The Intelligent Pill -A Computerized Internal Explorer

Those who say drugs are stupid have been proved demonstrably wrong by Phillips, who've developed the "iPill". Exactly how Apple will react to a rival company just flat-out lifting their famous naming strategy is unknown, but if they're smart they'll go "Wow, those guys just made an intelligent pill!" like everyone else and be flattered.

The "Intelligent Pill" is a chemical courier system which can deliver drugs to the address "Three feet into my small intestine, next to the tumor, My Body, Me." The computerized capsule is an internal explorer which can track its own location after being swallowed, a high-tech Jonah which will remain aware after being eaten - and do something far more useful than light fires inside you or praying.

The onboard computer takes information from temperature sensors and the most swallowable radio system in existence to judge when to activate a tiny pump. This squirts precisely measured quantities of drug into the digestive tract at preprogrammed locations. It's basically Inner Space but without the Dennis Quaid.

With the ability to precisely control the delivery of drugs dosages can be reduced. Many treatments require a scattershot approach, where the person just has to ingest enough material to make sure some ends up where it's meant to go - with all the side-effects that can entail. By aiming the pill precisely, the dose (and any downsides thereof) can be massively reduced while increasing the benefits to the patient.

The next time you doubt that you're living in the future, just remember: "People are curing disease by eating computers."

By Luke McKinney

iPill on Reuters