Ingestible Circuit Timing via Digestible Coating Thickness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ingestible circuits lack precise control over the timing of activation, which is crucial for transmitting information related to medications ingested by a user, as they are exposed to gastric juices and dissolve at varying rates, affecting the reliability and timing of data transmission.
Innovation Solution
Ingestible pills with embedded circuits at different depths covered by varying thicknesses of digestible materials that dissolve at specific rates, allowing for predetermined timing of information transmission, using materials like nanobots or vitamins that generate power when exposed to gastric juices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ingestible circuits are made with varying thicknesses of digestible material coatings, then the timing precision of information transmission is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ingestible circuit is divided into multiple segments with different coating thicknesses (first thickness, second thickness, third thickness) corresponding to different digestible materials. Each segment activates at different times as the coatings dissolve at different rates, enabling precise timing control without requiring complex electronic timing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of coating thickness and material composition to control the dissolution rate. By varying the thickness and selecting different digestible materials with different degradation rates, the system achieves precise timing control of circuit activation without adding electronic complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple circuits with different coating thicknesses are used, then the reliability of medication timing information transmission is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pill is segmented into multiple functional layers with different coating thicknesses and material compositions. Each layer corresponds to a specific circuit activation timing, ensuring reliable medication timing information transmission while using standardized manufacturing processes for each layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials with different digestible properties for different coating layers. By combining materials with varying dissolution rates in a layered structure, the system achieves reliable timing control while maintaining compatibility with existing pill manufacturing techniques.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the surface circuit is covered by multiple layers of digestible material, then the control over information transmission timing is improved, but the loss of time for dissolution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is segmented into multiple layers with different thicknesses and dissolution rates. The surface circuit has a thinner first coating that dissolves faster, while deeper circuits have thicker coatings that dissolve slower. This segmentation allows controlled sequential activation, balancing timing control with acceptable dissolution time.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ingestible circuit have different coating qualities (thickness and material composition). The surface circuit has a thinner, faster-dissolving coating compared to deeper circuits. This local differentiation enables precise timing control for different medication information transmissions while managing overall dissolution time.
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
Enables precise and controlled transmission of information related to medications, providing timely alerts and restrictions based on side effects, enhancing patient safety and environmental control through personalized medicine monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
Some ingestible circuits include a piezoelectric circuit which generates power when it is exposed to gastric juices
Implementation Method 2
A digestible capsule can be swallowed by a patient and the capsule dissolves in the stomach
Data Source
AI summary
A method, including: transmitting, by a first circuit to outside a user's body, information related to a first medication ingested by the user, the first circuit being digestible by gastric juices of the user, the first circuit being covered by a first thickness of a first digestible material; and transmitting, by a second circuit to outside the user's body, information related to a second medication ingested by the user, the second circuit being digestible by the gastric juices of the user, the second circuit being covered by a second thickness of a second digestible material and the first thickness of the first digestible material.