Smart Capsule Offers Real-Time Profiling Across GI Tract

Researchers are increasingly recognizing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as a key player in overall health. While its primary role is in digestion, the GI tract also contributes to the production of hormones, immune cells, and neurotransmitters that can influence mood and brain function. It houses numerous biomarkers useful for detecting, tracking, and treating diseases, ranging from short-chain fatty acids linked to metabolic syndrome to cytokines that indicate inflammation. However, current technologies cannot easily capture this rich metabolic and molecular information from within the GI tract. Conventional methods, such as fecal analysis or biopsies, are invasive, costly, and unable to offer real-time data throughout the GI system. Now, researchers have developed a smart capsule capable of measuring pH, temperature, and a wide array of biomarkers.

The capsule, named PillTrek, has been developed by a team of engineers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA). It integrates affordable, compact sensors into a miniature wireless electrochemical system powered by low-energy electronics. PillTrek measures just 7 millimeters in diameter and 25 millimeters in length—smaller than standard capsule endoscopy devices—yet it performs a wide range of electrochemical analyses. Its internal electrochemical workstation is modular, allowing for different sensors to be inserted depending on the biomarker targeted within the gut.

Electrochemically, PillTrek is a highly capable device. It can detect metabolites, ions, and hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, and may even be adaptable for protein detection—all within the challenging environment of the GI tract. In the study, published in Nature Electronics, the capsule was tested in animal models and successfully measured pH, temperature, glucose levels, and serotonin. The research team had previously developed a 3D printing method for producing low-cost sensors on plastic substrates, which can be used to manufacture the sensors for PillTrek at scale. Going forward, the researchers plan to explore wireless power solutions and miniaturized electronics to further reduce PillTrek’s size and power requirements.

"Ingestible capsules have significant potential in diagnosis, monitoring, and management of chronic conditions, but previous devices were very limited in terms of their sensing capabilities, lifetime, and size," said study co-author Azita Emami. "This work is an important translational step toward devices that can provide meaningful medical information for patients and physicians."

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