Two Jackson State University students are hoping to curb complications of what disease through their 'smart mat'?

According to the Mississippi Department of Health, the Magnolia State ranked second in the nation for prevalence of diabetes in 2012. As such, complications from the disease cause four of every 1,000 deaths.

But another common complication is amputation of the lower extremities — something two engineering students at Jackson State University hope to thwart. As part of their senior design project, Jann Butler and Chevan Baker designed a “smart mat” that gauges a diabetic's foot temperature. 

“A diabetic patient has abnormal [high] glucose levels in the blood, affecting its flow to the lower extremities," Butler said in a news release. "This causes the foot to be colder than average. By outputting temperature values, the patient can see which foot is more affected. Then, that information can be relayed to a physician.”