Italian researchers have developed a device that is capable of providing insulin to diabetes patients without having to use any needles. PILLSID comprises two parts where one component is an insulin dispenser that goes inside the abdomen surgically, while the other is a magnetic capsule loaded with the hormone.
Anytime the dispenser needs a refill, the user would be required to take one pill, and it travels down their digestive system until it reaches the device placed in the small intestine. With the aid of magnets, the device rotates the capsule into position and then punctures it with a retractable needle. The device then pumps the refill of insulin.
No need for external power for charging
The most impressive part is that the dispenser charges wirelessly, limiting the number of interventions required to keep the device running. Once the capsule is empty, it continues to go down the user’s digestive system until it comes out through excreta.
While the idea of surgically placing a device in the body could sound scary, it could help many patients regulate their blood sugar levels. “Maybe it’s scary to think about a docking station inside the body, but it worked,” Arianna Menciassi, one of the co-authors of the study, told IEEE Spectrum.
Initial results show promise
During the trials, three diabetic pigs were used for the experiment. The team found that the system is capable of managing their insulin level for several hours. They also found that in some cases the body fluids from the pigs would leak into the device. So, the researchers are working on sealing the device in a better way.
The new tech might take a while before making its way to hospitals, but such devices will soon be seen in abundance and become more common. The University of Cambridge and its University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust previously created an artificial pancreas to help type-1 diabetes patients. Now, another version of the artificial pancreas is being used for type-2 diabetes patients. The new system packs a fully closed system, as per the team. It allows the artificial pancreas to work on its own.
