Miniaturized Drug Delivery Chip with Integrated Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug-delivery systems are bulky, costly, and limited in their ability to provide a variety of medications, making them unsuitable for miniaturization and remote-controlled, time-specific drug delivery, especially for chronic and cancer treatments.
Innovation Solution
A miniaturized drug-delivery chip fabricated using a semiconductor rear fabrication process, featuring a main body with drug receiving spaces, conductive wires, a signal-receiving module, and a control module that applies voltages to release drugs through heat or electrolysis, allowing for remote control and varied drug delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a circuit board with controller, signal receiver and drug storage part is used, then drug delivery control function is achieved, but device volume becomes bulky and cannot be easily implanted into human body
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the controller, signal receiver, and drug storage part into a single chip structure. The control module and signal receiving module are formed on the same substrate as the drug receiving spaces, eliminating the need for separate circuit boards and components. This merging of functions into one compact chip enables implantation into the human body while maintaining full drug delivery control capability.
2Reliability
If controller and signal receiver are fabricated individually and integrated into circuit board, then control function is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller and signal receiver are fabricated together on the same chip substrate using integrated semiconductor manufacturing processes. This unified fabrication approach eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps, reducing overall production costs while maintaining control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical assembly of separate electronic components with semiconductor fabrication processes. The control module and signal receiving module are created through photolithography and thin-film deposition techniques, eliminating the need for manual assembly and reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Volume of moving object
If circuit board size is limited, then device can be miniaturized for implantation, but ability to provide variety of drugs is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The chip is divided into multiple independent drug receiving spaces, each capable of storing different drugs. The control module can independently control the release from each space through individual thin films. This segmentation allows the compact chip to provide multiple drug delivery functions simultaneously, maintaining versatility while achieving miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses vertical stacking of multiple drug receiving spaces above the planar control circuitry. This three-dimensional arrangement allows multiple drug storage compartments to be packed into a small footprint area, increasing drug variety capability without proportionally increasing the overall chip area.
4Reliability
If multiple separate components are packaged together, then control function is achieved, but device complexity and harmful impacts on human body increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a monolithic integrated chip where the control module, signal receiving module, and drug receiving spaces are formed as a single unified structure. This eliminates the complexity of packaging multiple separate components together and reduces the number of interfaces and connections that could potentially fail or cause biocompatibility issues.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves miniaturization, reduces costs, and enables controlled delivery of drugs at predetermined times and in specific quantities, addressing the limitations of prior art by integrating a control module and signal-receiving module with the drug receiving space.
Implementation Method 1
a control module for applying voltages to the first conductive wire and then the second conductive wire according to the actuated signals, thereby generating heat to break off the thin film
Implementation Method 2
a control module for applying voltages to the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire according to the actuated signals, thereby electrolyzing a drug received in the at least one drug receiving space and generating air to break off the thin film
Data Source
AI summary
A drug-delivery chip and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The drug-delivery chip has a main body having at least one drug receiving space individually formed with an opening for storing drugs therein; a thin film for sealing up the at least one drug receiving space; a first conductive wire connecting to one end of the thin film; a second conductive wire connecting to another end of the thin film; a signal-receiving module for receiving actuated signals; and a control module for applying voltages to first and second wire conductive s according to the actuated signal, thereby generating heat to break off the thin film for the release of a drug or drugs received in the at least one drug receiving space.