Robotic mucus clearing capsule was developed for drug delivery systems in the gastrointestinal tract. Oral administration of protein-based drugs, the disruptive environment of the gastrointestinal tract and the absorption of such drugs are very important issues for drug distribution systems.
The capsule called RoboCop may be an important invention because it is digestible and carries a drug load of up to 342.6mm³. Thanks to the rotational movement of the capsule, drug distribution is ensured and the drug interacts mechanically with intestinal folds, villi and mucus. Providing the ability to clear a mucus layer of 500 to 800 μm in total, RoboCap can remain active for approximately 35 minutes.
Reference
Srinivasan, Shriya S., et al. “RoboCap: Robotic Mucus-Clearing Capsule for Enhanced Drug Delivery in the Gastrointestinal Tract.” Science Robotics, vol. 7, no. 70, Sept. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.abp9066.
