The pH.p Capsule

Here’s an interesting product developed for the diagnosis of gastroparesis from SmartPill Corporation, a Buffalo, NY based company.

Specifically developed as a tool to aid in the diagnosis of gastroparesis or delayed emptying of the stomach, the SmartPill pH.p Capsule is an ingestible medical device that provides a non-invasive alternative to the traditional diagnostic standard, gastric emptying Scintigraphy, which exposes a patient to radiation through a series of gamma scans.
When ingested, the SmartPill pH.p Capsule captures biomedical data from within a patient’s entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract and wirelessly transmits that data to a small receiver worn on a belt clip. The SmartPill pH.p Capsule senses pH (acidity) and pressure from within the patient’s GI tract, enabling gastroenterologists and researchers to more accurately diagnose and understand GI motility disorders such as gastroparesis…
The patient swallows the SmartPill pH.p Capsule. The Capsule continuously communicates with the Data Receiver. The biomedical measurements are captured in real-time as the Capsule passes through the entire length of the patient’s GI tract. The SmartPill pH.p Capsule is not absorbed nor does it interact with the patient’s GI tract in any way other than its propulsion via peristalsis, eventually exiting the patient through the colon (normally within 24 hrs). The SmartPill pH.p Capsule has a battery life of greater than 5 days.

For those of you who don’t know, gastroparesis is a common complication of diabetes, so the problem is a rather prevalent one.
The product page…
Flashbacks: Capsule Endoscope by Olympus; PillCam; Camera Pills, with Teeth
(hat tip: Oh Gizmo!)