MIT researchers are developing ingestible sensors that measure heart and breathing rates from within the gastrointestinal tract using sound waves.
This type of sensor could make it easier to assess trauma patients, monitor soldiers in battle, perform long-term evaluation of patients with chronic illnesses, or improve training for professional and amateur athletes, the researchers say.
The team, led by Giovanni Traverso and Gregory Ciccarelli, created signal processing systems that distinguish the sounds produced by the heart and lungs from each other, as well as from background noise produced by the digestive tract and other parts of the body.
The sensor consists of a microphone in a silicone capsule, plus electronics that process the sound, and wirelessly send radio signals to an external receiver within 3 meters.
In a related development, Jawbone’s CEO recently described swallowable sensors in development. (See ApplySci, October 10, 2015.)
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WEARABLE TECH + DIGITAL HEALTH SAN FRANCISCO – APRIL 5, 2016 @ THE MISSION BAY CONFERENCE CENTER
NEUROTECH SAN FRANCISCO – APRIL 6 @ THE MISSION BAY CONFERENCE CENTER