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"Advances in nanotechnology in the medical field, to which we now have so-called "smart pills", created to monitor the health status of a patient with its sensors barely a millimeter thick"

"Engineers build "smart" pills for drug delivery"

"Engineers at the University of Florida (USA) have created a housing that incorporates a tiny microchip and antenna and, after administration, warns that a patient has taken his medicine. According to Rizwan Bashirullah, creator of the invention, the smart pill could be very useful in patients who forget if you have taken medication, or just clueless and do not take it daily. The pill consists of a capsule containing a microchip and an antenna that is printed on its surface using non-toxic ink of silver nanoparticles . The antenna is biocompatible and dissolves almost 100%. When the pill is swallowed, the microchip is communicated to a small external electronic device (which could be incorporated into future mobile phone), which in turn sends a message to a phone or a computer, informing both the patient and the doctors and family members if necessary. According to the American Heart Association, the main problem in treating illness today is that no medical requirements are met . Recent studies show that chronically ill patients only take half of the pills prescribed . And that 10% of hospital admissions due to this lack of consistency. Even 218,000 deaths annually are attributed to this problem. "Using technology to remedy may be a good idea," says Bashirullah."

""We are developing smart drugs that determine which are the cancer cells and which aren't, then selectively kill only the cancer cells."'

"Over the last five years, technology has been rapidly changing and expanding in every field imaginable. Smart phones are now capable of acting as standalone computer devices that can take pictures, search the Internet, send emails and text messages and yes, they even make phone calls. While it might seem that the technology of today has reached its limits, it is still actually spreading its proverbial wings. Only twenty or so years ago, personal computers were becoming small enough and affordable enough for families to buy them for home use. Since then, the world of technology has shown no signs of slowing down and practically every device available today is somehow tied to computer technology. It seems hard these days to fathom the original size of computers and how small they have become in the last ten years, but within the last five years they have become even smaller and somehow more powerful and faster than ever before! The Internet allows people to connect with family, friends, and work colleagues from across the globe in the push of a button. Communication options have literally exploded in the instant avenues of text and video based chat as well as the near instantaneous method of email. Gone are the days where one had to post a letter and wait a week or more for a response and long distance phone calls are unnecessary for anyone with a computer, a webcam, and a speedy Internet connection. Automobiles are now being manufactured with standard GPS and emergency call features for the convenience and safety of drivers and their passengers, making the days of carrying a map completely unnecessary and improving the peace of mind of anyone who must travel the roads alone or at night. Computerized cars are now potentially at risk in much the same fashion as a personal computer as a moderately skilled hacker can theoretically take over basic functions of a vehicle - including its engine. Yes, technological advancement has changed our lives completely, and not al

This page gave a good amount on how nanotechnology can change the future of medicine, from taking pills to cancer. It also talks about nerve regeneration and how that is in the near future with nanotechnology.

"Nanotechnology is already being used in products in its passive form, such as cosmetics and sunscreens,"

"Nanotechnology medical developments over the coming years will have a wide variety of uses and could potentially save a great number of lives. Nanotechnology is already moving from being used in passive structures to active structures, through more targeted drug therapies or "smart drugs." These new drug therapies have already been shown to cause fewer side effects and be more effective than traditional therapies. In the future, nanotechnology will also aid in the formation of molecular systems that may be strikingly similar to living systems. These molecular structures could be the basis for the regeneration or replacement of body parts that are currently lost to infection, accident, or disease. These predictions for the future have great significance not only in encouraging nanotechnology research and development but also in determining a means of oversight. The number of products approaching the FDA approval and review process is likely to grow as time moves forward and as new nanotechnology medical applications are developed."

"SAN FRANCISCO - 3-D printing, used to construct everything from art to toys to spare parts for the space station, may one day produce human organs at a hospital near you. click image to enlarge A 3-D printed prosthetic nose and ear are displayed at an industry show in London in November. The technology may eventually help reduce organ shortages. Bloomberg News photo by Chris Ratcliffe Select images available for purchase in the Maine Today Photo Store The 20-year-old technology uses liquid materials that become hard as they print out three-dimensional objects in layers, based on a digital model. Current medical uses are in dentistry, for hard-material crowns, caps and bridges, as well as prosthetics. Last year, a 3-D printer was used to create a structure from moldable polymer that replaced more than 75 percent of a patient's skull. Now, Organovo Holdings Inc. is using 3-D printers to create living tissue that may one day look and act like a human liver, able to cleanse the body of toxins. Drugmakers and cosmetic companies already plan to use 3-D printed human tissue to test new products. Eventually, the technology may help reduce organ shortages and cut transplant rejections as patients receive new organs constructed from their own cells. "3-D printing is like a new tool set," said Organovo Chief Executive Officer Keith Murphy. "You can make a living tissue you can grow outside the body. That's the core of our technology. How can you be smart about doing that?" Organovo already is preparing to sell strips of liver tissue to drugmakers this year to be used to test toxicity of potential treatments, Murphy said in a telephone interview. The San Diego-based company's five- and 10-year goals are first to use a patient's own cells to print tissue strips that can be used to patch failing organs, and finally to be able to create entire new organs. The first 3-D printer was produced in 1992. Since then, a variety of materials have been used as the t