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A New, Single Smart Capsule Could Help Us Take Our Meds All at Once

Learn more about how engineers designed a capsule that can ease our drug routines.

Jenny Lehmann
ByJenny Lehmann
Medications in the capsules are separated by pH-responsive polymer barriers (white) that can be tuned to release each drug or dose at different times. This photo showcases capsules without medications (left) and those packed with medications (right). ()Image Courtesy Of David Baillot/UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering

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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.

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, ...

  • Jenny Lehmann

    Jenny Lehmann

    Jenny Lehmann is an assistant editor at Discover Magazine who writes articles on microbiology, psychology, neurology, and zoology, and oversees the Piece of Mind column of the print issue.

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