Philips researcher invents smart capsule in the Netherlands
2018-05-10 17:00:26
Philips Electronics Corporation of the Netherlands will present a refreshing technology at the annual meeting of the American Association of Pharmacists in Atlanta, USA this weekend. This is a capsule that is called "smart". The patient only needs to swallow it like a normal capsule. It can determine the application site by sensing the pH of different parts of the digestive tract and release it to the affected area according to a preset procedure. The right amount of medicine.
Acid-base positioning
Philips named this wonderful capsule "i capsule". Before "i capsules," scientists have invented capsules containing miniature cameras for diagnosis. With the development of technology, Philips researchers thought to go further on the basis of camera capsules, giving the capsule a healing function.
One of the most important breakthroughs achieved by "i capsules" is that it knows where to release the drug. Due to the treatment of some digestive tract diseases with increasing incidence in Western developed countries, commonly used drug steroids such as Crohn's disease, colitis, etc. often cause adverse side effects, and medical scientists hope to apply targeted drugs to the affected area to avoid large Dosing leads to systemic adverse reactions.
"i capsule" uses the characteristics of different pH values ​​in different parts of the human digestive tract to avoid the above problems by sensing the pH of the site at any time to determine whether or not it reaches the intended application site.
Quantitative application
In addition to accurate positioning, another challenge is how to let the capsule know how much drug to release in the affected area.
The "i capsule" is equipped with a microprocessor and a micropump for controlling the amount of application. Before the patient swallows medicine, the doctor can set the desired dose of the drug in the microprocessor. In this way, when the "i capsule" reaches a predetermined position, the built-in small pump can accurately release the quantitative dose from the drug storage part of the "i capsule" according to the previous setting.
With this technology, "i capsules" can even be applied to several different sites in succession.
Even more amazing is that "i capsule" also carries a thermometer and radio transceiver and control device. During the period of operation of the capsule in the digestive tract, the pH and temperature of the location will be transmitted to the external control unit through the radio device at any time to determine whether it is necessary to modify the application process through the internal control device.
Broad prospects
Philips has designed the prototype of the “i capsule†and its system and tested it in the lab to function well in a simulated gastrointestinal environment.
Philips said that "i capsules" are suitable for mass production, which means that this technology has a wider application space.
Dr. Karsten Kramer, PharmaConcepts Pharmaceuticals, Switzerland, said: "The three functions of navigation feedback, electronic control of pesticide application and monitoring of the digestive tract are both 'i capsules' technology is a valuable tool to promote drug development ... I It is believed that this technology can help drug selective positioning, which will accelerate the development of new drug development."
Acid-base positioning
Philips named this wonderful capsule "i capsule". Before "i capsules," scientists have invented capsules containing miniature cameras for diagnosis. With the development of technology, Philips researchers thought to go further on the basis of camera capsules, giving the capsule a healing function.
One of the most important breakthroughs achieved by "i capsules" is that it knows where to release the drug. Due to the treatment of some digestive tract diseases with increasing incidence in Western developed countries, commonly used drug steroids such as Crohn's disease, colitis, etc. often cause adverse side effects, and medical scientists hope to apply targeted drugs to the affected area to avoid large Dosing leads to systemic adverse reactions.
"i capsule" uses the characteristics of different pH values ​​in different parts of the human digestive tract to avoid the above problems by sensing the pH of the site at any time to determine whether or not it reaches the intended application site.
Quantitative application
In addition to accurate positioning, another challenge is how to let the capsule know how much drug to release in the affected area.
The "i capsule" is equipped with a microprocessor and a micropump for controlling the amount of application. Before the patient swallows medicine, the doctor can set the desired dose of the drug in the microprocessor. In this way, when the "i capsule" reaches a predetermined position, the built-in small pump can accurately release the quantitative dose from the drug storage part of the "i capsule" according to the previous setting.
With this technology, "i capsules" can even be applied to several different sites in succession.
Even more amazing is that "i capsule" also carries a thermometer and radio transceiver and control device. During the period of operation of the capsule in the digestive tract, the pH and temperature of the location will be transmitted to the external control unit through the radio device at any time to determine whether it is necessary to modify the application process through the internal control device.
Broad prospects
Philips has designed the prototype of the “i capsule†and its system and tested it in the lab to function well in a simulated gastrointestinal environment.
Philips said that "i capsules" are suitable for mass production, which means that this technology has a wider application space.
Dr. Karsten Kramer, PharmaConcepts Pharmaceuticals, Switzerland, said: "The three functions of navigation feedback, electronic control of pesticide application and monitoring of the digestive tract are both 'i capsules' technology is a valuable tool to promote drug development ... I It is believed that this technology can help drug selective positioning, which will accelerate the development of new drug development."