您能吞下从胃内部收集数据的3D印刷药吗？两年来，一组研究人员麻省理工学院(MIT) have been developing a mini device capable of just that.
这些药物被称为“胃居民电子”（GRES），这些药物旨在坐在胃中一个多月，感知感染的发展，或者人体对药物的反应，甚至服用治疗药物。
通过内置无线通信，这些药丸将数据传输到电子设备，可用于监测和治疗各种健康状况。
With the emergence of many electronic devices capable of keeping an eye on our well-being, is this the next natural step forward from the likes of pedometers and pulse monitors? Or is it just one FitBit too far?
Bluetooth enabled pills
MIT生产的GRE设备是使用A打印的FFF 3DHYREL 3DSystem 30M, from a combination of PLA and忍者filaments – PLA for the body and NinjaFlex for the “antennas” that give the device a Y-shaped appearance.
A custom built Aerotech AGS 15000 system is then used to add an epoxy coating and conductive traces to the device, for the integration of Bluetooth electronics and coin cell batteries.
Once completed, the antennas of the GRE are folded, fitting the device into a 000 capsule – just shy of 2.5 cm long. In addition to making it easier to swallow, this capsule protects the GRE until it makes it to the stomach.
针和手术免费医疗
一旦在胃内，胃酸就会溶解胶囊，并允许GRE天线膨胀。
随着时间的流逝，GRE本身也逐渐消化。在一次测试中，该设备在破裂之前成功持续了36天，并保持了15天的无线通信，从而使体温始终如一。
除了传感外，这个早期的GRE还证明了在设定的时间内缓慢释放药物的能力 - 该功能在管理时可能很有用long-term medication like contraceptives.
该设备背后的研究团队认为，这款小设备是“下一代远程诊断和自动化的治疗策略”的实现。
Uniting the body and the digital domain
根据这项研究的结论，“最终，可观的胃居住电子产品提供了一种无针和手术的方法，可以协同整合生物医学电子设备，人体和数字域。”
该研究的完整结果发表在《论文》中。3D‐Printed Gastric Resident Electronics,” forAdvanced Materials Technologies.The paper is co-authored by Yong Lin Kong, Xingyu Zou, Caitlin A. McCandler, Ameya R. Kirtane, Shen Ning, Jianlin Zhou, Abubakar Abid, Mousa Jafari, Jaimie Rogner, Daniel Minahan, Joy E. Collins, Shane McDonnell, Cody Cleveland, Taylor Bensel, Siid Tamang, Graham Arrick, Alla Gimbel, Tiffany Hua, Udayan Ghosh, Vance Soares, Nancy Wang, Aniket Wahane, Alison Hayward, Shiyi Zhang, Brian R. Smith, Robert Langer and Giovanni Traverso.
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Featured image shows the design of MIT’s Gastric Resident Electronic smart pill. Image via Advanced Materials Technologies
