MIT Engineers Develop Vibrating Ingestible Capsule to Potentially Treat Obesity

Bits Logics Team . 02nd Jan 2024

• MIT engineers have developed an innovative vibrating ingestible capsule aimed at combating obesity. 
• The capsule, when taken 20 minutes before a meal, triggers vibrations within the stomach that activate stretch receptors, creating a sense of fullness. 
• The team plans to scale up capsule manufacturing for future clinical trials in humans.

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an innovative vibrating ingestible capsule aimed at combating obesity. The capsule, when taken 20 minutes before a meal, triggers vibrations within the stomach that activate stretch receptors, creating a sense of fullness. In animal trials, this led to a 40 percent reduction in food intake and stimulated the release of hormones signaling satiety.

Lead author of the study, Shriya Srinivasan, now an assistant professor of bioengineering at Harvard University, envisions this technology as a potential game-changer for individuals looking to lose weight or control their appetite. The vibrating capsule could be taken before each meal, offering a minimally invasive alternative to existing pharmacological treatments for obesity.

The stomach’s stretch receptors play a crucial role in signaling fullness to the brain. 

The researchers hypothesized that artificially stretching these receptors through vibration could create an illusory sense of distension, modulating hormones and influencing eating patterns. The capsule, about the size of a multivitamin, contains a vibrating element powered by a small silver oxide battery.

Once the capsule reaches the stomach, acidic gastric fluids dissolve a gelatinous membrane, completing the electronic circuit and activating the vibrating motor. The vibrations stimulate mechanoreceptors, which send signals to the brain through the vagus nerve, mirroring hormone release patterns observed after a meal.

The current design allows the capsule to vibrate for approximately 30 minutes after reaching the stomach. Future iterations may explore extended durations or wireless control options. In animal studies, the capsules passed through the digestive tract within four or five days without causing any adverse effects such as obstruction or perforation.

This novel approach could provide a cost-effective and less invasive alternative to current obesity treatments, including gastric bypass surgery and injectable drugs. The researchers believe the vibrating capsules could be manufactured at a reasonable cost, potentially transforming care and therapy for individuals in global health settings who lack access to sophisticated or expensive options.

The team, led by senior author Giovanni Traverso, plans to scale up capsule manufacturing for future clinical trials in humans. These trials will provide crucial insights into the safety of the device, optimal timing for capsule ingestion before meals, and the required frequency for administration.

Funding for the research was provided by the National Institutes of Health, Novo Nordisk, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, a Schmidt Science Fellowship, and the National Science Foundation.

The findings were published today in the journal Science Advances.