Researchers at Binghamton University have developed a microbial fuel cell that can power ingestible devices such as cameras that can detect health problems in the gastrointestinal tract, especially the small intestine.The fuel cell contains a dormant state Bacillus subtilis Endospores that germinate and become active only when they encounter nutrient-rich intestinal juices. Another check for activity is a pH-sensitive membrane that activates the fuel cell only when the neutral pH of the small intestine is reached. The technology could replace traditional batteries, which can pose health risks if they start leaking or become damaged in the body.
How can you monitor your gut? One option is an ingestible camera in the form of a pill that, when swallowed, passes through the gastrointestinal tract and provides valuable images of hard-to-reach areas. While this solution is elegant, it can be difficult to find a way to reliably and safely power your device. Traditional batteries can pose a safety risk and can run out of power if the device is intended to remain in the gastrointestinal tract for some time. It’s about using liquids to power so-called bio-batteries.
“There are some areas in the small intestine that cannot be reached, so an ingestible camera was developed to solve this problem,” said Seokheun “Sean” Choi, one of the lead developers of the new biobattery. said. “They can do many things, such as imaging and physical sensing and even drug delivery. The problem is power. You are using a primary battery that cannot
In this new paradigm, nutrient-rich intestinal juice enters the biobattery and the bacteria inside begin to eat it, generating a small amount of electricity in the process. , researchers tested the biobattery by immersing it in simulated intestinal fluid and showed that the battery could generate a current density of 470 µA cm−2 and a power density of 98 µW cm−2suggesting that it may provide energy to ingestible devices.
However, there is still work to be done before the technology is suitable for human testing. Researchers are working to improve the amount of power the system can generate so that biobattery-powered devices can be equipped with more advanced capabilities. They have already engineered systems specific to the small intestine using pH-sensitive materials.
“How can we make the micro fuel cell work selectively in the small intestine? We’re using a pH-sensitive membrane that requires specific conditions to activate,” Choi said. “If you look at our digestive tract, the esophagus has the same neutral pH as the small intestine, but the transit time is only 10 seconds. It only works in the small intestine.”
learn in advanced energy materials: Biobattery capsules for ingestible electronics in the small intestine: biopower production from intestinal fluids activates germination of exogenous bacterial endospores
