Ingestible Electronic Capsule Shows Promise in Diagnosing Sleep Disorders and Detecting Opioid Overdoses

The device, developed by researchers from MIT, Celero Systems, and West Virginia University, accurately monitors vital signs and detects sleep apnea episodes, offering a less intrusive diagnostic method.

Researchers from MIT, Celero Systems, and West Virginia University have developed an ingestible electronic capsule that can monitor vital signs from within the patient's GI tract, potentially making the diagnosis of sleep disorders less intrusive.
The capsule, about the size of a multivitamin, uses an accelerometer to measure the patient's breathing rate and heart rate, and could be useful for detecting opioid overdoses in people at high risk.
In a study involving 10 human volunteers, the capsule was shown to accurately monitor vital signs and detect sleep apnea episodes, with no adverse effects reported from the capsule.
The capsule contains two small batteries and a wireless antenna that transmits data to an external device such as a laptop, and typically passes through the digestive tract in a little over a day.
The researchers envision that this sensor could be used to diagnose sleep apnea in a less intrusive way than the skin-based sensors that are now used, and could also be used to monitor patients when they begin treatment for apnea.