A new wearable patch controlled by a smartphone has the potential to revolutionize drug administration for individuals who require frequent injections or take multiple medications throughout the day. Developed by professors Vubin Bay and Juan Songg at the University of North Carolina, this groundbreaking device enables painless delivery of various drugs through the skin, triggered by a signal from a smartphone.
Known as the Spatiotemporal On-Demand Patch (SOP), this patch is an enhanced version of existing microneedle patches. These patches consist of small polymer sheets embedded with tiny, sharp thorns loaded with medication (microgl) on the underside. When the patch is applied to the body, the needles gently penetrate the upper layer of the skin, subsequently dissolving and releasing the medicine.