An AI-Powered Wearable System Tracks the 3D Movement of Smart Pills in the Gut

Scientists at the University of Southern California have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system to track tiny devices that monitor markers of disease in the gut. Devices using the novel system may help at-risk individuals monitor their gastrointestinal (GI) tract health at home, without the need for invasive tests in hospital settings. This work appears June 12 in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.

"Ingestibles are like Fitbits for the gut," says author Yasser Khan, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Southern California. "But tracking them once swallowed has been a significant challenge."

Gas that is formed in the intestines when bacteria break down food can offer insights into a person's health. Currently, to measure GI tract gases, physicians either use direct methods such as flatus collection and intestinal tube collection, or indirect methods such as breath testing and stool analysis. Ingestible capsules - devices that a user swallows - offer a promising alternative, but no such technologies have been developed for precise gas sensing.

To tackle this problem, Khan and colleagues developed a system that includes a wearable coil, which the user can conceal under a t-shirt or other clothing. The coil creates a magnetic field, which interacts with sensors embedded in an ingestible pill after it has been swallowed. AI analyzes the signals the pill receives, pinpointing where the device is located in the gut within less than a few millimeters. In addition, the system monitors 3D real-time concentrations of ammonia, a proxy for a bacteria linked with ulcers and gastric cancer, via the device’s optical gas-sensing membranes.

While previous attempts to track ingestibles as they journey through the gut have relied on bulky desktop coils, the wearable coil can be used anywhere, says Khan. The technology may also have other applications beyond measuring GI tract gases, such as identifying inflammation in the gut caused by Crohn’s disease and delivering drugs to precisely these regions.

The researchers tested the system's performance in a variety of mediums that mimic the GI tract, including a simulated cow intestine and liquids designed to replicate stomach and intestinal fluids.

"During these tests, the device demonstrated its ability to pinpoint its location and measure levels of oxygen and ammonia gases," says Khan. "Any ingestible device can utilize the technology we've developed."

However, there are still improvements to be made to the device, says Khan, such as designing it to be smaller and to use less power. Next, as they continue to hone the device, Khan and colleagues plan to test it in pigs in order to study its safety and effectiveness in an organism with human-like biology.

"Successful outcomes from these trials will bring the device nearer to readiness for human clinical trials," says Khan. "We are optimistic about the practicality of the system and believe it will soon be applicable for use in humans."

Angsagan Abdigazy, Mohammed Arfan, June Shao, Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, Md Farhad Hassan, Yasser Khan.
3D gas mapping in the gut with AI-enabled ingestible and wearable electronics.
Cell Reports Physical Science, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2024.101990

Most Popular Now

Most Advanced Artificial Touch for Brain…

For the first time ever, a complex sense of touch for individuals living with spinal cord injuries is a step closer to reality. A new study published in Science, paves...

From Text to Structured Information Secu…

Artificial intelligence (AI) and above all large language models (LLMs), which also form the basis for ChatGPT, are increasingly in demand in hospitals. However, patient data must always be protected...

Deep Learning Model Helps Detect Lung Tu…

A new deep learning model shows promise in detecting and segmenting lung tumors, according to a study published in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)...

New Study Reveals AI's Transformati…

Intensive care units (ICUs) face mounting pressure to effectively manage resources while delivering optimal patient care. Groundbreaking research published in the INFORMS journal Information Systems Research highlights how a novel...

One of the Largest Global Surveys of Soc…

As leaders gather for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Leaps by Bayer, the impact investing arm of Bayer, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) announced the launch...

New Computer Models Open Door to Far Mor…

With antibiotic resistance a growing problem, University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have developed cutting-edge computer models that could give the disease-fighting drugs a laser-like precision to target only...

New Biomarkers to Detect Colorectal Canc…

Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and analysis of large datasets have helped University of Birmingham researchers to discover proteins that have strong predictive potential for colorectal cancer. In a...

Sam Neville Joins the Highland Marketing…

Leading chief nursing information officer Sam Neville is joining the Highland Marketing advisory board. Sam brings a passion for nursing and safety to the board, which debates the big issues...

AI Model Identifies Potential Risk Genes…

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Genome Center have successfully applied advanced artificial intelligence (AI) genetics models to Parkinson's disease. Researchers identified genetic factors in progression and FDA-approved drugs that can...

AI Tool that may Assist Underserved Hosp…

As the fields of healthcare and technology increasingly evolve and intersect, researchers are collaborating on the best ways to use emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) to care for...

AI-Supported Breast Cancer Screening - N…

The new findings are published in The Lancet Digital Health. The initial results of the Mammography Screening with Artificial Intelligence (MASAI) study* - a randomised trial to evaluate whether AI...

AI Improves Personalized Cancer Treatmen…

Personalized medicine aims to tailor treatments to individual patients. Until now, this has been done using a small number of parameters to predict the course of a disease. However, these...