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This study presents a pioneering self-sustaining mechanism that exploits metabolic electron production from pre-loaded probiotics to power a vibrating capsule at a specific location in the gut. It is the first research to demonstrate the electrogenic properties of commercially available probiotics in a standard bacterial culture medium, Luria Broth (LB), and its application in generating vibration in a human stomach. The capsule is engineered with a miniature microbial fuel cell containing probiotics, an energy storage component (capacitor), a diode, and a vibrating motor. This assembly is enveloped in a Genipin-crosslinked mucoadhesive polymer to enhance adherence to the stomach lining and is further encapsulated within an acid-sensitive enteric coating to ensure selective dissolution in the stomach. This innovative approach heralds new possibilities for advanced gastrointestinal treatments by merging bio-electricity and biomechanics in a distinctive, patient-centric delivery system. 

This study introduces a groundbreaking point-of-care (POC) system designed for antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST). At the heart of this innovation is the organic electrochemical transistor, a device that significantly amplifies the electrical signals arising from the redox activities and extracellular electron transfers of pathogens when exposed to antibiotics. This process involves electroactive reactions that either dope or de-dope the transistor's channel, leading to substantial changes in the current flow between the source and drain terminals. Furthermore, our system features an innovative integration with a paper substrate. This design decision significantly simplifies the handling of liquid bacterial cultures, making the process more straightforward and efficient. We have rigorously tested our sensing system using three well-known pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, exposing them to leading antibiotics to validate the system's effectiveness. 

This study presents a novel, simple method for biofilm cultivation and a combined electrical-electrochemical technique to efficiently gauge antibiotic effectiveness against biofilm-related infections. 

Abstract For decades, science fiction has imagined electronic devices that spring to life on demand, function as programmed, and then vanish without a trace. Today, transient and bioresorbable electronics are making that vision a reality, sparking revolutionary progress in biomedicine, environmental stewardship, and hardware security. Yet one critical barrier remains: a fully transient power source with the same disappearing act. Microbial‐based biobatteries have emerged as strong contenders, harnessing the power of microorganisms—found virtually everywhere—as natural biocatalysts. However, toxicity and health risks have limited these systems to single‐use, often incinerable applications. Here, a transformative approach: a transient biobattery powered by commercially available probiotics that dissolves harmlessly is introduced, releasing only beneficial microbes. Fabricated on water‐soluble or pH‐responsive substrates, this biobattery capitalizes on a 15‐strain probiotic blend to generate electricity across diverse electrode materials. By manipulating device length or encapsulating it with pH‐sensitive polymers, power delivery can be fine‐tuned from 4 min up to over 100 min. A single module outputs 4 µW of power, 47 µA of current, and an open‐circuit voltage of 0.65 V. This groundbreaking design ushers in a new era of safe, effective transient bioenergy systems, opening unprecedented opportunities in biomedical implants, environmental sensors, and disposable electronics. 

We report an ingestible, millimeter-sized microbial fuel cell (MFC) capsule that can provide a realistic and practical power solution for ingestible electronics. The capsule integrates a pH-sensitive enteric membrane, a germinant-containing layer, and a microfluidic hydrogel-based anodic channel pre-inoculated with Bacillus subtilis spores as dormant biocatalysts, which are directly connected to an integrated MFC. When the pH-sensitive membrane dissolves in a designated gut location with a specific pH, the hydrophilic hydrogel in the anodic channel absorb the gut fluids washing the germinant to trigger the spore germination and generate microbial metabolic electricity in our world’s smallest MFC. When the capsule is designed to work in the human intestine, it generates electricity only in the neutral pH solution achieving maximum power and current densities of 64μW/cm2 and 435 μA/cm2, respectively, which are substantially higher than the other energy harvesting techniques.