Pop quiz: Which is longer, your small intestine or your large intestine?
Yup, it’s a trick question – although your large intestine is WIDER in diameter, it’s only about 5 feet long. The small intestine, on the other hand, is about 10 times your height!
So, what’s going on in there?
Actually, the truth is… we don’t really know!
Your intestines have long been a mystery to health professionals. Their incredible length makes it impossible to actually SEE inside… let alone perform medical work.
We’ve tried probing with cameras and using oral contrast liquids, but those techniques leave much to be desired – not to mention leaving your tummy grumbling. Not fun.
This was clearly a field starving for innovation – and now, thanks to the burgeoning mobile wireless health revolution, we have a much safer and more effective way to monitor our insides: ingestible sensors!
What are ingestible sensors?
Ingestible sensors (or “smart pills”) are tiny pills with microscopic electronics inside that you swallow. They move through your body and feed information about what’s happening from the inside.
Even cooler, the sensors are connected to your smartphone – allowing patients to get personalized information about their body in real time, or your doctor to monitor your health over longer periods.
How do ingestible sensors work?
Each sensor system is different, but in most cases, the pills themselves are about 1 square millimeter. Most are coated in copper and magnesium – which aren’t dangerous (they’re also found in your diet and most multi-vitamins).
The sensor is then activated by electrolytes within the body after you swallow it.
Once activated, the pill sends signals to a little patch on the user’s torso. This data is then sent to a caregiver’s or family member’s smartphone (using the power of Bluetooth).
Of course, there are many versions of this exciting new tech. Some even have cameras and microchips!
What are ingestible sensors used for?
Wireless patient monitoring and diagnostic imaging are the most common uses, but there are many applications for ingestible sensors… especially in regards to their ability to monitor our gut health.
Imagine getting a text on your phone saying your mother has forgotten to take her medication – or even that her medications are being administered at the wrong dose.
Right now the technology is still in its early phases, so we expect to see some incredible breakthroughs in the near future. Some argue that this will be a “tough pill for consumers to swallow” – but we think the benefits (and safety) far outweigh the fact that it is indeed a strange concept.
(Now, there’s just one last thing to ask… does the saying “You are what you eat” apply here?)