Originally Published EMDM
March/April 2004
INDUSTRY NEWS
Sensor-Laden Lab-in-a-Pill Embarks on Fantastic Voyage |
| The lab-in-a-pill integrates sensors, batteries, a control chip, and an RF transmitter in a 35-mm-long PEEK housing. |
A diagnostic “pill” that collects data from a full array of sensors as it passes through a patient’s intestines is undergoing in vitro trials at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. It may one day replace invasive endoscopic procedures, researchers say.
The 35-mm-long device integrates a multisensor array, analogue signal-conditioning circuits, a digital signal processor, an RF transmitter, and a power source. It is encapsulated in a biocompatible housing made from chemical-resistant PEEK. The onboard battery has a life of approximately 24 hours, twice the amount of time necessary for the device to capture and transmit data and to be evacuated.
The pill’s sensors sample body fluids and capture data such as temperature, dissolved-oxygen levels, and pH levels. The data are transmitted wirelessly to a computer for analysis, says David Cumming, senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s electronics and electrical engineering department.
It is envisaged that the device, which is as easy to swallow as a headache tablet, according to Cumming, could replace current invasive procedures for the early detection of colon cancer.
Cumming has announced that a sensor company has expressed serious interest in the technology.
The lab-in-a-pill is part of the Integrated Diagnostics for Environmental and Analytical Systems (IDEAS) project, which is headed by Cumming and involves researchers from the Scottish universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Strathclyde. In collaboration with the Institute for System Level Integration at the University of Glasgow, the goal of IDEAS is to link lab-on-chip and system-on-chip research to build real-time intelligent measurement and monitoring systems. In addition to medical applications, researchers are also focusing on environmental and industrial uses.
For more information about this research, EMDM readers can e-mail Cumming at d.cumming@elec.gla.ac.uk.
Norbert
Sparrow
Copyright ©2004 European Medical Device Manufacturer
