Batteries that safely break down in the GI tract could improve ingestible devices
Using materials safe for human consumption, MIT researchers have created tiny batteries that could be used to power ingestible electronic devices. Such batteries could make the devices safer for patients and minimize the environmental impact of the batteries after they are excreted.
MIT researchers have developed tiny, bioresorbable batteries that could power ingestible electronic devices, improving safety for patients and reducing environmental impact. The batteries, which generate 1.84 volts, could be used to power RFID tags and capsules that stimulate the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone. Led by Giovanni Traverso, a professor of mechanical engineering and gastroenterologist, the researchers used magnesium and molybdenum trioxide as electrodes, creating a bioresorbable battery that breaks down and is absorbed by the body within a few weeks.
They designed two versions of the battery, a disk and a rectangular bar, which can be used in various ingestible devices. In a recent study, the researchers demonstrated that the battery could power a device to stimulate ghrelin production in the stomach, potentially aiding in the treatment of diseases involving nausea or loss of appetite.
Additionally, they created a bioresorbable RFID device that could transmit from the GI tract with a longer range. The researchers are now planning a clinical trial for the RFID system, which they anticipate will begin in about two years.
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