New: Needle-less injections soon a reality

An MIT lab has come up with a painless, controlled way of shooting medicine through the skin without using needles.

The jet injector device uses a small, powerful magnet and electric current to inject drugs at nearly the speed of sound. Changes in the electric current allow the injector to work in two phases — a high-speed phase to enter the skin and reach a certain depth, and a lower-pressure phase to deliver the drug in a slow stream that allows for absorption.

"If you are afraid of needles and have to frequently self-inject, compliance can be an issue," said Catherine Hogan, a research scientist in MIT's department of mechanical engineering. "We think this kind of technology … gets around some of the phobias that people may have about needles."

The jet injector delivers its drugs through an opening as wide as a mosquito's proboscis.
(source)