The limitations of conventional tools hinder some traditional means of diagnosing and treating diseases. For instance, when exploring the gastrointestinal (GI) tract regions, endoscopes usually miss some of the motility disorders of the small intestine. Endoscopy also cannot detect functional diseases of the GI tract since it can only spot mucosal and intraluminal diseases.
These limitations are overcome with the creation of ingestible devices which can also perform other functions, such as drug delivery and optical sensing. However, the journey across the GI involves interaction with GI fluids or contents that can damage the components of ingestible devices.
The Next Frontier of Medical Technology
A team of researchers from the University of Maryland's MEMS Sensors and Actuators Laboratory (MSAL) in the A. James Clark School of Engineering created an ingestible capsule with improved packaging. The new packaging technology called freestanding region-responsive bilayer (FRRB) offers protection for the capsule as it travels across the GI tract.
The packaging technology can maintain the unsupported coverage of small openings, which pH-responsive polymer coatings cannot do. It also allows the device to perform complicated diagnostic and therapeutic actions.
Aside from sensing and monitoring, the ingestible capsule can dissolve at exact moments and regions where drug delivery is needed. This study used the freestanding region-responsive bilayer to protect and expose a thermomechanical actuator for targeted drug delivery.
In the past, pharmaceutical experts used to rely on pH-responsive materials called enteric coating for drug delivery. However, enteric layers are ineffective in protecting the ingestible capsule from the acidic substances it comes in contact with through the GI tract. It also needs to remain intact to release the components precisely.
One approach is the addition of an opening mechanism to the ingestible capsule, but this strategy can add to the bulkiness and complexity of the device. It also requires high-powered equipment to get the stimulus from beyond the capsule.
The freestanding region-responsive bilayer technology developed by MSAL offers a more versatile option since it can be applied to different components of ingestible capsules and can be arranged into different shapes. The study also reveals that FRRB can establish a gap between itself and the internal components of the capsule by protecting large regions of the device.
Breakthrough in Ingestible Devices
Ingestible sensing capsules are emerging as a critical approach in therapeutic medicine since they are noninvasive and can provide valuable information about a person's health. As device complexity increases, it also demands more efficient components to enable it to perform specific functions.
With the advancement of electronic components, ingestible capsules are becoming smaller, smarter, and more efficient. The sensors in these devices also show progress in recent years, providing enhanced microcontrollers and signal-processing applications. Aside from the advances in electronic components and sensors, the improvement of functional materials also benefits ingestible devices. They allowed faster sensor response times and enhanced selectivity with less demand for power.
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