A pill-sized “smart capsule” for the gut — how we repurpose parts from smartwatches/earbuds to build a battery-free medical capsule that can sense, communicate, and deliver medicine inside the body.

Faglige nøgleord: Ingestible capsule, Gastrointestinal diagnostics, Wireless power transfer (inductive), Backscatter communication, Magnetic 3D localization, Ultra-low-power embedded systems, Multi-sensor monitoring (pH/pressure/temperature), Targeted drug delivery, Gut sampling, Closed-loop control

Oplæg tilgængeligt på: Engelsk og græsk

I’ll deliver a 45–60-minute, hands-on visit about my PhD, designing a pill-sized “smart capsule” for the gut that reuses parts from everyday gadgets (smartwatches/earbuds) to build a battery-free device that can sense pH/pressure/temperature, localize itself, communicate wirelessly by backscatter, and act by delivering medicine or collecting samples exactly where needed. I’ll bring 3D-printed capsule mockups, tiny inductive coils, a demo pump, and repurposed PCBs. A live demo will show an external coil lighting an LED inside a mock capsule to explain wireless power and why we avoid batteries; I’ll also give a simple, visual walk-through of how backscatter works and how multi-sensor data improves diagnosis. Students will stay involved through a short phone quiz and a quick design exercise: in pairs they choose a clinical “mission” and decide which three features they would include; we compare their designs with real engineering trade-offs, then wrap with Q&A.
This presentation directly answers your three questions. 
(1) Research area/project: embedded electronics for an ingestible, battery-free capsule that combines sensing, localization, communication, and controlled actuation for diagnosis and therapy in the GI tract. 
(2) Sustainability angle/relevance: repurposing consumer microelectronics reduces new manufacturing; eliminating batteries avoids hazardous materials; and designing for reuse/recycling supports circular take-back. Clinically, substituting some invasive procedures can cut waste, energy use, patient travel, and cost while widening access to advanced diagnostics. 
(3) My path to DTU: I moved from high-school tinkering and student engineering projects to studies in electronics and embedded systems; a master’s thesis on real-time motor control gave me the hardware/firmware skills I now apply to health tech, which led me to a PhD at DTU Health Tech (IDUN/EMGUT) focused on making this capsule a reality. All demos are safe; I only need a projector and one power outlet.

Fag og faglige nøgleord

Dette oplæg passer for eksempel godt til:

 

Bioteknologi

 

Nøgleord:

  • Ingestible capsule
  • Gastrointestinal diagnostics
  • Wireless power transfer (inductive)
  • Backscatter communication
  • Magnetic 3D localization
  • Ultra-low-power embedded systems
  • Multi-sensor monitoring (pH/pressure/temperature)
  • Targeted drug delivery
  • Gut sampling
  • Closed-loop control

Sprog og form på besøget

Klassebesøg eller foredrag?

Dette oplæg kan tilpasses enten til en klasse (op til ca. 28 elever), hvor den ph.d.-studerende har mulighed for at have dialog med eleverne, eller til en større forsamling, så det får karakter af foredrag.

 

Sprog?

Dette oplæg er tilgængeligt på engelsk og fransk.

 

Digitalt eller fysisk besøg?

Den ph.d.-studerende kommer gerne ud på jeres skole til et fysisk besøg, men møder jer også digitalt via platformen Zoom, hvis I foretrækker det.

Øvrig information

 

Er du interesseret i dette oplæg?

Kontakt

Taja Andersen Brenneche
Kommunikationsmedarbejder
AKM
45 25 10 57
https://bookphd.dtu.dk/find-foredrag/alle-foredrag-liste/a-pill-sized-smart-capsule-for-the-gut-how-we-repurpose-parts-from-smartwatches-earbuds-to-build-a-b
12 NOVEMBER 2025