Future of Engineering

Pills work in different ways due to the presence of enzymes in our body.The rate of passage through the body can vary, and some individuals have higher levels of digestive enzymes than others. This variation lowers the effectiveness of the drug.

When capsules were invented in the mid-19th century, they provided a significant improvement in the palatability of medications.Since their discovery the consumer has come to perceive this as the most efficient method of taking medication. The consumer is in for a huge surprise.

Philips seeks to scale new heights with its latest patent - the remote-controlled pill. The electronic drug delivery capsule has RFID technology for authentication and identification purposes.

The remote-controlled pill has a cavity for carrying a drug which can be opened by a remote signal.The passage of the pill can be followed by MRI or ultrasound and the drug dispensed with an electronic trigger at the appropriate location.

The drug can also be released according to other external factors. For example, if atmospheric pollen reaches a certain level or the patient's blood pressure hits a predetermined number.

It is not meant to be recycled, therefore Philips is trying to keep the cost factor down. Hope we can look forward to a cheap, disposable, geeky pill in the near future.

Related links:
Philips
Newscientist

Labels: Electronics-Communications-Engineering, Robotics