While fitness and health tracking sensors are all this rage this year, a new “smart pill” system is designed to take it one step further. Proteus Biomedical’s smart pill system — launching in the UK — consists of microchip-embedded medication tablets that track patient adherence via a nifty smartphone app and sensor patch worn on the skin.
The UK-based retail pharmacy chain Lloydspharmacy signed a deal with Proteus Biomedical (backed by Novartis) to launch this edible microchip, dubbed Helius, first in the UK.
For consumers, the packages will include sensor-enabled pills, a peel-and-stick sensor patch worn on the body, and a mobile health app.
The patch records when a pill is ingested, tracks sleep patterns, and records physical activity levels — and the data is sent to a smartphone or tablet, which can alert a patient to when the next dose is due or warn a doctor or caretaker if the regimen is not being followed. According to media reports, the microchip on the pill is smaller than a grain of sand and made from metal and silicon, which is activated by stomach acids and then passed through the digestive tract.
The Helius system is expected to roll out commercially in other European countries soon.
At CES, BodyMedia also introduced a prototype of another disposable fitness tracking patch that you can wear for up to one week. Designed to stick on your triceps, the device tracks key lifestyle indicators, such as calorie burn, steps taken, activity levels, and sleep patterns through multiple sensors that collect more than 5,000 data points per minute, stated the company. Afterward, download the data and throw the patch away.
via AFP-relaxnews