Will inkjet technology replace hypodermic needles?
What child doesn’t experience fear and anxiety over the prospect of getting a shot at the doctor’s office? Even for many adults, the experience of getting an injection isn’t pleasant. Wouldn’t it be nice if the nurse could forgo that needle-tipped syringe? Or, think how convenient it would be for people who must manage complicated dosage schedules of medications to wear a specialized drug patch instead, which could automatically control the delivery of different drugs throughout the day. Scenarios like these might soon become reality, thanks to a new device developed by Hewlett-Packard (HP). The device can be thought of as a computer-controlled drug patch — similar to the look and feel of a nicotine patch (although this one is a little heavier). The patch can painlessly inject precise amounts of drugs into the body. The patch is based partly on HP’s existing inkjet technol
