When you get prescribed medication for when you're ill, your doctor would probably tell you when and how much to consume. But what happens if you forget a dose and your condition relies on the timed delivery of your medicine?

Cue the smart pill, a sensor-equipped capsule that you only need to take just once. The pill releases medicine on a schedule or as your body needs it. And what powers it? An edible battery.

It's a great idea, but the challenge in using them comes with finding a safe power source. According to Carnegie Mellon biomedical engineer Christopher Bettinger, a flexible biodegradable battery may be just what the smart pill needs.

Bettinger studied the possibility by using the melanin of a cuttlefish to create an anode for an edible battery. Cuttlefish can create up to 10 microamperes of electricity for anywhere from five to 24 hours. This makes the battery safe for consumption and won't cause any side effects on the human body.

[Singularity Hub]