Summary:
UCLA researchers have conceptualized an ingestible, self-powered, and wireless capsule that can be used to effectively diagnose and treat gastrointestinal disorders.
Background:
Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, including conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and gastroparesis, impact millions of people worldwide and place a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems. These disorders can cause chronic pain, malnutrition, reduced quality of life, and, in some cases, life-threatening complications. Early and accurate diagnosis, along with personalized treatment, is critical to managing these conditions effectively. However, current diagnostic and treatment methods are limited. Procedures like endoscopies and colonoscopies are invasive, uncomfortable, and expensive. They often require sedation, specialized equipment, and hospital visits, making them impractical for frequent monitoring and reducing overall patient compliance. Additionally, these methods are physically constrained, only allowing access to certain areas of the GI tract. Surface-level tools like electrogastrograms provide limited data, as they can only measure electrical activity indirectly through the abdominal wall. Current treatments are also often non-specific, with systemic pharmacological therapies often targeting the entire body, even when only a specific portion of the GI tract is affected, resulting in unwanted side effects and limited effectiveness. These challenges highlight a critical unmet need for tools that can provide localized, real-time data and deliver targeted therapy through a minimally invasive approach.
Innovation:
Interdepartmental researchers at UCLA have conceptualized a novel ingestible capsule that enables real-time, targeted interaction within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in a minimally invasive, outpatient-friendly format. This self-powered device integrates a deployable electrode array capable of both recording and stimulating neural and muscular activity with an array of biosensors that measure motion, pressure, pH, temperature, gas concentrations, and other chemical and biological markers. With miniaturization as a key design goal, the inventors are currently developing an ingestible prototype. As the capsule traverses the GI tract, it interfaces directly with the enteric nervous system and surrounding tissues, enabling localized monitoring of gut motility, microbiome dynamics, and other digestive and autonomic functions. Wireless communication allows for real-time data transmission and remote control, while onboard processing supports closed-loop neuromodulation in response to detected abnormalities. Designed with flexibility in mind, the capsule can operate as a free-moving diagnostic tool or as an autonomous therapeutic platform capable of delivering targeted stimulation or intervention without external input. Its atraumatic, biocompatible form factor ensures safety and patient comfort. This innovation unites advanced sensing, electrical interfacing, and therapeutic capabilities in one compact system—representing a major advancement in the diagnosis and treatment of GI disorders. It enables faster, more accurate, and more personalized care while reducing dependence on invasive procedures and hospital visits.
Potential Applications:
• Diagnosis, or disease assistance, of GI Disorders through real-time detection of motility abnormalities and identification of inflammation or localized dysfunction
• Targeted neuromodulation therapy to restore or modulate GI motility
• Analysis of gut microbiome and chemical signatures relevant to digestive health
• Postoperative and chronic monitoring following GI surgeries or patients with chronic GI conditions
• Automated detected and response to abnormal GI activity
• Tailored treatment insights based on individual sensor data
Advantages:
• Minimally Invasive, avoiding sedation, incisions, or endoscopic procedures
• Outpatient friendly, enabling home-based monitoring and therapy
• Combing motion, pressure, PH, temperature, and chemical sensors for multimodal sensing in a single platform
• Real-time data acquisition and insights into GI function
• Flexible design options for both passive and active designs
• Improved diagnostic accuracy and speed through enhanced data quality
• High specificity on affected tissues
State of Development:
This invention was initially conceptualized in February 2023 and has not yet been publicly disclosed.
Reference:
UCLA Case No. 2024-226
Lead Inventor:
Ryan Kochia, UCLA Graduate Student in the Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program.