Birth control could soon be remote-controlled, thanks to new technology advances.
MicroCHIPS Technology, a Massachusetts-based company, has developed a tiny remote-control-activated microchip that can be implanted under the skin and release medicine at the click of a button.
According to an MIT Technology Review, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed funding to a pre-clinical trial on the microchip, which can effectively prevent unwanted pregnancies for up to 16 years.
The chip is inserted in the buttocks, arm or abdomen of patients. When the button is pushed, an electric current temporarily melts the chip and releases 30 micrograms of levonorgestrel, a commonly used hormone in birth control.
The chip has already been successfully tested to deliver medication for the treatment of osteoporosis. The company is also looking to help patients with multiple sclerosis and diabetes.
