Scientists have created a wearable sensor that attaches to your underwear and tracks your gut bacteria in real time by measuring the hydrogen gas in your flatulence. And no, that’s not a setup for a joke.

Researchers at the University of Maryland developed the device to solve a problem that has plagued microbiome research for years: how to actually monitor what gut bacteria are doing hour by hour, not just which species are living in there. The answer, it turns out, involves a tiny sensor clipped near your bottom that passively records data while you go about your day.

    • ThePantser@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      edit-2
      2 days ago

      Sensors that track gasses are incredibly cheap. I can build a VOC, CO2, PM2-10, CO, Smoke, etc for about $50 from parts on AliExpress. A sensor that tracks just hydrogen should be way less.

      Edit: methane Hydrogen

      • kungen@feddit.nu
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 day ago

        You have any guides about doing that? My landlord says I have enough ventilation flow, but the only way I can get a good night’s sleep is by having my windows open, even when it’s -10 outside.

        • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 day ago

          It’s probably easier just to buy one that’s already premade. They’re not prohibitively expensive (at least not the ones that are too large to fit in your pants). Just be sure to read the specs for what it can detect, and learn what each one means.

          If you really enjoy soldering, you can buy the components from an electrical supply store (think like radio shack) and then wire them together with an LCD display and program them yourself.

      • Lumidaub@feddit.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 day ago

        It might be cheap to build yourself then but cheap parts have rarely deterred a capitalist.