Digital Health: On-organ Sensing For Bowel Monitoring - A Bottom Up Approach
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science
Abstract
Bowel issues arise from a wide range of health conditions, leading to a reduction in quality of life, embarrassment and substantial healthcare resource use. For example, constipation affects over 20% of the population (Werth et al 2019) and around 1.5% of the population suffer from faecal incontinence (Perry et al., 2002). The BIG Cost of Constipation report from the Bowel Interest group (2019) highlighted that in England constipation cost the NHS £162 million in 2017/18 and that over 6.5 million people in the UK have some sort of bowel problem. These are areas where individuals would generally prefer to self-manage their condition with a technological solution. Solving this would empower individuals to lead more active lives with corresponding social and emotional benefits.
Our goal is to empower individuals with bowel conditions to have greater autonomy, activity and positive lifestyles, via discreet digital technologies. To do this, we propose creating flexible, implantable sensors that attach to the surface of the soft tissue of the bowel and track its motion as stool moves through the body. We will sense these physical changes and the data will be transmitted to a user's receiver to provide early warnings of bowel movements (for incontinence or constipation). The data will also provide potential for further clinical interpretation to identify patterns in their body's behaviour.
Technical work will focus on the creation of the sensor device, devising methods for attaching the sensor and for novel mechanical (pressure) and acoustic sensing. Substantial codesign with clinicians and patients will be used to guide the sensor design and ensure it is usable with the potential for translation and take-up.
More widely, this area is important because bowel tissue changes substantially with different diseases - for example, in inflammatory or degenerative diseases (e.g. Crohn's, Colitis, Parkinson's), trauma-induced injuries (e.g. spinal cord injury) and after chemotherapy. Being able to understand how this organ changes over time and with lifestyle (diet, stress, activity), will provide a greater window to understand and manage these conditions. More widely, the sensing approach in this project will establish a platform for future on-organ monitoring.
Our goal is to empower individuals with bowel conditions to have greater autonomy, activity and positive lifestyles, via discreet digital technologies. To do this, we propose creating flexible, implantable sensors that attach to the surface of the soft tissue of the bowel and track its motion as stool moves through the body. We will sense these physical changes and the data will be transmitted to a user's receiver to provide early warnings of bowel movements (for incontinence or constipation). The data will also provide potential for further clinical interpretation to identify patterns in their body's behaviour.
Technical work will focus on the creation of the sensor device, devising methods for attaching the sensor and for novel mechanical (pressure) and acoustic sensing. Substantial codesign with clinicians and patients will be used to guide the sensor design and ensure it is usable with the potential for translation and take-up.
More widely, this area is important because bowel tissue changes substantially with different diseases - for example, in inflammatory or degenerative diseases (e.g. Crohn's, Colitis, Parkinson's), trauma-induced injuries (e.g. spinal cord injury) and after chemotherapy. Being able to understand how this organ changes over time and with lifestyle (diet, stress, activity), will provide a greater window to understand and manage these conditions. More widely, the sensing approach in this project will establish a platform for future on-organ monitoring.
Publications
| Description | To date, we have engaged with patients who have chronic bowel issues. This has informed our sensor development and our further engagement with clinicians. These engagements have helped us focus our sensor design and application. We have also identified the need for further clinician engagement to support the project. |
| Exploitation Route | We have published and shared work on the way that tissue devices work, the design and development of a range of sensors, and patient engagement/digital design. We anticipate this leading to expanded grant options. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| Description | This work has led to the formation of a wider collaborative group where an application for Wellcome Leap funding worth ~$5m progressed to the second stage of the application before ultimately not being funded. This is now driving work towards an EPSRC Programme Grant application. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Title | On-organ sensing: A bowel motility sensor and digital health app |
| Description | Bowel problems/incontinence are prevalent health issues worldwide that can have a devasting effect on an individual's life. We are developing a novel sensor-based system incorporating a sensor and smartphone app. The sensor is designed to be attached to the colon to detect changes in the bowel when stool is passing and send the data to the app in real-time. The aim is to provide adults with an understanding of their intestinal transit to support improved bowel management and quality of life. |
| Type | Management of Diseases and Conditions |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2023 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | We have engaged a population who are often overlooked in technology development and have contributed to a conference on digital systems with a view to bringing more visibility into this area. |