Stumbling upon your grandmother’s colorful pillbox organizers or custom-made blister packs might leave you impressed — how does she keep track of all those differently shaped and colored pills, each taken at different times of the day? What seems like a simple routine is often a logistical challenge, and for many, keeping up with a strict medication schedule is easier said than done.
A team of engineers at the University of California - San Diego may have found a solution. They’ve developed a single smart capsule that holds multiple medications and releases them at precisely timed intervals — making daily pill routines simpler and potentially more effective.
The Perfect Capsule
Published in Matter, the study outlines how the capsule uses a combination of clever materials and engineering to deliver medication in timed phases. Inside, different drugs are housed in separate compartments. Each is sealed off by a dissolvable barrier made from lactose, maltose, and a pH-sensitive polymer that shields it from stomach acid and dissolves only in a more alkaline environment.
