MINIATURIZED THRESHOLD SENSOR

• US 20100033324A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biora Therapeutics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Rensen, Judith Margaret, Shimizu, Jeff, Dijksman, Johan Frederik, Pierik, Anke, Zou, Hans
• Granted Patent: US 9,227,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0214 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1726 the body parameters being measured at, or proximate to, the infusion site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1053 Stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

A sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes having a miniature size and a lower power consumption and a coating exterior to the electrodes, wherein the coating interacts with a target condition thereby producing a change in an electrical property of the electrodes, wherein the change is transduced into an electrical signal by the electrodes. Further a system for medication delivery comprising such sensor and a pill.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

a plurality of electrodes having a miniature size and a low power consumption; and

a coating exterior to the electrodes, wherein the coating interacts with a target condition, thereby producing a change in at least one of a physical property, an electrical property, and a chemical property at a surface of the electrodes, wherein the change is transduced into an electrical signal by the electrodes.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is used in a cavity.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is used in a bodily cavity.

4. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein the bodily cavity is selected from the group consisting of:

a gastrointestinal tract, a peritoneal cavity, an abdominal cavity, a cerebrospinal space, a lung, a uro-genital cavity, a vascular tract, a subcutaneous site, and an intramuscular site.

5. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein the cavity is selected from the group consisting of:

an architectural site, a subterranean site, a hydric site, an aerial site, an agricultural site, and a naturally occurring site.

6. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the low power consumption is at least about 0.1 μ

watts to about 10 μ

watts.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption is less than about 50 μ

watts to about 1,000 μ

watts.

8. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a pH-sensitive polymer.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a hydrogel and an interaction between the hydrogel and the target condition alters hydration of the hydrogel.

10. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the target condition comprises a presence of at least one selected from the group consisting of:

blood, inflammatory agents, enzymes, hydrogen ions, and hydroxyl radicals.

11. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a change in electrical property comprises a change in capacitance.

12. The sensor according to claim 11, wherein the change in capacitance is detected by measuring at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:

current, potential, and impedance.

13. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is used in conjunction with a pill, wherein the sensor and the pill form a sensor apparatus.

14. A method for using a sensor apparatus comprising a sensor and a pill to deliver a composition into a cavity, the method comprising:

inserting the apparatus into the cavity, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of electrodes having a miniature size and a low power consumption and a coating exterior to the electrodes and wherein the pill comprises a reservoir of a composition, a pump, and electronics, wherein electronics contain at least one circuit;

detecting a target condition, wherein the target condition interacts with the coating to produce a change in at least one property selected from the group consisting of;

a physical property, an electrical property, and a chemical property, wherein the change occurs at a surface of the electrodes and the sensor transduces the change into an electrical signal and the signal is detected by the at least one circuit; and

dispensing the composition at a target location, wherein the composition is held in the reservoir and is delivered using the pump, thereby using the sensor apparatus comprising the sensor and the pill to deliver the composition into the cavity.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is used in a bodily cavity.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the cavity is selected from the group consisting of:

a gastrointestinal tract, a peritoneal cavity, an abdominal cavity, a cerebrospinal space, a lung, a uro-genital cavity, and a vascular tract.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein detecting the target condition further comprises comparing the change to a stored threshold value.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the coating comprises a pH-sensitive polymer.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the coating comprises a hydrogel and an interaction between the hydrogel and the target condition alters hydration of the hydrogel.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the change in electrical property comprises a change in capacitance.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the change in capacitance is detected by measuring at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:

current, potential, and impedance.

22. A system for delivering a composition into a cavity, the system comprising:

a sensor apparatus comprising a sensor and a pill, wherein the sensor further comprises a plurality of electrodes of miniature size and low power consumption and a coating exterior to the electrodes, and wherein the pill further comprises;

a battery, a reservoir of a composition, a pump, and electronics, wherein electronics contain at least one circuit and wherein the electrodes of the sensor make a connection to the electronics of the pill, thereby controlling at least one of a timing and a placement of delivery of the composition; and

a target condition in a cavity, wherein the target condition interacts with the coating exterior to the electrodes, thereby producing a change in at least one physical or chemical property at a surface of the electrodes, wherein the change is transduced by the electrodes and detected by a circuit in the pill.