According to its developers, the new device, dubbed iSOS, can independently detect overdose and automatically administer naloxone — all without the need for a bystander to be present as is the case with other naloxone administration approaches, such as intranasal spray, intramuscular injection or intravenous injection.

Source: Hen-Wei Huang

To accomplish this, the iSOS implantable device features an assortment of sensors that enable the device to monitor the user’s heart and respiratory systems. These sensors are connected to a decision-making algorithm that detects signs of an overdose and will thus activate a built-in micro-pump that will quickly administer naloxone to the user’s muscles when overdose is detected.

“Our proposed solution tackles these unmet needs by developing a miniaturized robotic implant equipped with multi-sensing modalities, continuous monitoring capabilities, on-board decision-making, and an innovative micro-pumping mechanism,” the researchers explained.

Designed for overdoses in both prescription and illicit drugs, iSOS also features a refillable drug reservoir and an alert system that will buzz and simultaneously send an alert to the user’s smartphone amid overdose detection, thus promising to expedite potentially life-saving treatment.

Although iSOS has yet to be tested on humans, the team found, when the device was tested on pigs, that the device achieved 24 out of 25 revivals within 3.2 minutes.

The implantable device is detailed in the article, "An implantable system for opioid safety," which appears in the journal Device.