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In a groundbreaking development, an artificial-intelligence (AI)-enabled system combining wearable coils and ingestible “smart” pills shows promise for identifying and tracking gases in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract associated with various digestive disorders, according to new research.
Current Challenges in GI Disorder Detection
Traditional methods for detecting and monitoring gases related to disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, food intolerances, and gastric cancers are often invasive and typically require hospital-based procedures. These methods pose significant discomfort and inconvenience for patients.
A Revolutionary Approach
The experimental system, developed by a team at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering, represents “a significant step forward in ingestible technology,” stated principal investigator Yasser Khan, PhD, and colleagues. The team’s work was published in Cell Reports Physical Science.
This novel ingestible system could someday serve as a “Fitbit for the gut,” aiding in early disease detection, said Khan.
Real-time Tracking and Measurement
While wearables with sensors have been promising for monitoring body functions, tracking ingestible devices inside the body has been challenging. To address this, the researchers designed a system comprising a wearable coil (attached to a t-shirt) and an ingestible pill with a 3D-printed shell made from biocompatible resin.
The pill is equipped with a gas-permeable membrane, an optical gas-sensing membrane, an optical filter, and a printed circuit board housing its electronic components. It can detect oxygen in the 0%-20% range and ammonia in the 0-100 ppm concentration range.
How It Works
Upon ingestion, the pill connects to a phone application via Bluetooth, initiating gas and magnetic field measurements. The wearable coil generates a magnetic field, captured by a magnetic sensor on the pill, allowing real-time location decoding. Using optical absorption spectroscopy, gases like oxygen and ammonia are measured and mapped in 3D as the pill travels through the gut.
Potential Health Benefits
Elevated levels of ammonia, produced by Helicobacter pylori, could indicate peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, or irritable bowel syndrome. “The ingestible system with the wearable coil is both compact and practical, offering a clear path for application in human health,” Khan said. This technology could empower patients to conveniently assess their GI gas profiles from home and manage their digestive health.
Future Steps
The next phase involves testing the wearable in animal models to determine if the gas-sensing system operates correctly in biological tissue and whether issues like sensor fouling affect measurement accuracy. Khan and colleagues noted that a provisional patent application has been filed for the technology.
With support from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, this innovative system holds promise for transforming how digestive disorders are detected and monitored, potentially enhancing patient care and convenience significantly.
