A new pill-sized device that can safely monitor life-saving vital signs from inside the stomach has successfully cleared the first human trials successfully.
The ingestible device has been designed so it can monitor vital signs such as breathing and heart rate from inside the body and transmit data to an external device such as a laptop.
Scientists say the tool, described in the journal Device, has the potential to provide life-saving care for people at risk of opioid overdose.
The team also hopes it could help people with other health issues like sleep disorders.
Lead author Professor Giovanni Traverso, a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, said: ‘The stomach generally offers some of the best signals, mainly because it’s close to the heart and the lungs, but we know that we can also sense them elsewhere.
‘The ability to facilitate diagnosis and monitor many conditions without having to go into a hospital can provide patients with easier access to healthcare and support treatment.’





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