Swallowable Electrochemical Gas Sensor Using Gastric Juice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrochemical sensors for gas detection in the human body are limited due to the use of toxic or harmful materials for the electrolyte and electrodes, and existing swallowable sensors are not suitable for gas detection, as they are either optical or pH sensors, or batteries that operate with gastric juice as an electrolyte, which is different from gas sensors.
Innovation Solution
A swallowable electrochemical gas sensor with a housing containing a gas inlet and an electrolyte inlet, filled with a hydrophilic sealant that allows gastric juice to act as an electrolyte, enabling an electrochemical reaction within the body, and a measuring electronic unit connected to the electrodes to detect gas presence via a wireless signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electrochemical sensors use traditional electrolytes and electrodes, then gas detection function is achieved, but the materials are toxic or harmful to organisms
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor utilizes gastric juice naturally present in the stomach as the electrolyte, eliminating the need to carry toxic electrolytes. The stomach environment itself provides the necessary conductive medium for electrochemical reactions, making the sensor self-sufficient and biocompatible.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor design changes the operational parameters by adapting to the gastric environment - using gastric juice's electrical conductivity properties instead of traditional electrolyte solutions. This parameter change from controlled laboratory electrolytes to physiological electrolytes resolves the toxicity issue while maintaining detection functionality.
2Measurement precision
If optical sensors are used for gas detection, then methane detection at high concentrations is possible, but they are not suitable for detecting gases at lower concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical detection mechanisms with electrochemical detection mechanisms. Instead of using light absorption or emission properties, the sensor uses electrochemical reactions between gases and electrodes, which are more sensitive to trace gas concentrations found in the gastrointestinal tract.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection parameter is changed from optical properties (absorption, emission) to electrochemical properties (current, potential). This parameter change enables detection of much lower gas concentrations that are characteristic of gastrointestinal conditions, while maintaining adaptability to the physiological environment.
3Measurement precision
If pH sensors are used in the gastrointestinal tract, then pH value monitoring is achieved, but they cannot detect gases effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor design incorporates multiple electrodes (working electrode, counter electrode, reference electrode) that can perform both pH measurement and gas detection functions. The electrochemical cell structure is universal enough to detect different analytes including gases and pH, making the sensor multi-functional rather than single-purpose.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sensor eliminates the need for toxic electrolytes, allowing for effective gas detection in the gastrointestinal tract by utilizing gastric juice as an electrolyte, providing a safe and functional means to monitor gases like H2S and NO, aiding in the assessment of inflammatory intestinal diseases.
Implementation Method 1
The housing has a gas inlet, which is closed with a gas-permeable membrane
Implementation Method 2
The housing has at least one electrolyte inlet, which is filled with a hydrophilic sealant
Implementation Method 3
The analytes are usually gases... a flow of current can take place between the electrodes by means of a conductive liquid, the so-called electrolyte
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention pertains to a swallowable electrochemical sensor, which is characterized in that its housing has electrolyte inlets, through which an aqueous electrolyte, for example, gastric acid, can enter from the area surrounding the sensor into the interior and act as an electrolyte there.