A sensing device can be placed within the colon to study bowel function. The sensing device can include a flexible printed circuit board that includes at least one senor configured to record data related to bowel activity from a patient's colon; and a wireless transmitter configured to send the data from the patient's colon to an external device. The sensing device can also include at least one mucosal clip configured to fix the sensor board to a wall of the patient's colon for a measurement period. The flexible printed circuit board and/or the at least one mucosal clip are configured to be passed from the patient's colon after the measurement period through normal defecation.

A sensing device can be placed within the colon to study bowel function. The sensing device can include a flexible printed circuit board that includes at least one senor configured to record data related to bowel activity from a patient's colon; and a wireless transmitter configured to send the data from the patient's colon to an external device. The sensing device can also include at least one mucosal clip configured to fix the sensor board to a wall of the patient's colon for a measurement period. The flexible printed circuit board and/or the at least one mucosal clip are configured to be passed from the patient's colon after the measurement period through normal defecation.

Systems and methods are described for providing power transfer between modular intraluminal devices. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a first intraluminal device and a second intraluminal device; the first intraluminal device including a body structure, a sensor, a processor, a data transmitter, and a wireless energy receiver oriented to wirelessly receive energy originating external to the first intraluminal device to power at least one of the sensor, the processor, or the data transmitter; the second intraluminal device including a second body structure, and an energy storage device configured to wirelessly transfer energy stored in the energy storage device to the wireless energy receiver of the first intraluminal device when the first intraluminal device and the second intraluminal device are positioned within a subject.

Systems and methods are described for providing power transfer between modular intraluminal devices. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a first intraluminal device and a second intraluminal device; the first intraluminal device including a body structure, a sensor, a processor, a data transmitter, and an energy storage module configured to power at least one of the sensor, the processor, or the data transmitter; the second intraluminal device including a second body structure, an energy storage device, and a docking structure, where the energy storage device is configured to transfer energy when the first intraluminal device and the second intraluminal device are coupled via the docking structure, the docking structure further configured to automatically decouple the first intraluminal device and the second intraluminal device subsequent to transfer of the energy.

A smart phone includes photoelectric pulse wave sensing units that obtain photoelectric pulse wave signals from hands holding the smart phone, a touch screen on which a plurality of operation switches that accept operations performed by thumbs are displayed, and a switch arrangement changing unit that changes the arrangement of the displayed plurality of operation switches. The switch arrangement changing unit, when photoelectric pulse wave signals are obtained by the photoelectric pulse wave sensing units, changes the arrangement of the operation switches displayed on the touch screen in such a manner that the operation switches are arranged along a circular arc of a virtual circle whose center is located at a carpometacarpal joint of the thumb of a right hand performing operations and whose radius is the distance from the carpometacarpal joint to the tip of the thumb.

A medical device system for concurrent power and data transfer comprises an elongated conductive member. At least a portion of the elongated conductive member is configured for insertion within an intraluminal space. One or more sensors that are in electrical connection with the elongated conductive member. The medical device system uniquely allocates each of the plurality of unique contiguous segments within a signal space to one of (i) one or more power channels or (ii) one or more signal channels. The medical device system then sends the electrical signals, via the elongated conductive member, to one or more sensors that are in electrical connection with the elongated conductive member. The medical device harvests energy from the electrical signals. The medical device system isolates transmitted data signals within at least one of the one or more signal channels the data signals generated by the one or more sensors.

A medical device system for concurrent power and data transfer comprises an elongated conductive member. At least a portion of the elongated conductive member is configured for insertion within an intraluminal space. One or more sensors that are in electrical connection with the elongated conductive member. The medical device system uniquely allocates each of the plurality of unique contiguous segments within a signal space to one of (i) one or more power channels or (ii) one or more signal channels. The medical device system then sends the electrical signals, via the elongated conductive member, to one or more sensors that are in electrical connection with the elongated conductive member. The medical device harvests energy from the electrical signals. The medical device system isolates transmitted data signals within at least one of the one or more signal channels the data signals generated by the one or more sensors.

A body-mountable device is provided to facilitate communication, via in-body electrical signals transmitted via electrodes of the body-mountable device into fluid of the body, with a smart pill located in a gastrointestinal tract of a body to which the body-mountable device is mounted or with some other device located within the body. The body-mountable device can be a contact lens or other eye-mountable device such that the electrodes of the eye-mountable device can transmit in-body electrical signals via tear fluid. The body-mountable device could transmit a command to the smart pill to dispense a drug into the body. The smart pill could transmit, via in-body electrical signals, an indication of a detected property of the gastrointestinal tract to the body-mountable device. A latency of transmission of signals between the body-mountable device and the smart pill could be used to determine the location of the smart pill within the gastrointestinal tract.

Systems and methods are disclosed that provide for regular, periodic or continuous monitoring of fluid volume based on direct measurement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) physical dimension using a wireless measurement sensor implanted in the IVC. By basing diagnostic decisions and treatments on changes in an IVC physical dimension, information on patient fluid state is available across the entire euvolemic range of fluid states, thus providing earlier warning of hypervolemia or hypovolemia and enabling the modulation of patient treatments to permit more stable long-term fluid management.

A tissue sensing device and a method for placing the device. The device including a first electrically conductive needle; a non-conductive sheath receiving the first needle therein and allowing exposure of a portion the first needle at a distal end thereof; a second electrically conductive needle; and electronics coupled to the first and second needle, the electronics providing for sensing of capacitance between the first and second needles so as to provide an indication of a tissue in which the exposed portion of the first needle is located.