for characterizing the at least one unidentified cell is at least one of a number of peaks in the normalized impedance.