Quick Expanding Pill Tracks Gastric Health

Feb-01-19 An ingestible pill inspired by the pufferfish expands in the stomach to stay in place and gather readings over time.

Developed by the team from MIT, the pill overcomes the limitations of standard electronic pills, which will simply pass through the body without lingering long enough to gather detailed information. Inspired by the pufferfish’s ability to ‘puff up’ quickly when threatened, the MIT pill is made up of two types of hydrogels—an interior section made of superabsorbent sodium polyacrylate surrounded by a protective layer of nanoscopic crystalline chains. In tests mimicking the stomach’s environment, the pill expanded to 100 times its original size in just fifteen minutes, while tests in pigs showed that the pill and its sensors stayed in place and operational for up to 30 days.

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[NEWATLAS.COM]
[NEWS.MIT.EDU]

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