By Andrew Liszewski
The usual method of examining the intestines involves the use of a camera in a procedure that I can only imagine is far from comfortable. Imagine this examination conducted on an outpatient basis, where you’re free to carry on your daily activities throughout the procedure.
The pH.p capsule from SmartPill is a high-tech pill that will monitor the pressure, temperature and pH of the patient’s intestines while the pill passes through the body. Using low power RF carrier frequencies the data that is collected is transmitted to the SmartPill Data Receiver which is carried by the patient over the course of the ‘examination.’ The process usually takes about 72 hours and during that time the patient is required to press an ‘event’ button on the receiver during times of exercise, meals or bowel movement. Once the information from the receiver is uploaded to a computer the doctor is able to graph the data over time paying particular attention to the ‘event’ times to help make a proper diagnosis.
The most important feature of the pH.p capsule of course is the following; “The single-use capsule is excreted naturally from the body, usually within a day or two, without pain or discomfort.”
Let’s hope they’re one-time-use. I’d hate to be the SECOND user.
It looked like a sandisk memory card at first…