Ingestible biosensors for drug delivery monitoring.

Abstract

Ingestible biosensors are a mix of advanced biomedical engineering, digital health and precision pharmacotherapy. These miniaturised electronic devices are encapsulated in biocompatible materials, which operate within gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This enables real-time monitoring of pharmacological and physiological parameters. The development of modern FDA-approved platforms such as SmartPillTM and IntelliCapTM, from early radio pills, has been outlined, showing the advancements in sensor integration, wireless telemetry and microelectronics. The main purpose of such pills includes detection of pharmacokinetic profiles, monitoring of metabolic biomarkers like glucose, lactate and volatile gases and verification of real-time medication ingestion. Such kind of applications are critical in behavioural medicine, forensic toxicology, clinical pharmacology and chronic disease management. The chapter discusses core engineering aspects of a capsule, such as data transmission technology, sensor modules and power systems. Advancements such as biodegradable capsules, AI-integrated analytical platforms and biofuel-powered sensors are discussed in relation to next-generation health care systems. Every advance technology comes its fair share of challenges such as power limitations, patient acceptance, signal attenuation and ethical concerns surrounding data privacy. Predictive diagnostics and decentralised care are also analysed, keeping in view the merger of biosensor data with AI and Big Data platforms. The chapter concludes by focusing on possible contributions of ingestible biosensors in the frontier of personalized and preventive medicine, this can redefine diagnostics, drug delivery and remote monitoring. These devices will transition from clinical novelty to standard instruments for care for various therapeutic landscapes.