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

Giving Doctors an AI-Powered Head Start …

Detection of melanoma and a range of other skin diseases will be faster and more accurate with a new artificial intelligence (AI) powered tool that analyses multiple imaging types simultaneously...

AI Agents for Oncology

Clinical decision-making in oncology is challenging and requires the analysis of various data types - from medical imaging and genetic information to patient records and treatment guidelines. To effectively support...

AI Medical Receptionist Modernizing Doct…

A virtual medical receptionist named "Cassie," developed through research at Texas A&M University, is transforming the way patients interact with health care providers. Cassie is a digital-human assistant created by Humanate...

Using Data and AI to Create Better Healt…

Academic medical centers could transform patient care by adopting principles from learning health systems principles, according to researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of California, San Diego. In...

AI Tool Set to Transform Characterisatio…

A multinational team of researchers, co-led by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, has developed and tested a new AI tool to better characterise the diversity of individual cells within...

AI Detects Hidden Heart Disease Using Ex…

Mass General Brigham researchers have developed a new AI tool in collaboration with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to probe through previously collected CT scans and identify...

Human-AI Collectives Make the Most Accur…

Diagnostic errors are among the most serious problems in everyday medical practice. AI systems - especially large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT-4, Gemini, or Claude 3 - offer new ways...

Northern Ireland Completes Nationwide Ro…

Go-lives at Western and Southern health and social care trusts mean every pathology service is using the same laboratory information management system; improving efficiency and quality. An ambitious technology project to...

Highland Marketing Announced as Official…

Highland Marketing has been named, for the second year running, the official communications partner for HETT Show 2025, the UK's leading digital health conference and exhibition. Taking place 7-8 October...

MHP-Net: A Revolutionary AI Model for Ac…

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer globally and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Accurate segmentation of liver tumors is a crucial step for the management of the...

Groundbreaking TACIT Algorithm Offers Ne…

Researchers at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a novel algorithm that could provide a revolutionary tool for determining the best options for patients - both in the treatment...

The Many Ways that AI Enters Rheumatolog…

High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the standard to diagnose and assess progression in interstitial lung disease (ILD), a key feature in systemic sclerosis (SSc). But AI-assisted interpretation has the potential...