Novel ingestible capsule with Bluetooth can monitor health

Scientists have developed an ingestible, capsule controlled using Bluetooth wireless technology, which can be customised to deliver drugs or monitor health over long periods of time.

The capsule can reside in the stomach for at least a month, transmitting information and responding to instructions from a user's smartphone.

Manufactured using 3D-printing technology, the capsules could be deployed to deliver drugs to treat a variety of diseases, particularly in cases where drugs must be taken over a long period of time.

They could also be designed to sense infections, allergic reactions, or other events, and then release a drug in response.

"Our system could provide closed-loop monitoring and treatment, whereby a signal can help guide the delivery of a drug or tuning the dose of a drug," said Giovanni Traverso, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

These devices could also be used to communicate with other wearable and implantable medical devices, which could pool information to be communicated to the patient's or doctor's smartphone.

"We are excited about this demonstration of 3D printing and of how ingestible technologies can help people through novel devices that facilitate mobile health applications," said Robert Langer of MIT.

The device unfolds into a Y-shape after being swallowed. This enables the device to remain the stomach for about a month, before it breaks into smaller pieces and passes through the digestive tract.

One of these arms includes four small compartments that can be loaded with a variety of drugs. These drugs can be packaged within polymers that allow them to be released gradually over several days.

The researchers also anticipate that they could design the compartments to be opened remotely through wireless Bluetooth communication.

The device can also carry sensors that monitor the gastric environment and relay information via a wireless signal. In previous work, the researchers designed sensors that can detect vital signs such as heart rate and breathing rate.

Researchers showed that the capsule could be used to monitor temperature and relay that information directly to a smartphone within arm's length.

To enable the manufacturing of all of these complex elements, the researchers decided to 3D print the capsules.

This approach allowed them to easily incorporate all of the various components carried by the capsules, and to build the capsule from alternating layers of stiff and flexible polymers, which helps it to withstand the acidic environment of the stomach.

The researchers envision that this type of sensor could be used to diagnose early signs of disease and then respond with the appropriate medication. For example, it could be used to monitor certain people at high risk for infection, such as patients who are receiving chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs.

If infection is detected, the capsule could begin releasing antibiotics. Or, the device could be designed to release antihistamines when it detects an allergic reaction.