These pills deliver microbots. / Image: Phys.org
Micromotors can carry out a number of tasks once inside the body, but getting them there is the issue. The tiny self-propelled microscopic robots are roughly the width of a human hair just about as delicate. Gastric acid and intestinal fluids that can trigger early release of their payloads can compromise their effectiveness. A recent Phys.org article noted a new study in which scientists found a way to encapsulate micromotors into pills to protect them as they travel through the body.
The pills consist of sugars lactose and maltose, which are easy to mold into a tablet, able to disintegrate, and nontoxic. In trials on laboratory mice, the pills performed better than delivery via liquid solution or silica-based tablets.
