Taking your temperature from the inside
Oral and forehead thermometers may not accurately capture a person’s core body temperature, and the few ingestible temperature sensors on the market are so big they are hard to swallow and risk obstructing the GI tract. But MIT engineers created one that can send continuous temperature updates at a size of just six by four…
MIT engineers have developed an ingestible temperature sensor that can continuously monitor core body temperature, a size of just 6 by 4 millimeters. This innovation addresses the limitations of oral and forehead thermometers that may not accurately capture a person's core body temperature and the large, unwieldy ingestible sensors currently on the market.
The key to this breakthrough lies in a compact circuit that can fit on a one-square-millimeter silicon chip. This chip features an oscillator whose frequency varies with temperature, enabling precise readings within 0.01 °C. Powering the sensor is a 1.55-volt coin cell battery. The sensor utilizes a technique called backscattering, which minimizes energy consumption by leveraging an external antenna for power and data transmission.
This external antenna emits an ultra-high-frequency radio wave that is modulated by a built-in antenna within the sensor. The external antenna then interprets the changes in the radio wave to calculate the temperature value. This tiny, ingestible temperature sensor, described as the smallest of its kind, has the potential to revolutionize temperature monitoring in various applications.
It could be used to track infections, monitor patients undergoing anesthesia, observe fevers in children, mark ovulation, and even aid in tracking athletes or soldiers exposed to extreme temperatures. The implications are significant, particularly for vulnerable populations like those with compromised immune systems. By providing early detection of infections, this sensor could replace conventional thermometers for widespread use.
Written by urgent.news from MIT Technology Review's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
