Proteus Ingestible Microchip Hits Clinical Trials
About a year ago, we brought to light a brilliant company that could be described as a predecessor to body 2.0. Proteus Biomedical specializes in creating a digestible, ingestible microchip called the Raisin that can be put into medicines. The chip is activated by stomach acids and can transmit to an external receiver from within the body. Now, the Proteus system is about to be tested in two clinical trials in the UK, a big leap that, if successful, could bring this technology to consumers in a mere matter of years. Edible underwear, yes, but edible microchips? Now that is cool.
Proteus Ingestible Sensors
In the ongoing onslaught of body 2.0 (the constant monitoring of the body to ensure that health problems are caught and treated early) here at Singularity Hub, we have brought you the SmartPill, a digestive system tracker that has many similarities with the Raisin chip. Although both are meant to be eaten and both can transmit information back out to a portable data receiver, the Proteus system is designed to be packaged along with another medication inside of a pill, giving doctors a different dataset than the SmartPill.
Raisin can be a great help to doctors who are trying to closely monitor their patients. Firstly, it can tell the doctor which medication was taken and if the medication was taken at all. This could prove quite useful for patients who would resist taking the medication or those patients that do not take dosages in the correct amount or at the right time. The benefits do not stop after the medication is in the body, as the microchip is able to transmit the patient’s vital signs (heart rate and such) in real-time. Doctors will then be able to tell exactly what physiological changes occurred with medication and change dosages as needed for an optimal patient response.
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