WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM INTEGRATING ELECTRONICS INTO ORALLY INGESTIBLE PRODUCTS FOR CONTROLLED RELEASE OF ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
Various embodiments of the present disclosure include a consumable capsule containing an active ingredient in at least one compartment movably sealed by a stimuli responsive actuator, and an activation device configured to communicate with the consumable capsule. The activation device is configured to emit a wireless signal to activate the stimuli responsive actuator of the consumable capsule, and the consumable capsule is configured to release the active ingredient into an external environment based on the activation of the stimuli responsive actuator.
The present application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/668,487, filed Aug. 3, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/946,478, filed Nov. 19, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,750,923, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 62/081,988, filed Nov. 19, 2014, 62/134,839, filed Mar. 18, 2015, and 62/191,149, filed Jul. 10, 2015, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUNDIndividuals in need of active ingredients for a desired biological response are generally required to ingest the active ingredients around the time at which the biological response is desired. For example, an athlete participating in a sporting event may require rehydration at some point during the event, and such rehydration can generally only be accomplished by consuming during the event a product that includes an active ingredient that can aid in rehydration (e.g., electrolytes). In many instances, the need to consume active ingredients during an event can be a competitive disadvantage, such as in situations where the athlete needs to physically slow down or completely stop in order to consume the desired active ingredient.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,449,920, 8,518,448, and 8,545,892 describe sustained-released beads that can be included in consumable products, such as foods or beverages. The sustained-released beads are consumed at, e.g., the beginning of an athletic event, and are designed to deliver an active ingredient over an extended period of time. In this manner, an athlete can consume an active ingredient once (e.g., before an athletic event begins) but still be provided with the active ingredient over the course of the event and without having to slow down or stop participation in the athletic event in order to consume additional active ingredient(s).
While useful in athletic competitions, the above-described sustained-release beads are not capable of providing precision, on-demand delivery of active ingredients. For example, if an athlete is participating in a bicycle race and desires a burst of caffeine as he or she approaches a steep climb, the athlete has no way to make the previously ingested sustained-release beads provide the active ingredient at the exact time the athlete begins his or her climb. Generally speaking, the rate at which the active ingredient is delivered to the athlete is outside of the athlete's control once the product is consumed. The sustained release beads can be designed to provide active ingredients at general time intervals, but various factors (e.g., the athlete's own physiology) will alter the timing at which the active ingredient is released, thereby making precision, on-demand delivery of an active ingredient during an event exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure is directed to a system including a consumable item, such as a capsule, having internal electronic components disposed therein that can be used to provide on demand delivery of an active ingredient also included within the consumable capsule. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule will be in the form of a bead, capsule, tablet, or the like, and will include one or more active ingredients and internal electronic components that are capable of wirelessly receiving electrical power and/or command signals from an external communication device or activation device that is also part of the system. When a signal is sent from the external communication device or activation device to the internal electronic components, a release action is initiated which results in the consumable capsule releasing the active ingredient. In this manner, on demand delivery of active ingredients to the consumer of the consumable capsule is possible.
Methods of and materials for making the consumable capsule described herein are also disclosed.
Embodiments described herein are generally directed to orally ingestible delivery systems including internal electronic components (e.g., a receiver) and one or more active ingredients incorporated into a consumable item such as a capsule, wherein all of the components of the consumable capsule are safe for consumption by a mammal, such as a human. Another component of the system can include activation device (such as one incorporated into a wearable item) or an external communication device that is used by the consumer to communicate with the internal electronic components in the consumable capsule after consumption of the consumable capsule.
The consumable capsule can be provided in any form generally suitable for consumption by a user and which is capable of housing the internal electronic components. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule is in the form of a product that can be swallowed by a consumer without having to chew or break up the consumable capsule prior to being swallowed. Providing a consumable capsule that can be swallowed whole protects the internal electronic components included in the consumable capsule. In some embodiments, the consumable matrix may be in the form of a capsule, tablet, pill, or bead (e.g., a microbead). In some embodiments, the consumable capsule may be dispersed within a food or beverage and provided with a coating or other barrier that prevents the consumable capsule from breaking down while stored in the food or beverage.
The consumable capsule generally includes two primary components: the internal electronic components that allow the consumable capsule to receive signals and/or power from an external communication device or activation device, and one or more active ingredients. Other components that can be included in the consumable capsule will also be discussed.
The internal electronic components included in the consumable capsule can be any electronic components that are safe for consumption. In some embodiments, the internal electronic components include at least a receiver capable of receiving a signal from an external communication device or activation device. In order to be safe for consumption, the internal electronic components should not include any material that is toxic to the consumer or that is included in an amount that is toxic to a consumer. In some embodiments, the internal electronic components are electronic components that have been approved for consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The electronic components may be digestible, or may be designed to pass through the consumer.
In some embodiments, the electronic components may include one or more microcontrollers, microprocessors, and/or radio frequency identification (RFID) receiver capable of passing safely through the body. In some embodiments, the microcontrollers/microprocessors/RFID receiver include materials such as silicon, magnesium, and copper, each of which is included in an amount that is not dangerous to a human consuming the microchip.
The electronic components may be capable of functioning to aid in accomplishing at least two primary objectives. First, the electronic components can function with the receiver to receive signals from an external communication device or activation device. In some embodiments, the electronic components function with an internal receiver only to receive a signal from one or more external transmitters (one way communication), while in other embodiments, the electronic components function together with an internal transmitter to both receive and transmit signals to and from one or more external transceivers (two way communication). Second, the electronic components can function to carry out or aid in carrying out the release activity that results in active ingredients being released from the consumable capsule and being made available to the consumer's GI tract. In some embodiments, the release activity carried out using the electronic components is carried out upon receipt of a signal from the external transmitter.
The electronic components may include memory sufficient to store a programming instructions that, when executed, allows the consumable capsule to receive and/or transmit signals (via interaction/association with an internal transceiver) and/or initiate and carry out a release activity (via interaction/association with components included in the consumable capsule to perform a release activity).
The ability of the electronic components to function with the internal transceiver to send and/or receive signals can be accomplished using any suitable wireless communication means. In some embodiments, the electronic components are designed to allow for communication between transmitters and receivers via RF signals, although other types of wireless communications are contemplated, such as RFID communications, Bluetooth communications, near field communications (NFC), optical communications, or the like. In some embodiments, the electronic components may be designed to allow for communication in sub 1 GHz Industrial-Scientific-Medical (ISM) frequency bands, such as 125 Khz, 1 Mhz, 13.56 Mhz, 433 Mhz, and 915 Mhz. Lower frequency bands may have better penetration of the body. In other embodiments, the electronic components may be designed to allow for communication using frequencies that are common to cellular devices, such that the external communication device may be a cellular device. Suitable frequencies include UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 2.4 GHz ISM (Channels 1-11), 5 GHz UNII-1 (Channels 36-48), 5 GHz UNII-2 (Channels 52-64), 5 GHz-2Ext (Channels 100-140), and 5 GHz UNII-3 (Channels 149-161).
The internal electronic components of the consumable capsule are capable of communicating with any variety of external communication device or activation device using the same communications protocol as the internal electronic components. In some embodiments, the external communication device may be a cellular device (e.g., cellular phone), a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a Bluetooth device, a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) device, or the like.
The external communication device or activation device may include programmable software and a user interface that allows the user to initiate a signal to the consumable capsule. For example, when the external communication device is a smartphone, the smartphone may run appropriate software (such as via an app) that provides a user interface for initiating a signal to the consumable capsule.
In some embodiments, a secondary transceiver can be a part of the system including the external communication device and the internal electronic components of the consumable capsule. The secondary transceiver may be used as an intermediate communications relay between the internal electronic components and the external communication device, and may include additional and/or more versatile electronic components that relay messages between the internal electronic components and the external communication device. In one example, the secondary transceiver is provided primarily as a way to receive a signal from the external communication device, optionally process the signal information in some way, and relay the information to the consumable capsule. The secondary transceiver may solve the issue of the internal electronic components in the consumable capsule only being capable of sending or receiving certain types of information small distances due to the size and relative simplicity of the internal electronic components.
The secondary transceiver may be included within an activation device that is worn somewhere on the body of the user (i.e., a wearable item) so as to always stay relatively close to the consumable capsule. In some embodiments, the activation device is a patch or belt worn on the body. The size of the secondary transceiver within the activation device is generally substantially larger than the internal electronic components of the consumable capsule and can therefore include a more complex system that is capable of carrying out more functions than the internal electronic components in the consumable capsule. In one specific example, the secondary transceiver is capable of relaying a signal across a larger distance than is possible with the internal electronic components of the consumable capsule, which thereby allows the external communication device to be farther away from the user while still allowing for communication between the external communication device, the secondary transceiver, and the consumable capsule.
As noted above, the system can be designed for one way or two way communication. In a one way communication system, the external communication device 210 is used exclusively to transmit signals to the activation device 240 and does not receive any information back from the consumable capsule 220 or activation device 240. Similarly, the internal electronic components in the consumable capsule 220 may be designed to only receive signals from the activation device 240. In other embodiments, each component of the system can send and receive information, allowing for a more diverse range of operations. In one example, where two way communication is provided, the internal electronic components or the consumable capsule 220 provide a signal to the external communication device 210 or activation device 240 including information relating to the state of the consumable capsule 220, e.g., whether the consumable capsule has released the active ingredient.
In some embodiments, the systems described above and illustrated in
In some embodiments, the external communication device 210 and/or activation device 240 may detect environment conditions and/or movement. For example, the external communication device 210 and/or activation device 240 may detect elevation, air temperature, movement speed, or other characteristics of the consumer 200 or consumer's environment. Based on this detection, the external communication device 210 and/or activation device 240 may automatically trigger the consumable capsule 220 to release an active ingredient. For example, the external communication device 210 and/or activation device 240 may automatically trigger the release of an active ingredient when the consumer 200 passes a certain elevation, or when the air temperature drops below a certain level, or when the consumer 200 is moving above a certain speed. The conditions for automatically releasing the active ingredient may be set by the consumer 200. In some embodiments where a smartphone is used as the external communication device 210, the consumer 200 may set the conditions for automatically releasing the active ingredient using an application stored on external communication device 210.
With reference to
When the activation device 400 monitors a condition in the consumer's health requiring an active ingredient, a signal (or signals) 411 may be sent directly to the consumable capsule 220 already ingested by the consumer 200. Receipt of the signal 411 triggers the consumable capsule 220 to carry out an event that results in the release of active ingredient into the consumer's GI tract 201. In some embodiments, the signal 411 may also provide power to the consumable capsule 220 to enable the release of the active ingredient. In this manner, the system shown in
When the activation device 400 sends a signal 411 directly to the consumable capsule 220, the activation device may incorporate some or all of the technology typically included in the external communication device 210 discussed above. As a result, in some embodiments, the activation device 400 may eliminate the need for an external communication device 210.
With reference to
Once the health event measured by activation device 400 is confirmed, the consumer 200 or remote monitor can approve the dispensing of the active ingredient through a user interface of the external communication device 210, which in turn produces the signal 413 from the external communication device 210 to the consumable capsule 220. The signal 413 and communication between the external communication device 210 and consumable capsule 200 can be similar or identical to the embodiments described above with respect to
While not shown in
The activation device used in the embodiments described above is generally not limited and can be used to monitor one or more of any number of characteristics relating to a user's health. A wide variety of activation devices currently exist that are worn all over the human body to monitor any number of vital signs, health characteristics, and the like. Examples include, but are not limited to, headsets that measure brainwaves, glucose monitors, ECG monitors, pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitors, temperature monitors, EKG monitors, EGG monitors, EMG monitors, heart activity monitors, skin moisture monitors, breathing monitors, swelling monitors, and cardiac monitors.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the coil of wire included in the activation device 500 may be litz wire. The litz wire may provide reduced impedance and allow the electromagnetic signal 511 to be generated more efficiently. The activation device 500 may also include a power source, such as a battery, and a secondary transceiver for communicating with other devices (such as an external communication device 210). In addition, the activation device 500 may include geolocation technology (e.g., GPS) and/or health monitoring technology.
In some embodiments, the activation device 500 may provide telemetry as to the location of the consumable capsule 220 within the consumer's 200 GI tract. For example, the consumable capsule 220 may cause interference to an electromagnetic field generated by the activation device 500. The activation device 500 may then estimate the location of the consumable capsule 220 based at least in part on this interference. The release of the active ingredient may then be triggered by the activation device 500 when the consumable capsule 220 is in a particular portion of the GI tract.
In addition, the activation device 500 may detect that the active ingredient has been released by the consumable capsule 220 based on one or more characteristics of the consumable capsule 220. For example, the consumable capsule 220 may cause different amounts of interference to an electromagnetic field generated by the activation device 500 before and after the release of the active ingredient. Alternatively, the consumable capsule 220 may provide a feedback signal to the activation device 500 when the active ingredient is released. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule 220 may release more than one active ingredient, and/or multiple doses of an active ingredient. Thus, the consumable capsule 220 may cause different amounts of interference and/or different types feedback based on type and/or amount of active ingredient that was released.
In some embodiments, the activation device 500 may utilize one or two magnetic coils for generating the electromagnetic signal 511. Two coils may be configured in a Helmholtz arrangement and may provide an approximately uniform magnetic field between the two coils. However, this configuration may only be capable of producing a magnetic field along a single axis, and may require the consumable capsule 220 to incorporate three orthogonal receiving coils. This configuration may reduce the complexity of the activation device 500 at the expense of increasing the complexity of the consumable capsule 220.
Alternatively, a lower cost and lower complexity consumable capsule 220 may be used with an activation device 500 that incorporates an array of smaller coils. Each of the smaller coils may be independently controlled to produce a magnetic field with an arbitrary orientation and gradient. This multi-coil architecture may allow the consumable capsule 220 to respond to electromagnetic signals 511 in a single axis because the activation device 500 can continuously adjust its field generation to match the orientation of the consumable capsule 220.
A set of individual coils may be arranged in the activation device 500 such that six or more coils can operate concurrently to behave as a set of Helmholtz coils, or to generate a gradient with orientation, magnitude, and RF emissions suitable for interacting with the consumable capsule 220 in a variety of orientations. For example, one embodiment may include 8 or 12 coils circumscribing the consumer's body in a horizontal row. Three or four of these rows of coils may be stacked vertically along the body to cover a larger area of the consumer's GI tract. The coils may be circular, square, hexagonal, or other suitable shapes. The coils may be made of copper, aluminum, or other suitable conductors, and may be flexible wires or rigid wires. Flexible printed circuit board manufacturing techniques may be used to etch multiple coils onto a single substrate that may also contain the control and power electronics necessary to operate the activation device 500.
In order to effectively utilize the set of coils, the activation device 500 may be capable of sensing the approximate location and orientation of the consumable capsule 220. This location sensing may be implemented by scanning for the consumable capsule 220 by adjusting the field orientation until the activation device 500 is coupled with the consumable capsule 220. The location data that results from this scanning process may be used to control the delivery of a particular active agent or collection of a sample within the body, as needed by clinical applications. In some embodiments, the capsule localization process may be implemented such that the activation device 500 detects the electrical power absorbed by the consumable capsule 220. This technique may allow the activation device 500 to output a minimum amount of power necessary to satisfy the requirements of the consumable capsule 220. The reduction of output power may improve battery life and reduce RF emissions of the activation device 500. Minimizing RF emissions may be desirable for both reducing system heat and meeting US FCC and international regulations.
In some embodiments, the consumable capsule 220 may utilize one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) (such as shown in
In addition, an activation device 500 utilizing a set of coils may be capable of powering, controlling, and communicating with multiple capsules 220 within a consumer. For example, the activation device 500 may be configured to create a complex magnetic field geometry that satisfies the requirements of multiple capsules 220 simultaneously. Increasing the number of independent coils in the activation device 500 may improve the effectiveness of interacting with multiple capsules 220 by allowing for increasingly complex field geometries.
In some embodiments, an activation device 500 utilizing a set of coils may be designed to react in real-time to environmental magnetic disturbances, such as nearby metallic objects, or large or moving body tissues. If the activation device 500 is intended to be used in non-controlled environments such as an consumer's home, school, or workplace, environmental, magnetic disturbances may pose a risk to the proper functionality of the system. Real-time control of the magnetic field orientation and gradient may allow the multi-coil activation device 500 to function in environments where a single coil activation device, or an activation device having single set of Helmholtz coils would fail.
In some embodiments, an activation device 500 utilizing a set of coils may be used to control the movement of the consumable capsule 220. For example, the consumable capsule 220 may incorporate a permanent magnet or other means for locomotion driven by an external magnetic field.
With reference to
The activation device 500 may provide telemetry information to the external communication device 210 regarding the location of the consumable capsule within the consumer's GI tract. For example, the consumable capsule 220 may cause interference to an electromagnetic field generated by the activation device 500. The activation device 500 may estimate the location of the consumable capsule 220 based at least in part on this interference, and then report the estimated location to the external communication device 210. The external communication device 210 may then send the signal 511 to the activation device 500 based at least in part on the telemetry information.
In addition, the activation device 500 may detect that the active ingredient has been released by the consumable capsule 220 based on one or more characteristics of the consumable capsule 220. For example, the consumable capsule 220 may cause different amounts of interference to an electromagnetic field generated by the activation device 500 before and after the release of the active ingredient. Alternatively, the consumable capsule 220 may provide a feedback signal to the activation device 500 when the active ingredient is released. The activation device 500 may then send a notification to the external communication device 210 indicating that the active ingredient has been released. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule 220 may release more than one active ingredient, and/or multiple doses of an active ingredient. Thus, the notification from the activation device 500 may also indicate the type and amount of active ingredient that was released.
The activation device suitable for use in embodiments described herein can also include camera-based eyewear technology, such as Google glass and the like. This camera-based eyewear technology may be used to, for example, take pictures or video of a user's various body parts in order to make diagnosis for conditions that manifest themselves externally on a user's body.
The activation device suitable for use in embodiments described herein may be freestanding (worn over or under clothes) or can be incorporated into clothes.
Activation device may also include devices/technology which are incorporated into/onto a mobile phone, tablet, PDA, or the like. Any activation device that is incorporated onto or into a mobile phone, tablet, etc., can be used. Examples of activation devices that are incorporated onto or into a mobile phone, tablet, etc. include, but are not limited to, protective cases which can take the pulse of a user when his/her thumbs or fingers are placed on the protective case and software that utilizes a mobile phone's camera to conduct eye exams or other eye related diagnostic tests.
In some embodiments, the activation device may also include implantable devices in order to monitor vital signs and the like which cannot currently be monitored using external activation devices.
The consumable capsule further includes one or more active ingredients. Any active ingredient or combination of active ingredients can be included in the consumable capsule. In some embodiments, the active ingredients may include prescription pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and/or other consumable products. Exemplary active ingredients include, but are not limited to, nutraceuticals, vitamins, supplements, minerals, enzymes, probiotics, bronchodilators, anabolic steroids, analeptics, analgesics, proteins, peptides, antibodies, vaccines, anesthetics, antacids, anti helmintics, anti-arrthymics, antibiotics, anticoagulants, anticolonergics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antidiabetics, antidiarrheals, anti-emetics, anti-epileptics, antihistamines, antihormones, antihypertensives, anti-inflammatories, antimuscarinics, antimycotics, antineoplastics, anti-obesity drugs, antiprotozoals, antipsychotics, antispasmotics, anti-thrombics, antithyroid drugs, antitussives, antivirals, anxiolytics, astringents, beta-adrenergic receptor blocking drugs, bile acids, bronchospasmolytic drugs, calcium channel blockers, cardiac glycosides, contraceptives, corticosteriods, diagnostics, digestives, diuretics, dopaminergics, electrolytes, emetics, haemostatic drugs, hormones, hormone replacement therapy drugs, hypnotics, hypoglycemic drugs, immunosuppressants, impotence drugs, laxatives, lipid regulators, muscle relaxants, pain relievers, parasympathicolytics, parasympathicomimetics, prostagladins, psychostimulants, sedatives, sex steroids, spasmolytics, sulfonamides, sympathicolytics, sympathicomimetics, sympathomimetics, thyreomimetics, thyreostatic drugs, vasodialators, and xanthines; drugs or medicaments, breath fresheners, vitamins and other dietary supplements, minerals, caffeine, nicotine, fruit juices, and the like, and mixtures thereof. Examples of useful drugs include ace-inhibitors, antianginal drugs, anti-arrhythmias, anti-asthmatics, anti-cholesterolemics, analgesics, anesthetics, anti-convulsants, anti-depressants, anti-diabetic agents, anti-diarrhea preparations, antidotes, anti-histamines, anti-hypertensive drugs, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-lipid agents, anti-manics, anti-nauseants, anti-stroke agents, anti-thyroid preparations, anti-tumor drugs, anti-viral agents, acne drugs, alkaloids, amino acid preparations, anti-tussives, anti-uricemic drugs, anti-viral drugs, anabolic preparations, systemic and non-systemic anti-infective agents, anti-neoplastics, anti-parkinsonian agents, anti-rheumatic agents, appetite stimulants, biological response modifiers, blood modifiers, bone metabolism regulators, cardiovascular agents, central nervous system stimulates, cholinesterase inhibitors, contraceptives, decongestants, dietary supplements, dopamine receptor agonists, endometriosis management agents, enzymes, erectile dysfunction therapies such as sildenafil citrate, which is currently marketed as Viagra®, fertility agents, gastrointestinal agents, homeopathic remedies, hormones, hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia management agents, immunomodulators, immunosuppressives, migraine preparations, motion sickness treatments, muscle relaxants, obesity management agents, osteoporosis preparations, oxytocics, parasympatholytics, parasympathomimetics, prostaglandins, psychotherapeutic agents, respiratory agents, sedatives, smoking cessation aids such as bromocryptine or nicotine, sympatholytics, tremor preparations, urinary tract agents, vasodilators, laxatives, antacids, ion exchange resins, anti-pyretics, appetite suppressants, expectorants, anti-anxiety agents, anti-ulcer agents, anti-inflammatory substances, coronary dilators, cerebral dilators, peripheral vasodilators, psycho-tropics, stimulants, anti-hypertensive drugs, vasoconstrictors, migraine treatments, antibiotics, tranquilizers, anti-psychotics, anti-tumor drugs, anti-coagulants, anti-thrombotic drugs, hypnotics, anti-emetics, anti-nauseants, anti-convulsants, neuromuscular drugs, hyper- and hypo-glycemic agents, thyroid and anti-thyroid preparations, diuretics, anti-spasmodics, terine relaxants, anti-obesity drugs, erythropoietic drugs, anti-asthmatics, cough suppressants, mucolytics, DNA and genetic modifying drugs, and combinations thereof.
The consumable capsule may contain active ingredients having various types of payload form, such as powder, liquid, oil, slurry, micro-beads, nano-beads, etc. The active ingredients can be included in the consumable capsule in any desired quantity and in any desired combination. For example, the quantity of active ingredient contained in a consumable capsule may range from 0.1 mg to 500 g. However, the quantity may not be limited to these ranges.
In some embodiments, the consumable capsule may release more than one active ingredient, and/or multiple doses of an active ingredient.
The active ingredients selected for use in the consumable capsule can be used to address a variety of conditions. In some embodiments, the active ingredients are selected from those generally used to enhance physical performance, such as stimulants, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. In such embodiments, the consumable capsule matrix can be used to deliver any of the active ingredients on demand and in response to a specific event in an athletic competition (e.g., an on demand release of caffeine at the beginning of a steep climb in a bicycle race). In some embodiments, the active ingredients can be medicine needed to treat and/or prevent a variety of conditions. In a specific example, the active ingredients are selected to treat life threatening conditions, such as in a human having a high risk for heart attacks, in which case the consumable capsule can provide nitroglycerin on demand (and potentially by a remote user, such as a doctor, monitoring such a patient). In still another embodiment, the active ingredient can be any type of appetite suppressant such that the consumable capsule can be used by individuals trying to lose weight. In such embodiments, the consumable capsule can be used to deliver the appetite suppressant on demand, such as when the user feels a food craving.
In some embodiments, a user can consume multiple consumable capsules, with each consumable capsule having different active ingredients or combinations of active ingredients. Each consumable capsule can further include internal electronic components that transmit and/or receive specific signals different from the signals used in the other consumable capsule such that the active ingredients in each consumable capsule can be released separately and independently from active ingredients in the other consumable capsule. The user interface of the external communication device may be used to select which active ingredients to release. In a specific example, a first consumable capsule includes electrolytes and a second consumable capsule includes caffeine. In such an embodiment, the user may use the external communication device to release the caffeine when desired and the electrolytes when desired.
Other components that can be included in the consumable capsule include components which help to establish the form and/or stability of the consumable capsule, such as binding agents, coating materials, and shell layers. Any suitable binding agents, coating materials, and/or shell layers can be used to create a consumable capsule in which the internal electronic components and the active ingredients are embedded. The consumable capsule may be created in a range of sizes capable of being consumed by a human or other animal. For example, the length of the capsule may range from 1 mm to 10 cm, and the diameter may range from 1 mm to 5 cm. However, the consumable capsule may not be limited to these ranges.
In some embodiments, the binding agents, coating materials, shell layers, or the like are selected such that the internal electronic components can carry out a release activity which causes the binding agents, coating materials, shell layers, or the like to change in some way that allows the active ingredients to release into user. Any suitable release activity that results in the active ingredients being released from the consumable capsule into the consumer can be used to allow for the release of the active ingredients. In some embodiments, the release activity is a heating event which results in the binding agents, coating materials, etc., disintegrating, melting, or altering in some way that allows the active ingredients to release out of the consumable capsule. In other embodiments, the release activity is a vibrating or sonicating event that similarly causes a physical or structural break down in the consumable capsule to thereby release the active ingredients. Depending on the event to be initiated/carried out by the internal electronic components, the consumable capsule can include additional components necessary for carrying out the specific event (e.g., a heating element, a light generating element, or a vibrating element turned on and off by the electronic components upon receipt of a signal by the internal receiver).
With reference to
In some embodiments, the material used to create a consumable capsule in which the internal electronic components and active ingredients are enclosed is designed and/or selected such that the consumable capsule does not significantly break down upon exposure to the user's GI tract. In other words, the consumable capsule should not be permitted to significantly break down and release active ingredients into the user based on the conditions of the user's GI tract alone. The consumable capsule can therefore include coating layers and/or shells or the like which are not capable of breaking down when exposed to the environment of the user's GI tract, but which do break down upon the occurrence of the release activity initiated by the internal electronic components. Examples of specific materials and components are further described in reference to
With reference now to
The external communication device 210 may include a user interface 605. A consumer may input a command through the communication device user interface 605 for the consumable capsule 220 to release an active ingredient. The communication device user interface 605 may also include a display or other indicator that informs the consumer of the status of the consumable capsule 220. For example the communication device user interface 605 may provide an indicator when the active ingredient was successfully released from the consumable capsule 220.
When the communication device user interface 605 receives a command for the consumable capsule 220 to release an active ingredient, the communication device 210 may activate a communications module 610. The transceiver 610 transmits a signal (or signals) to the activation device 500. The transmitted signal instructs the activation device 500 to trigger the consumable capsule 220 to release the active ingredient. The signal may be transmitted using a wireless communication protocol, such as Bluetooth or Near Field Communication (NFC).
The activation device 500 includes a transceiver 615 for receiving the signal (or signals) from the external communication device 210. The received signal is passed to a controller module 620, which interprets the received signal and determines that an instruction to release the active ingredient was sent by the external communication device 210. In some embodiments, the activation device 500 may also include a user interface 625. The user interface 625 may include a display or indicator. The user interface 625 may indicate that an instruction to release the ingredient was successfully received. In some embodiments, the consumer inputs a command through the wearable user interface 625 for the consumable capsule 220 to release the active ingredient, instead of inputting the command through the external communication device 210.
The activation device 500 also includes a power source 630. The power source 630 may be a battery or other portable power source. The power source 630 provides power to the components of the activation device. In some embodiments, the power source 630 is also the source of power for the consumable capsule 220, as further described herein. A power management module 635 receives power from the power source and distributes the power to the components of the activation device 500.
When an instruction to release the active ingredient is received by the activation device 500, the controller module 620 configures the power management module 635 to supply power to drive electronics 640. The drive electronics 640 include electronic components (such as amplifiers and filters) that condition the power from the power management module 635. The conditioned power is then used to drive a transmitting element, such as primary coil 645. The primary coil 645 functions as an antenna to emit an electromagnetic signal at a frequency and amplitude capable of inductively coupling with orthogonal secondary coils 650 within the consumable capsule 220.
The orthogonal secondary coils 650 within the consumable capsule 220 include three coils 652, 654, 656 arranged at right angles to one another. Each of the antenna coils 652, 654, 656 is configured to receive electromagnetic energy from the electromagnetic signal emitted by the activation device 500. The respective amount of electromagnetic energy received by each of the coils 652, 654, 656 depends on the orientation of the consumable capsule 220 and distance from the primary coil 645. The orthogonal secondary coils 650 allow the consumable capsule 220 to efficiently receive the energy from the electromagnetic signal while the consumable capsule 220 is in a variety of orientations within a consumer's GI tract. For example, the coil 652, 654, or 656 having an orientation closest to the orientation of the primary coil 645 of the activation device 500 may receive a larger amount of electromagnetic energy than the other coils. Thus, the orthogonal secondary coils 650 allow the total amount of electromagnetic energy received by the consumable capsule 220 to be substantially independent of the orientation of the consumable capsule 220.
The electromagnetic energy received by each of the coils 652, 654, 656 may be used to provide power to the consumable capsule 220. For example, one or more of the coils 652, 654, 656 may generate low-level AC signals from the electromagnetic energy emitted by the primary coil 645 by inductively coupling with the primary coil 645. The size of the AC signals generated by each of the coils 652, 654, 656 may depend on the orientation of the consumable capsule 220 relative to the primary coil 645. Each of the AC signals generated by the coils 652, 654, 656 are transmitted to the consumable capsule's control electronics 660. The control electronics 660 include power management circuitry 662 which converts the AC signals from the coils 652, 654, 656 into a power source for the consumable capsule 220. For example, the power management circuitry 662 rectify, filter, and combine the low-level AC signals to produce a DC power source capable of powering the various functions of the consumable capsule 220 (as shown in
The consumable capsule's power management circuitry 662 provides power to a controller module 664. The controller module 664 may then trigger the release of an active ingredient by activating a first compartment actuator 670 and/or a second compartment actuator 675. When a compartment actuator is activated, an opening is created in the consumable capsule 220 which allows the active ingredient within a respective compartment to be released into a consumer's GI tract. The controller module 664 may be configured to activate the first and second compartment actuators 670, 675 sequentially or simultaneously. When activated sequentially, the controller module 664 may activate the second compartment actuator 675 automatically at a predetermined time after receiving the electromagnetic signal from the activation device's primary coil 645. Alternatively, the controller module 664 may activate the second compartment actuator 675 after receiving a secondary electromagnetic signal from the activation device's primary coil 645.
In some embodiments, the predetermined time for activating the second compartment actuator 675 may be configured by the consumer. For example, the consumable capsule 220 may include a communications module 666 which receives commands from the activation device transceiver 615 and/or from the communication device transceiver 610. Based on the received command, the controller module 664 may configure the predetermined time for activating the second compartment actuator 675. The communications module 666 may also be used for reporting the status of the consumable capsule 220 to the activation device 500 and/or the external communication device 210. For example, the controller module 664 may instruct the communications module 666 to transmit a feedback signal indicating each time a compartment actuator is successfully activated. The wearable transceiver 645 and/or communication device transceiver may receive the indicator, and then notify the consumer through the communication device user interface 605 and/or the wearable user interface 625.
Alternatively, in some embodiments, the activation device 500 may detect a compartment actuator was successfully activated through other characteristics of the consumable capsule 220. For example, when a compartment actuator is activated, the amount of interference the consumable capsule 220 causes to the electromagnetic field generated by the primary coil 645 may change. The drive electronics 640 may include circuitry for detecting this change in interference, which may then be reported to the wearable controller module 620. The wearable controller module 620 may then use the wearable user interface 625 to notify the user that the active ingredient was successfully released, or the wearable controller module 620 may send a notification signal to the external communication device 210.
With reference now to
With reference now to
In some embodiments, the capacitors 672, 674, 676 may be in series with one or more inductors (not shown). Alternatively, in some embodiments, the capacitors 672, 674, 676 may be in parallel with one or more resistors or inductors (not shown). The combination of capacitors 672, 674, 676 with inductors may allow the consumable capsule to efficiently couple with the activation device when the activation device emits a signal within certain frequency bands. For example, the activation device may emit signals in the 125 Khz band and the 13.54 Mhz band (each being available for unlicensed medical operation by the FCC). Each frequency band may be associated with a different behavior of the consumable capsule. For example, a simple two-channel system might be implemented to open and close an actuator of the consumable capsule. The activation device may emit at a frequency band associated with opening the actuator, and emit at another frequency band associated with closing the actuator. The activation device may be designed such that the primary coil 645 is capable of emitting a signal at each frequency band, or the activation device may include multiple coils, each corresponding to a specific frequency band.
In addition to the LED 694, one or more of the diodes 682C, 682D, 684C, 684D, 686C, 686D shown in
Inductive power coupling typically requires rectification circuitry which converts the AC power waveform from the resonant LC receiver circuit to DC power that can be used by the load. For example,
With reference now to
The consumable capsule 700 includes orthogonal secondary coils 705 and control electronics 710. The orthogonal secondary coils 705 and control electronics 710 are enclosed within an electronics section 715. The consumable capsule 700 also includes a compartment section 740 having a first delivery compartment 720 and a second delivery compartment 725. The first delivery compartment is formed by a first wall 782 and a second wall 784 of the compartment section 740. The first wall 782 and the second wall 784 are connected by a first primary support column 775 (shown in
The second delivery compartment 725 is formed by the second wall 784 and a third wall 786 of the compartment section 740. The first support column 775 (shown in
In some embodiments, the electronics section 715 and the compartment section 740 may be manufactured independently. The electronics section 715 may then be bonded to the first wall 782 of the compartment section 740 through various bonding techniques, such as sonic welding or with an adhesive. The electronics section 715 and the compartment section 740 may be made from the same or different materials. For example, the electronics section 715 may be made from an inert material that is not digestible (e.g., polyethylene), while the compartment section 740 may be made from a digestible material (e.g., polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)).
In other embodiments, the electronics section 715 and the compartment section 740 may be manufactured as a single structure from the same material, either inert or digestible.
Each delivery compartment 720 and 725 may include an active ingredient. While shown with two delivery compartments, one of ordinary skill would understand the consumable capsule 700 may be configured with a single delivery compartment, or three or more delivery compartments.
The orthogonal secondary coils 705 include three coils arranged orthogonally to one another. Each of the coils are configured to receive electromagnetic energy from a triggering device, such as the activation device described above. The respective amount of electromagnetic energy received by each of the coils depends on the orientation of the consumable capsule 700. The orthogonal secondary coils 705 allows the consumable capsule to efficiently receive signals (such as an electromagnetic signal 511 from activation device 500, shown in
The energy received by each of the coils of the orthogonal secondary coils 705 may be used to provide power to the consumable capsule 700. Control electronics 710 may combine the energy received by each of the coils and convert the total received energy into a power source, as described in reference to
The control electronics 710 trigger the release of the active ingredient in the first delivery compartment 720 by applying an electric field to the first linear actuator 730. The control electronics 710 apply the electric field by transmitting an electric current over a first positive power line 745 and a first negative power line 750 (shown in
The linear actuators 730 and 735 may be made partially or entirely from stimuli responsive materials, such as electro-active polymers (EAPs). In one embodiment, the EAPs include Inherently Conjugated Polymers (ICPs), such as Polypyrrole, Polyaniline, or Polythiopene. When a voltage potential is applied to an ICP, electrons begin moving between the electrodes in the polymer. The speed of this is driven by the surrounding electrolyte ionic conductivity. The movement of charge then attracts ions in the polymer to the electrodes, creating a redox reaction. Ions from the electrolyte diffuse into the polymer to balance the charge in the system, the speed of which is driven by the size of the ions and the structure of the polymer. In some examples, the digestive fluids within the GI tract may function as the electrolyte. The addition of these ions then generates a volume change in the polymer dependent on the modulus of the polymer. The volume change creates a geometric change which is dependent on the shape of the actuator and/or the materials to which the actuator is attached.
The components of the consumable capsule 700 may include bio-compatible components. For example, the components within the orthogonal secondary coils 705 and control electronics 710 may include conductors, semi-conductors, dielectric materials, and substrate materials. Bio-compatible conductors may be made from Magnesium or Magnesium alloy materials. Bio-compatible semi-conductors may be made from Indigoids, Magnesium Oxide, or doped Magnesium materials. Bio-compatible dielectrics may be made from nucleotides or DNA. Bio-compatible substrates may be made from Silk, PLGA, or Shellac. In addition to being bio-compatible, some of the components (such as those made from PLGA, Indigoids, and nucleotides) may be bio-resorbable.
With reference now to
In this embodiment, the actuators 730 and 735 are partially or entirely made from a stimuli responsive material that utilizes photo-responsive smart shape-changing polymers or liquid crystalline elastomers (LCE), as further described herein. The photo-responsive smart shape-changing polymers use photons or light as an energy input. The photons or light are generated by LEDs 792 and 794. The LEDs 792 and 794 may be one or more of the rectification diodes 682C, 682D, 684C, 684D, 686C, 686D, or the LED 694, described in reference to
These types of photo-responsive actuators 730 and 735 have a number of features such as ability to be remotely controlled with high speed and spatial precision, have large strain actuation, require low voltage, work at room temperature or body temperature, can operate in liquid electrolytes or body fluids, and can be microfabricated. Photon energy may be converted to mechanical work in the photo-responsive actuators 730 and 735 using two major mechanisms: reversible structural change upon photo irradiation such as photo-isomerization, charge generation, or initiation of reversible photochemical reaction within the polymer; or local temperature increase upon absorption of photons by the material that leads to actuation in thermal responsive polymer actuators.
In one embodiment, reversible photo-isomerization polymer actuators 730 and 735 may be used. Reversible photo-isomerization polymer actuators 730 and 735 can store external tensile or compression force input as a potential energy and return to their original form upon removal of forces by converting the potential energy to mechanical work. Alternatively, reversible photo-isomerization polymer actuators 730 and 735 may return to their original form by using a different wavelength of light and/or using heat (such as body temperature). Light or photo-irradiation from the LEDs 792 and 794 may be used to convert energy into motion quickly by using photo-responsive macromolecules in the actuators 730 and 735 that are light-energy transducers. Photochemical molecules such as spyropyranes, stilbenes, fulgides, and azobenzenes can change their structure when irradiated with light at a certain wavelength. This structural change results in a local volume change that can be amplified if it is incorporated into the polymer chain; and therefore, exhibit actuation. Azobenzene may be preferred due to its thermal stability and rapid reaction at certain absorbance with reversible property. The azobenzene isomers can be isomerized from trans to cis upon UV light irradiation at 343 nm and from cis to trans upon visible light irradiation at 440 nm. The LEDs 792 and 794 may be capable of emitting light at approximately each of these wavelengths. This may be achieved using one or more LEDs. It is noted that the cis isomer is less stable than the trans isomer due to the steric hindrance; therefore, the cis isomer can also relax back to trans isomer isothermally which is thermodynamically more stable. Overall, the molecules of the actuators 730 and 735 transform from a straight configuration (trans) to a bent configuration (cis), which is responsible for the shape change of the actuators, as shown in
Photo-irradiation of azobenzene (azo) incorporated in liquid-crystalline elastomer (LCE) may induce a reversible 20% shape contraction. It is noted that LCEs are class of stimuli-sensitive materials including liquid-crystal molecules with exceptional actuation properties that can have both elastic properties and anisotropy due to the presence of liquid-crystalline order. One of the unique properties of azobenzene is the reversible transition from trans to cis under UV light and by using a longer wavelength of 440 nm to return the polymer rapidly to its original state. Upon UV light irradiation, an azobenzene actuator may transform rapidly (0.5 second) to a bent or twisted shape.
The actuators 730 and 735 may include azo-LCE material that bends after exposure to 366 nm light and reverts completely to its initial state by irradiating with natural light or exposure to heat (such as body heat). The ability to control bending reversibly using light exposure may allow for faster response and less energy or power requirement. The azo-LCE may be created using azobenzene mesogenic monomer capable of photo-actuation.
The azo-LCE actuators 730 and 735 may be bent after exposure to 366 nm light with the intensity of 2.0 mW/cm-2 for 10 to 35 seconds. The bent azo-LCE actuators 730 and 735 may be completely recovered to their initial flat state after natural light irradiation. A bending maximum can be reached after exposure of the azo-LCE actuators 730 and 735 to UV light for about 35 to 50 seconds.
It is important to optimize the performance of the azo-LCE actuators 730 and 735 by varying the amount of azobenzene, crosslinking density, actuator thickness or dimensions, or the power intensity of the LEDs 792 and 794. The bending moment and actuation speed may be varied by altering the chemistry and alignment of azo-LCE, varying the power intensity of irradiated light, and/or changing the polarization angle of the irradiated light. The crosslink density can influence the actuation-generated force and speed by changing the anisotropy and rigidity of the network of each actuator 730 and 735. The light intensity and exposure time may also influence actuation time and force.
As described with reference to
With reference now to
As described with reference to
With reference now to
The consumable capsule 900 includes orthogonal secondary coils 905 and control electronics 910. The orthogonal secondary coils 905 and control electronics 910 are enclosed within an electronics section 915. The consumable capsule 900 also includes a compartment section 940 having a first delivery compartment 920 and a second delivery compartment 925. The first delivery compartment is formed by a first wall 982 and a second wall 984 of the compartment section 940. The first wall 982 and the second wall 984 are connected by a first primary support column 975 (shown in
The second delivery compartment 925 is formed by the second wall 984 and a third wall 986 of the compartment section 940. The first support column 975 (shown in
In some embodiments, the electronics section 915 and the compartment section 940 may be manufactured independently. The electronics section 915 may then be bonded to the first wall 982 of the compartment section 940 through various bonding techniques, such as sonic welding or with an adhesive. The electronics section 915 and the compartment section 940 may be made from the same or different materials. For example, the electronics section 915 may be made from an inert material that is not digestible (e.g., polyethylene), while the compartment section 940 may be made from a digestible material (e.g., polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)).
In other embodiments, the electronics section 915 and the compartment section 940 may be manufactured as a single structure from the same material, either inert or digestible.
Each delivery compartment may include an active ingredient. The components of the consumable capsule 900 may further include bio-compatible components, as described in reference to
The orthogonal secondary coils 905 include three coils arranged orthogonally to one another, as described in reference to
The control electronics 910 trigger the release of the active ingredient in the first delivery compartment 920 by applying an electric field to the first bending actuator 930. The control electronics 910 apply the electric field by transmitting an electric current over electrodes, such as first positive power line 945 and first negative power line 950 (shown in
The bending actuators 930 and 935 may be made from electro-active polymers (EAPs). The EAPs may include Inherently Conjugated Polymers (ICPs), such as Polypyrrole, Polyaniline, or Polythiopene. When a voltage potential is applied to an ICP, electrons begin moving between the electrodes in the polymer. The speed of this is driven by the surrounding electrolyte ionic conductivity. The movement of charge then attracts ions in the polymer to the electrodes, creating a redox reaction. Ions from the electrolyte diffuse into the polymer to balance the charge in the system, the speed of which is driven by the size of the ions and the structure of the polymer. In some examples, the digestive fluids within the GI tract may function as the electrolyte. The addition of these ions then generates a volume change in the polymer dependent on the modulus of the polymer. The volume change creates a geometric change which is dependent on the shape of the actuator, what it is attached to, etc. For example, the polymer may shrink in volume. When the polymer is attached to a surface of another material that does not shrink (such as the bending substrates 965 and 970), the polymer may cause itself and the other material to curl or bend.
With reference now to
In this embodiment, the actuators 930 and 935 are partially or entirely made from a stimuli responsive material that utilizes photo-responsive smart shape-changing polymers, as described in reference to
The photo-responsive actuators 930 and 935 operate in a similar manner as described in reference to
As described with reference to
With reference now to
As described with reference to
In some embodiments, the actuators described in reference to
LCE materials differ from traditional polymers in that crystalline elements form part of the cross-linked structure. This gives several pronounced differences in behavior for these materials versus polymers. Firstly, the physical response is more anisotropic, depending on the crystalline structure of the material, which make them suitable for the actuators in the present systems, which move along a preferential direction or axis. They also can actuate with lower energy inputs, as the disturbance of part of the crystalline structure causes the entire structure to re-order in some cases.
Other advantages may appear with the use of SMP or LCE materials. For example, the shape memory behavior is based on the molecular structure, not the chemical composition of the polymer. This allows for a much broader range of tailored mechanical and chemical properties to be achieved with similar shape memory behavior. Also, SMP and LCE materials demonstrate response times that can be as short as pico-seconds, which may be advantageous for limiting the amount of electromagnetic energy input to the human body to power the consumable capsule. The SMP materials may be bio-compatible/bio-resorbable and may include PLGA and other bio-compatible/bio-resorbable materials. The LCE materials may be doped with Thio-indigoids to increase the photochromatic response of the system.
In some embodiments, light-actuated SMP materials may be preferable to thermally-actuated materials. Any thermally-actuated SMP intended for use in the body must necessarily have an actuation temperature at least somewhat above the normal human body temperature. Many active ingredients that may be placed into the consumable capsule for targeted delivery may be sensitive to heat, which is more difficult to shield from than is light. Optically-actuated SMP materials are contemplated that actuate at various wavelengths of light, from infrared through ultra-violet. This offers a further advantage that an LED with a high electrical to light conversion efficiency may be used and the SMP material may be designed around the wavelength produced by that LED. In this way, a high power conversion efficiency may be achieved in the consumable capsule, lowering the necessary power input to the body. In some embodiments, a bio-compatible organic LED may be used. For example, an organic LED using DNA as an electron-blocking layer may be used. This type of organic LED has a high luminous efficiency and total luminous power. The wavelength at which such LEDs emit light may be tuneable by adjusting the materials used to construct the LED.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, shape changing or smart polymers may also function as means to move the consumable capsule about within the body. For example, the smart polymer may be shaped into “flagellum” or “fins” which may propel the consumable capsule via repetitive bending. The bending may be activated by repeated use LEDs emitting different wavelengths of light.
With reference now to
The consumable capsule 1100 includes orthogonal secondary coils 1105 and control electronics 1110. The orthogonal secondary coils 1105 and control electronics 1110 are enclosed within an electronics section 1115. The consumable capsule 1100 also includes a compartment section 1140 having a first delivery compartment 1120 and a second delivery compartment 1125. The first delivery compartment is formed by a first wall 1182 and a second wall 1184 of the compartment section 1140. The first wall 1182 and the second wall 1184 are connected by a first primary support column 1152 (shown in
The second delivery compartment 1125 is formed by the second wall 1184 and a third wall 1186 of the compartment section 1140. The first support column 1152 (shown in
In some embodiments, the electronics section 1115 and the compartment section 1140 may be manufactured independently. The electronics section 1115 may then be bonded to the first wall 1182 of the compartment section 1140 through various bonding techniques, such as sonic welding or with an adhesive. The electronics section 1115 and the compartment section 1140 may be made from the same or different materials. For example, the electronics section 1115 may be made from an inert material that is not digestible (e.g., polyethylene), while the compartment section 940 may be made from a digestible material (e.g., polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)).
In other embodiments, the electronics section 1115 and the compartment section 1140 may be manufactured as a single structure from the same material, either inert or digestible.
Each delivery compartment may include an active ingredient. The components of the consumable capsule 900 may further include bio-compatible components, as described in reference to
The orthogonal secondary coils 1105 include three coils arranged orthogonally to one another, as described in reference to
The control electronics 1110 trigger the release of the active ingredient in the first delivery compartment by heating the first thermally expansive material 1130. The first thermally expansive material 1130 is heated when the control electronics 1110 apply an electric current to the first thermally expansive material 1130. Alternatively, the control electronics 1110 may apply an electric current to heating elements (not shown). The heating elements then heat the first thermally expansive material 1130. The heating elements may be embedded within the first thermally expansive material 1130 or embedded within the compartment section 1140. Alternatively, the heating elements may coat specific surfaces of the compartment section 1140 that are in contact with the first thermally expansive material 1130. For example, portions of the first and second support columns 1152 and 1162 and/or portions the first, second, and third walls 1182, 1184, and 1186 may be coated in a metallic material which acts as a heating element when an electric current is applied by the control electronics 1110. The electric current is supplied to the first thermally expansive material 1130 or heating elements via a first heater power line 1145 and a first heater return line 1150 (shown in
When the first thermally expansive material is heated, it expands and pushes on the first flexible polymer chamber wall 1165. The pressure applied by the thermally expansive material causes the portion of the first flexible polymer chamber wall 1165 not encircled by the first rigid shell 1175 (i.e., the first flexible polymer burst cover 1185) to rupture or open. The first flexible polymer burst cover 1185 may include scoring so that a specific portion of the first flexible polymer burst cover 1185 is more likely to rupture. The opened first flexible polymer burst cover 1185 allows the active ingredient in the first delivery compartment 1120 to be released in the consumer's GI tract. The control electronics 1110 trigger the release of the active ingredient in the second delivery compartment 1125 in a similar way—by heating the second thermally expansive material 1135 via a second heater power line 1155 and a second heater return line 1160. The control electronics 1110 may be configured to trigger the first and second delivery compartments sequentially or simultaneously, as described above.
The thermally expansive materials may include medium length n-Alkane paraffin waxes (e.g., n-Alkane paraffin wax having approximately 32 Carbons in the polymer structure), or Calcium Carbonate Tetrahydrate (CaCl2-4H2O). These materials are bio-compatible and exhibit a volume expansion of at least 10% when melting from a solid to liquid phase. Additionally, these materials melt between 35 C and 70 C, which would allow them to remain solid prior to ingestion. Other non-toxic materials exhibiting similar properties may also be used for the thermally expansive materials.
As described with reference to
The consumable capsule 1300 includes similar components as the consumable capsules described in reference to
The stimuli responsive valve actuator 1330 changes shape to allow an active ingredient within the delivery compartment 1320 to be released through openings 1332, as further shown in
The stimuli responsive valve actuator 1330 operates in a similar manner as described in reference to
As described with reference to
In some embodiments, the consumable capsule is incorporated into a food or beverage product, such that the consumable capsule is ingested by ingesting the food or beverage into which the consumable capsule is incorporated. The food or beverage into which the consumable capsule is embedded is generally not limited. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule is incorporated into a solid food, such as a bar, baked good, or gummy product. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule is incorporated into a yogurt, goo, shake or other viscous food product. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule is incorporated into a liquid, such as juice, water, milk, or the like. The consumable capsule can also be provided in the form a single use packet that is mixed into a beverage, viscous food product, or solid food of the user's choice, such as a bottle of water or a yogurt.
Any suitable method can be used for making the consumable capsules described herein. In some embodiments, the consumable capsule is manufactured using traditional pharmaceutical methods for manufacturing tablets, capsules, pills, beads and the like. In such methods, the active ingredients are mixed together with the binding agents to form a slurry, which is then dried in the desired shape. For the consumable capsule described herein, the internal electronic components can be included with the active ingredients and whatever other components are used to form the consumable capsule product (e.g., binding agents). Any coating layers can then be applied to the consumable capsule, such as by spray coating. In capsule manufacturing, the mixed material is placed inside a capsule which is then sealed together.
Other methods for manufacturing the consumable capsule are contemplated, such as 3D printing technology. 3D printing technology may be used to manufacture one or more components of the capsule, including, for example, the housing, electronic components, support structure components, actuators, and/or active ingredients.
At block 1505, the set of operations include receiving a first electromagnetic signal by a consumable capsule. In some examples, the first electromagnetic signal may be generated by activation device, in response to a signal from an external communication device. At block 1510, the set of operations include converting the first electromagnetic signal into a power source through inductive coupling. For example, coils within the consumable capsule may generate low level signals from the electromagnetic energy of the first electromagnetic signal. The consumable capsule may then convert the low-level signals into the power source. At block 1515, the set of operations include releasing a first active ingredient from a first delivery compartment using the power source. For example, the consumable capsule may provide power to an actuator, which changes shape to release the first active ingredient.
At block 1520, the set of operations include receiving a second electromagnetic signal by a consumable capsule. In some examples, the second electromagnetic signal may be generated by activation device, in response to a signal from an external communication device. At block 1525, the set of operations include converting the first electromagnetic signal into a power source. For example, coils within the consumable capsule may generate low-level signals from the electromagnetic energy of the second electromagnetic signal. The consumable capsule may then convert the low-level signals into the power source. At block 1530, the set of operations include releasing a second active ingredient from a second delivery compartment using the power source. For example, the consumable capsule may provide power to another actuator, which changes shape to release the second active ingredient. The first and second active ingredients may be the same or different active ingredients.
In some embodiments, the active ingredient in the second delivery compartment may be released without receiving the second electromagnetic signal in block 1520. In these embodiments, the active ingredient in the second delivery compartment is released using the power supplied by the first electromagnetic signal in block 1510. The active ingredient may be released from the second delivery compartment at the same time as the active ingredient in the first delivery compartment. Alternatively, the active ingredient may be released from the second delivery compartment at a predetermined time following the receipt of the first electromagnetic signal, or may be released based on other signals or conditions.
In some embodiments, after the release of the first and/or second active ingredient, the consumable capsule may generate a notification that the active ingredient has been released. Alternatively, an activation device or external communication device may detect the active ingredient has been released based on one or more characteristics of the consumable capsule.
Embodiments of the present technology include various steps and operations, which have been described above. A variety of these steps and operations may be performed by hardware components or may be embodied in machine-executable instructions, which may be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor programmed with the instructions to perform the steps. Alternatively, the steps may be performed by a combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. As such,
Processor(s) 1620 can be any known processor, such as, but not limited to, Intel® lines of processor(s); AMD® lines of processor(s); ARM® lines of processors, or other application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Communication port(s) 1630 can be any communication port, such as, but not limited to, an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10/100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit port using copper or fiber, wireless coils, etc. Communication port(s) 1630 may be chosen depending on a network such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), cellular network, Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth, or any network on which the computer system 1600 communicates.
Main memory 1640 can be Random Access Memory (RAM) or any other dynamic storage device(s) commonly known in the art. Read only memory 1660 can be any static storage device(s) such as Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information such as instructions for processor 1620.
Mass storage 1670 can be used to store information and instructions. For example, a solid state memory, a hard disk, an optical disc, an array of disks such as RAID, or any other mass storage devices may be used.
Bus 1610 communicatively couples processor(s) 1620 with the other memory, storage and communication blocks. Bus 1610 can be any system communication bus, such as, but limited to, I2C, PCI, PCI-Express, UMI, DMI, QPI, etc.
Removable storage media 1650 can be any kind removable storage, such as, but not limited to, external hard-drives, flash memory cards, floppy drives, Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact Disc-Re-Writable (CD-RW), Digital Video Disk-Read Only Memory (DVD-ROM), Blu-Ray, etc.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for activating a consumable capsule. In one example implementation, a system for activating the consumable capsule includes a consumable capsule containing an active ingredient in at least one compartment movably sealed by a stimuli responsive actuator; and an activation device configured to communicate with the consumable capsule, wherein the activation device is configured to emit a wireless signal to activate the stimuli responsive actuator of the consumable capsule, and wherein the consumable capsule is configured to release the active ingredient into an external environment based on the activation of the stimuli responsive actuator.
In some examples, the system further includes a communication device configured to instruct the activation device to emit the wireless signal. In some examples, the communication device is configured to instruct the activation device to emit the wireless signal based on user input. In some examples, the communication device is configured to instruct the activation device to emit the wireless signal based on at least one physical attribute of a user. In some examples, the communication device is configured to instruct the activation device to emit the wireless signal based on at least one environmental attribute. In some examples, the stimuli responsive actuator comprises azobenzene incorporated in a liquid-crystalline elastomer. In some examples, the stimuli responsive actuator is activatable based at least in part on light emitted in response to the wireless signal. In some examples, the communication device and the activation device are in a common housing. In some examples, the consumable capsule comprises at least one coil for receiving the wireless signal. In some examples, the consumable capsule is powered by the wireless signal. In some examples, the activation device is a wearable item for encircling a user's abdomen. In some examples, the activation device is configured to detect a release status of the active ingredient. In some examples, the activation device is configured to provide an indication of a release status of the active ingredient. In some examples, said indication comprises one or more of a visual indication, an audible indication, and a tactile indication. In some examples, said indication comprises an acknowledgement signal transmittable to a communication device. In some examples, the active ingredient comprises one or more of stimulants, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, nitroglycerin, and appetite suppressant.
In another example implementation, the consumable capsule includes a signal receiving section comprising at least one coil configured to receive a wireless signal; a control section configured to condition the wireless signal received by the at least one coil into a trigger signal for the consumable capsule; a compartment section comprising at least one capsule compartment movably sealed by a stimuli responsive actuator, the compartment section being configured to activate the stimuli responsive actuator in response to the trigger signal from the control section to allow for release of an active ingredient contained in the at least one capsule compartment into an external environment.
In some examples, the at least one coil comprises three orthogonal coils. In some examples, the stimuli responsive actuator comprises azobenzene incorporated in a liquid-crystalline elastomer. In some examples, the compartment section further comprises a light source configured to emit light based at least in part on the trigger signal, and wherein the stimuli responsive actuator is activated based at least in part on the emitted light. In some examples, the compartment section comprises at least two capsule compartments, the compartment section configured to release an active ingredient contained in the at least two capsule compartments approximately simultaneously. In some examples, the compartment section comprises a plurality of capsule compartments, the compartment section being configured to sequentially open each capsule compartment of the plurality of capsule compartments. In some examples, a first capsule compartment of the plurality of capsule compartments is opened based on the trigger signal, and a second capsule compartment of the plurality of capsule compartments is opened based on a secondary trigger signal from the control section. In some examples, the secondary trigger signal is transmittable by the control section in response to a secondary wireless signal received by the at least one coil. In some examples, the secondary trigger signal is transmittable by the controller a predetermined time after the first capsule compartment is opened. In some examples, the predetermined time is user configurable. In some examples, the consumable capsule further includes a transmitter section configured to report a status of the consumable capsule to an external device that is indicative of an open state of at least one capsule compartment. In some examples, the control section conditions the wireless signal into a direct current (DC) power source. In some examples, the control section includes at least one rectifying circuit for rectifying the wireless signal; and at least filtering circuit for filtering the wireless signal. In some examples, the control section includes at least one rectifying circuit for rectifying the wireless signal, the rectifying circuit comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED), and wherein the at least one LED is configured to activate the stimuli responsive actuator. In some examples, the trigger signal from the control section comprises a DC power signal.
In another example implementation, the consumable capsule includes a housing comprising an outer shell; an electronics section within the housing comprising control electronics and at least one coil; and a compartment section including a support structure connected to the housing; a first wall and a second wall supported by the support structure to define at least one capsule compartment; at least one linear stimuli responsive actuator movably sealing the at least one capsule compartment, the at least one linear stimuli responsive actuator being responsive to a trigger signal transmitted by the control electronics to unseal the at least one capsule compartment.
In some examples, the at least one linear stimuli responsive actuator is responsive to the trigger signal to compress longitudinally and expand circumferentially. In some examples, trigger signal is configured to apply an electric field to the at least one linear stimuli responsive actuator. In some examples, the stimuli responsive actuator comprises at least one of Polypyrrole, Polyaniline, Polythiopene, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the support structure includes at least one rigid connection element embedded in the at least one linear stimuli responsive actuator and connecting the first wall and the second wall. In some examples, the compartment section further includes a positive power line and a negative power line connecting the at least one linear stimuli responsive actuator to the control electronics. In some examples, the positive power line and the negative power line are embedded in the support structure.
In another example implementation, the consumable capsule includes a housing comprising an outer shell; an electronics section within the housing comprising control electronics and at least one coil; and a compartment section including a support structure connected to the housing; a first wall and a second wall supported by the support structure to define at least one capsule compartment; at least one bendable, or otherwise deformable, stimuli responsive actuator movably sealing the at least one capsule compartment, the at least one bending stimuli responsive actuator being responsive to a trigger signal transmitted by the control electronics to unseal the at least one capsule compartment.
In some examples, the at least one bending stimuli responsive actuator comprises a stimuli responsive layer connected to a substrate layer. In some examples, the stimuli responsive layer is responsive to the trigger signal to decrease in volume and cause the at least one bending stimuli responsive actuator to bend or otherwise deform outwardly from the at least one capsule compartment. In some examples, the trigger signal is configured to apply an electric field to the stimuli responsive layer. In some examples, the stimuli responsive actuator comprises at least one of Polypyrrole, Polyaniline, Polythiopene, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the compartment section further includes a positive power line and a negative power line connecting the at least one linear stimuli responsive actuator to the control electronics. In some examples, the positive power line and the negative power line are embedded in the support structure.
In another example implementation, the consumable capsule includes a housing comprising an outer shell; an electronics section within the housing comprising control electronics and at least one coil; and a compartment section including a support structure connected to the housing; a first wall and a second wall supported by the support structure to define a capsule compartment; a chamber wall lining the capsule compartment; a rigid shell encircling a first portion of the chamber wall, wherein a second portion of the chamber wall not encircled by the rigid shell forms a burst cover; and a thermally expansive material filling a volume between the chamber wall and the rigid shell, the thermally expansive material being responsive to a trigger signal transmitted by the control electronics to expand and cause the burst cover to rupture.
In some examples, the trigger signal is configured to heat the thermally expansive material by applying an electric current to the thermally expansive material. In some examples, the trigger signal is configured to heat the thermally expansive material by applying an electric current to one or more heating elements. In some examples, the one or more heating elements are embedded in the support structure. In some examples, the one or more heating elements are embedded in the thermally expansive material. In some examples, the thermally expansive material comprises at least one of paraffin wax, calcium carbonate tetrahydrate, or a combination thereof.
In another example implementation, an activation device includes an attachment mechanism configured to hold the activation device in close proximity to a user's body; and a transmitter configured to emit a wireless signal to a consumable capsule, wherein the wireless signal is configured to activate the consumable capsule, causing the consumable capsule to release an active ingredient.
In some examples, the attachment mechanism comprises an adhesive. In some examples, the attachment mechanism comprises a releasable band of fabric. In some examples, the attachment mechanism is configured to hold the activation device in proximity to the user's abdomen. In some examples, the transmitter comprises a coil of litz wire. In some examples, the transmitter is configured to emit the wireless signal in response to user input. In some examples, the transmitter is configured to emit the wireless signal based on at least one physical attribute of the user. In some examples, the transmitter is configured to emit the wireless signal based on at least one environmental attribute. In some examples, the transmitter is configured to emit the wireless signal in response to an instruction from a communication device. In some examples, the activation device further includes a detector configured to detect a release status of the active ingredient. In some examples, the detector is configured to receive a status signal from the consumable capsule. In some examples, the detector is configured to track a location of the consumable capsule. In some examples, the activation device further includes a user interface configured to provide an indication of the release status of the active ingredient. In some examples, the indication comprises one or more of a visual indication, an audible indication, and a tactile indication. In some examples, the transmitter is configured to transmit an acknowledgement signal to a communication device.
In another example implementation, a method for activating a consumable capsule includes receiving a wireless signal from an activation device; conditioning the wireless signal into a power signal; distributing the power signal to an actuator; modifying a shape of the actuator in response to the power signal; and allowing an active ingredient to be released in response to the modified shape of the actuator.
In another example implementation, a method for activating a consumable capsule includes transmitting a wireless signal to the consumable capsule; receiving a release status of the consumable capsule; and indicating the release status to a user. In some examples, the method includes receiving an instruction from a communication device to transmit the wireless signal to the consumable capsule. In some examples, indicating the release status comprises transmitting the release status to the communication device.
In another example implementation, the consumable capsule includes a housing comprising an outer shell; an electronics section within the housing comprising control electronics and at least one coil; and a compartment section including at least one capsule compartment within the housing; at least one opening extending through the outer shell; at least one light source configured to receive a signal from the control electronics and emit light comprising a first wavelength; and at least one stimuli responsive valve actuator arranged between the at least one opening and the at least one capsule compartment and movably sealing the at least one capsule compartment, the at least one stimuli responsive valve actuator being responsive to the first wavelength of light emitted by the at least one light source to unseal the at least one capsule compartment.
In some examples, the at least one stimuli responsive valve actuator comprises azobenzene incorporated in a liquid-crystalline elastomer. In some examples, the at least one light source is configured to emit light comprising a second wavelength, and wherein the at least one stimuli responsive valve actuator is responsive to the second wavelength of light to reseal the at least one capsule compartment. In some examples, the control electronics comprises at least one rectifying circuit for rectifying a wireless signal received by the at least one coil, the rectifying circuit comprising the at least one light source. In some examples, at least one active ingredient is contained within the at least one capsule compartment, the at least one active ingredient comprising one or more of stimulants, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, nitroglycerin, and appetite suppressant.
The components described above are meant to exemplify some types of possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned examples limit the scope of the technology, as they are only embodiments.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A consumable capsule, comprising:
- an outer surrounding sidewall defining a capsule interior;
- a signal receiving section disposed at least partially with the capsule interior for receiving a wireless activation signal and emitting electromagnetic energy in response thereto;
- a control section disposed at least partially within the capsule interior, said control section responsive to the electromagnetic energy emitted by said signal receiving section to generate a trigger; and
- at least one capsule compartment associated with said outer surrounding sidewall, said at least one capsule compartment storing an active ingredient and being movably sealed by a linear actuator that is responsive to said trigger to change its configuration to allow for release of the active ingredient.
2. The consumable capsule of claim 1 wherein said linear actuator is comprised at least partially of a stimuli responsive material.
3. The consumable capsule of claim 2 wherein said stimuli responsive material is a liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE).
4. The consumable capsule of claim 1 wherein said linear actuator is responsive to an increase in temperature to change its configuration.
5. The consumable capsule of claim 1 wherein said linear actuator is responsive to UV irradiation to change its configuration.
6. The consumable capsule of claim 1 wherein said linear actuator is responsive to said trigger to reduce a length of its longest dimension.
7. The consumable capsule of claim 1 wherein said trigger is one of a temperature increase and light irradiation.
8. The consumable capsule of claim 7 wherein said light irradiation is UV irradiation.
9. The consumable capsule of claim 1 wherein said actuator is comprised at least partially of a stimuli response materially having at least one embedded conductor for receiving a trigger signal.
10. A method of releasing an active ingredient, comprising:
- providing a consumable capsule, said consumable capsule comprising: an outer surrounding sidewall defining a capsule interior; a signal receiving section disposed at least partially within the capsule interior; a control section disposed at least partially with the capsule interior; at least one capsule compartment associated with said outer surrounding sidewall, said at least one capsule compartment storing said active ingredient; and an actuator associated with said at least one capsule compartment;
- receiving a wireless signal by said signal receiving section;
- emitting, within the capsule interior, electromagnetic energy which corresponds to said wireless signal;
- transmitting, via said control section, a trigger in response to said electromagnetic energy; and
- linearly altering said actuator in response to said trigger to allow for release of the active ingredient into an external environment.
11. The method of claim 10 whereby said trigger is one of a temperature increase and light irradiation.
12. The method of claim 10 whereby said trigger is UV irradiation.
13. The method of claim 10 whereby linearly altering said actuator results in a reduction in length of said actuator along its longest dimension.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein said actuator is comprised at least partially of a stimuli response materially having at least one embedded conductor for receiving a trigger signal, and whereby said method further comprises transmitting, via said control section, said trigger signal along said embedded conductor.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 17, 2019
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2020
Inventors: Robert Niichel (Greenwood Village, CO), Kevin McWilliams (Boulder, CO), John English (Boulder, CO), Amir H. Torbati (Westminster, CO), Christopher M. Yakacki (Denver, CO)
Application Number: 16/656,444
