Gas-sensing capsules ‘offer gut health tracking capabilities’

High-tech gas sensing capsules that can wirelessly transmit diagnostic data from within the gut have been developed by scientists in Australia.

Created by researchers from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University and Monash University in Melbourne, the devices contain a built-in gas sensor, microprocessor and wireless high-frequency transmitter, allowing them to measure concentration of selected intestinal gases.

Once swallowed, the capsules can send data from inside the gut direct to a mobile phone, offering numerous possibilities for diagnosis, treatment and health analysis, both in terms of detecting diseases such as colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease, or checking overall health.

The technology has been tested safely in animals, but further research is needed before the capsules can be deemed suitable for humans.

Lead investigator Professor Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh from RMIT University said: "Being able to accurately measure intestinal gases could accelerate our knowledge about how specific gut microorganisms contribute to gastrointestinal disorders and food intake efficiency, enabling the development of new diagnostic techniques and treatments."