The disclosure provides a diagnosis and treatment integrated soft medical robot for gastrointestinal endoscopy, including a robot body, a camera, illumination devices, a flexible dielectric elastomer actuator, air cylinders, linear motors, a controller and external hoses. Wherein the robot body is a multichannel hose, and includes a central channel and circumferential channels, the central channel is configured to accommodate conducting wires and signal wires, the circumferential channels include at least three microfluid channels. The front end of each microfluid channels is a sealed end, a rear end of each of the microfluid channels is an open end. The open end of each microfluid channels communicates with an end opening of a flow channel of one air cylinder. The linear motors control fluid pressures in the microfluid channels by driving piston rods of the air cylinders so that the robot body steers through being driven by fluid. The camera performs real-time image acquisition. The controller controls the flexible dielectric elastomer actuator to capture a target. The disclosure realizes the real-time image acquisition on a digestive tract, particularly a lesion, and can integrally and fast complete diagnosis and treatment.

Transient molecules in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide, are important signals and mediators of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Because these molecules may be short-lived in the body, they are difficult to detect. To track these reactive molecules in the GI tract, a miniaturized device has been developed that integrates genetically engineered probiotic biosensors with a custom-designed photodetector and readout chip. Leveraging the molecular specificity of living sensors, bacteria were genetically encoded to respond to IBD-associated molecules by luminescing. Low-power electronic readout circuits (e.g., using nanowatt power) integrated into the device convert the light from just 1 μL of bacterial culture into a wireless signal. Biosensor monitoring was demonstrated in the GI tract of small and large animal models and integration of all components into a sub-1.4 cm.sup.3 ingestible form factor capable of supporting wireless communication. The wireless detection of short-lived, disease-associated molecules may support earlier diagnosis of disease than is currently possible, more accurate tracking of disease progression, and more timely communication between patient and their care team supporting remote personalized care.

A method for treating a human subject suffering from a gastrointestinal disorder using a non-dissolvable ingestible capsule, the method including providing the non-dissolvable ingestible capsule to the subject, and subsequently, ingesting the non-dissolvable ingestible capsule by the subject, wherein passage of the non-dissolvable ingestible capsule through the gastrointestinal tract of the subject treats the gastrointestinal disorder, and wherein the non-dissolvable ingestible capsule may be at least one of: a non-vibrating capsule, a capsule that is devoid of any electronic components, and a capsule that is devoid of any mechanical moving components.

A tracer detection device includes an enclosed body, and a plurality of tracer sensors, a battery, a memory, and a transmitter, each disposed within the enclosed body. The plurality of tracer sensors is configured to detect measurement values at a surface and underneath the surface of a gastrointestinal tract. The battery is configured to power the plurality of tracer sensors. The memory is configured to receive measurement values detected by the plurality of tracer sensors. The transmitter is configured to transmit measurement values detected by the plurality of tracer sensors to an external device after the enclosed body has passed through the gastrointestinal tract. The enclosed body includes a steering feature that ensures the enclosed body is oriented in an intended direction. The plurality of tracer sensors triggers release of a drug. The plurality of tracer sensors estimate distances to gastrointestinal walls for normalizing signals.

A gastrointestinal treatment system including a gastrointestinal capsule adapted to treat a subject following ingestion of the gastrointestinal capsule. The gastrointestinal capsule includes: (a) a housing; (b) a vibrating agitator, powered by the battery, the vibrating agitator adapted such that, in a first vibrating mode of operation, the housing exerts vibrations on an environment surrounding the capsule; (c) a power supply disposed within the housing and adapted to power the vibrating agitator; and (d) a controller adapted, in response to receipt of an activation input, to activate the vibrating agitator to operate in the first vibrating mode of operation at at least one predetermined time of day. The system and method may be used to treat an ailment of the gastrointestinal tract and/or to mitigate at least one symptom of jetlag in a subject travelling from an origin location to a destination location.

Disclosed is a radio antenna comprising a substrate of dielectric material; a ground plane of electrically conductive material on a first face of the substrate; a resonator for converting an incident electrical signal into an electromagnetic wave and for resonating at at least two different resonant frequencies. The resonator comprises at least three elements, each in the form of strips of conductive material and arranged on a second face of the substrate opposite the first face. A second element is electrically connected to the ground plane by means of a via passing through the substrate at a first end of the corresponding strip, forms an extension of the first element, and is electrically connected directly to the first element at a second end of said strip which is opposite the first end.

A medical capsule is equipped with a sensor device having light emitting and light receiving elements. The sensor device can detect blood on the basis of light absorption properties of the blood. The capsule has a casing forming a recess or gap at its outer surface. The recess has a pre-selected width which represents a fixed measuring track between the light emitting and light receiving elements being arranged at opposing sides of the recess or gap when seen in its width direction. The medical capsule also has a shielding plate/layer/membrane arranged at least at or near the bottom of the recess or gap and extending along the width direction of the recess or gap preferably to exceed the recess at both sides into its width direction to prohibit emitted light from bypassing the recess via the casing material of the capsule.

The invention refers to an implantable sensing system comprising an electronic implant and a reading unit to obtain measurements originating at the implant or its surroundings to characterize physical and/or chemical clinical parameters of a living body. The electronic implant comprises an electronic circuit and at least two electrodes connected to the electronic circuit. The electronic circuit comprises a capacitor and a device of asymmetric conductance capable of rectifying an alternating current, both connected in series between two electrodes. An electronic component is connected in parallel with the device of asymmetric conductance, for the capacitor discharge. The capacitor, the device of asymmetric conductance and/or the electronic component, can be a transducer selected such as an operational parameter of the transducer is variable depending on a physical and/or chemical condition of a medium of a living body. The implant features a minimal invasiveness, such as it can be implanted by injection or by catheterization rather than by open surgery.

Medical implants including sensors are described. The implant may have a flexible shell with a base, wherein the plurality of sensors may be incorporated onto and/or into the shell. The plurality of sensors may be distributed at different locations of the shell. Each sensor of the plurality of sensors may be configured to measure one or more parameters such as, e.g., temperature and/or pressure, and may comprise an electromagnetic coil useful for wireless transmission of data. Each sensor may be configured to transmit data at a frequency different from the frequency of one or more of the other sensors, may be configured to transmit data at a time different from a time data is transmitted by one or more of the other sensors, and/or may include a device identifier different from the device identifier of one or more of the other sensors.

Disclosed embodiments provide a biopsy tool and methodologies for obtain biopsies and/or a tool and methodology that may be used to add material to a subject's tissue.