Internet-of-Things-Enabled Dual-Channel Iontophoretic Drug Delivery System for Elderly Patient Medication Management

Abstract

Wireless controllers have found its application in the supervision of the patients in the hospitals. It is not only a valid issue for the developing countries but also for the developed countries. For this reason, scientists are working on the advancement of medical devices that are capable of decreasing the workload of health caregivers. In this study, the development of an iontophoretic drug delivery device that could be controlled using a mobile is described. For the purpose, hardware and a software module were developed. The hardware module consisted of a two-channel voltage-controlled constant current sources that were used for driving the iontophoretic device. A mobile app was developed to control the two-channel iontophoretic device and to monitor the loose lead of the active and the passive patches. In the case of detection of the loose lead, the specific iontophoretic channel was stopped. Further, the audio-visual indicator was developed for the detection of the detachment of the patches (loose lead). The device was tested in vitro by performing the drug release study using drug-loaded emulsion gels that were formulated.