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Edible "Intelligent Pills"

Posted by kdawson on from the success-with-heart-failure dept.

Ian Lamont sends along a brief note from the Industry Standard about "intelligent" pills that can help doctors record information about drug dosages, heart rate, respiratory rate, and other metrics. The pills, being developed by Proteus Biomedicals, have "digestible sensors" made out of food products and are activated by stomach fluids. A receiver that is similar to a skin patch picks up the data and can be passed on to a 3G mobile network, and from there to hospitals or doctors' offices. According to the Proteus site, the sensors cost a few cents per pill. The devices, currently in clinical trials, made #8 on Wired's list of the top technology breakthroughs of 2008.

14 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Not what I need by Verteiron · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wake me when they have edible intelligence pills.

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    End of lesson. You may press the button.
    1. Re:Not what I need by philspear · · Score: 3, Funny

      Wake me when they have edible intelligence pills.

      That's actually what they are, but the side-effect is either diminished typing skills or diminished grammar skills, not sure which yet though.

    2. Re:Not what I need by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Make sure they're edible ones, I'd hate to have some inedible pills.

    3. Re:Not what I need by Starayo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Not to mention buffout. Though I always tend to get addicted to the stuff.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    4. Re:Not what I need by enemorales · · Score: 4, Funny

      If these pills are so smart, how is it they cannot avoid been eaten?

    5. Re:Not what I need by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 3, Funny

      I don't know where your brain is, buddy. I'm not sure I want to know.

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      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
    6. Re:Not what I need by MadUndergrad · · Score: 3, Funny

      Good news! It's a suppository.

  2. Damn! Intelligent Pills don't make me smart by syousef · · Score: 4, Funny

    Anyone else reading the article think "Hot damn! Now I'll be able to do that PhD, get laid, get rich and retire in 5 years. I just have to pop lots of pills"? Sometimes reading the article (or even the summary in this case) can be a real bummer. I should've known better.

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    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  3. These pills taste like by Mesa+MIke · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..rabbit shit!"

    "See, you're getting smarter already!"

  4. Oblig. Futurama by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Funny

    Fry: I can't swallow that!
    Farnsworth: Well then, good news! It's a suppository.

  5. And the Aliens by JumpDrive · · Score: 4, Funny

    And all this time the aliens have been probing my ass, when all's they had to do is make me swallow a pill.
    Those bastards.

  6. Is it OK .... by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... to mix these intelligence pills with booze? That way we could break even.

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    Have gnu, will travel.
  7. Digestable intelligent pills by joeyblades · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nit pick, but suppositories not withstanding, most pills are edible...

    Actually, most suppositories are probably edible... but I digest...errr... digress ;-)

  8. Re:A boon to compliance monitoring by Muad'Dave · · Score: 2, Funny

    It does if the pill, on its way out, releases Habanero juice into your guts if it detects that you've been a bad boy and not taken your meds.

    --
    Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.