Absorbent material-based capture and isolation. a) Scheme and images of the swelling-based enrichment module before and after capture. Scale bar: 0.5 mm. b) Micrographs illustrating 2 μm microparticles recovered from the collector from different parts of the pill, (i) background (control pill with no beads), (ii) on the plastic backbone, (iii) within the porous membrane, and (iv) within the absorbent material. Scale bar: 80 µm c) Quantification of particles retained at the stages described in panel b (n=9). d) Scheme of the robotic pill capturing bacteria. e) Optical density measured at a wavelength of 600 nm (OD600), quantifying the growth of bacteria recovered by robotic pill after a 1-hour incubation (n=6). f) Quantification of E. coli growth after 6 hours (n=6).