The role of the gas-sensing capsule in defining gastrointestinal physiology and pathophysiology

Ingestible electronic device technology has the potential to expand understanding of gastrointestinal physiology and pathophysiology. The gas-sensing capsule is a novel, single-use ingestible device that can measure several aspects of gut function in real-time, in the ambulant human. This thesis explored its capabilities first, by developing and validating measures of gut landmark detection (so that the speed of transit through the gastrointestinal tract can be measured) against a gold-standard device, the wireless motility capsule. Regional gas patterns provided new insights into the metabolic activity of microbiota in the colon and in the physiology of the stomach.