Patent ID: 8016774

Claim:
An agent injection device capable of injecting an agent to a known tissue depth, comprising: (a) an injection member having an elongate injection shaft with an outlet port configured to dispense an agent at a controllable time; (b) a controllable electronic driver coupled to the elongate injection shaft and configured to drive the injection member into target tissue within a limit on injection stroke velocity of the injection member; (c) a position sensor coupled to the controllable electronic driver, the position sensor configured to detect penetration depth as well as penetration and withdrawal velocities of the injection member; (d) velocity control system including a feedback loop coupled to the position sensor and a processor in communication with the controllable electronic driver configured to control the injection member's penetration depth and penetration and withdrawal velocities to compensate for variations in skin thickness; and (e) wherein the controllable electronic driver is configured to drive the elongate injection shaft at the injection stroke velocity of up to about 10 m/s.