Needle haters will soon have nothing to fear.
A device has been licensed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and developed by Portal Instruments to administer drugs to a patient in half a second without the use of a needle.
“Our aim is to replace all needles and syringes with a safe, fast, and connected device and to become the standard for modern drug delivery,” says Portal Instruments. “The device is easy to use, and its digital health features empower the patient to holistically manage their chronic condition interactively.”
(Credit: Portal Instruments)
The device’s technology created a 150 µm diameter jet by using a linear computer-controlled actuator to pressurize the drug in a vessel. The operates at 10 kHz while the drug is dispensed at Mach 0.8, the speed of an airplane, and punctures the skin.
The process takes 0.3 seconds for a 1 mL injection while an average vaccine takes 0.15 seconds, according to Portal Instruments.
The injection device was developed with a pressure sensor so the device knows when it is properly positioned on the skin’s surface, allowing the injection to be triggered. Users feel a “tickle” sensation when the drug is successfully injected.
If the user’s dose includes a larger volume, a small mound may briefly appear on the skin after the injection. The mound disappears within a few seconds.
