How Edible Electronic Pills Can Aid in Life-Threatening Medical Conditions?

The global smart pills market or electronic pills market reached $779.9 million in valuation. In 2025, that number is projected to rise to $3 billion. This isn’t just a niche market anymore. It’s the future of medicine. The fact is that edible electronic pills can aid in life-threatening medical conditions.

What are Edible Electronic Pills?

Edible electronic pills are tiny capsule-sized devices that can help in the investigation and treatment of medical conditions. These include stomach-related diseases, unexplained bleeding, malabsorption disorders, ulcers, tumors, and bowel injuries.

Basically, anything to do with the digestive system can be investigated and perhaps even treated with edible electronic pills. The swallowable pills can withstand the acidic environment of the stomach. They can help doctors measure both pH and temperature and send data regarding bleeding, pressure, etc.

These pills work through various wireless media, which can penetrate yet not harm the cells in the body. That way, these pills can transmit data directly to mobile or desktop devices through transmitters. These pills are now considered painless alternatives to a wide variety of electronics like catheters, radioisotopes, etc.

How Different Types of Edible Electronic Pills Can Save Lives?

There are four key types of edible electronic pills. They can all play a part in saving lives in one way or another.

Imaging Capsules - These pills contain small video cameras to generate images of the organs like the intestines and the stomach. These can be used to diagnose life-threatening problems.

Pills for Monitoring Medication - These pills can be used to monitor not just if patients are taking their medication but if they’re being absorbed. The absorption of the drug can send a signal that the user needs to take medicine. These pills work through Bluetooth. At times, not taking the proper medication at the right time can be life-threatening to patients. These pills can prevent that from happening. 

Gas Sensing Pills - These pills can sense the partial pressures of different gasses produced through bacterial metabolic reactions in the intestines. Any life-threatening gastrointestinal disorders can be diagnosed with these pills.

Electrochemical Sensors - These pills are used to sense and transmit data in graphical waves (cyclic, square wave, pulse voltammetry). Voltammetry can be used in-vitro on stool liquid as a diagnostic tool. This can diagnose whether a patient is neurochemically imbalanced.

Edible Electronic Pills Can Save Lives

These are some of the few pills which can save lives.

MIT Edible Wireless Monitoring Pill

The wireless pills developed by the Draper Laboratory at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital can diagnose diseases. This pill is made with 3D printing tech that relays data to external devices through Bluetooth.

The pill unfolds two Y-shaped arms and sticks into the patient’s stomach after ingestion. During this time, the capsule collects all sorts of information about the patient’s body. The data is transmitted to the user’s smartphone.

This can be life-changing for patients who require early intervention in the event of a fever or infection. This is a more efficient alternative to drugs. Since it can monitor vital signs over weeks, it can release drugs to ease the symptoms. 

At the moment, non-toxic, mercury-free batteries are being developed. The researchers are considering other sources of energy as well, like stomach acid.

SOMA The Insulin Injector Pill

SOMA, the Self-Orienting Millimeter-Scale Applicator, was developed by MIT for diabetics. This pill can inject insulin directly into the stomach. While people with type-1 diabetes take insulin through injections, the process can be painful.

Hence, MIT came up with a smart pill that can inject insulin used in the injection kits. The pills are compressed to the size of a blueberry. There is only a capsule and a tiny one needed, which is made from freeze-dried insulin. After ingestion, the sugar-based coating is dissolved in water. This releases the required and injects it into the stomach.

There are no pain receptors in the stomach; hence the process is entirely painless. Also, the pill can navigate on its own in the stomach, hence the ‘self-orienting’ in its name. This innovation could save the lives of several diabetic patients.

Proteus’ Edible Electronic Pill for Cancer Patients

Proteus launched a smart pills program that would make medication adherence much easier for cancer patients. The drug is equipped with sensors to help oncology patients. Those with colorectal cancer in stage 3 or 4 can rely on this pill to give them the medications they need.

The pill also identifies when it’s been ingested. After that, the medication doses can be tracked by the sensors. This can help patients to monitor their medication to live another day.

While edible electronic pills have been far from perfect, they can save lives.

PS: Image Credit: Digestive Health Associates