Diagnostic devices

Not only are colonoscopies invasive and uncomfortable, they may also miss gut-problem-related biomarkers that are only present in the body for a short time. A new "smart pill" is designed to address such shortcomings, using live light-up bacteria.

While gingivitis can lead to tooth loss, the bacteria responsible for the gum disease can also enter the bloodstream and cause heart disease. That's why early detection is important, which is where a new home testing kit may soon come in.

Dynabeads are microscopic magnetic spheres which scientists use to isolate certain types of cells and proteins. Now, MIT researchers are developing a method of using the beads to quickly spot pathogens in drinking water or blood samples.

When Captain Kirk stepped out with a tricorder in hand in Star Trek in 1966, the data sensing, scanning and analyzing gadget seemed a rather useful but far-in-the-future piece of technology. With the Swift Ray 1, we're a step closer to its reality.

When testing for infections such as strep throat, saliva sampling is often used as a less invasive alternative to taking throat swabs. Collecting that saliva could soon be easier than ever, by using a lollipop to do the job.

The days of urinating on a stick, and then sharing those sticks online, might be numbered, with the world’s first saliva pregnancy test hitting the market. The SaliStick can be taken anytime, anywhere, and in trials it has proven to be 95% accurate.

In order to get tested for sleep apnea, patients have to spend a night sleeping at a clinic with numerous hard-wired sensors stuck to their skin. A new facial patch system however, could soon allow those people to spend the night in their own bed.

Chronic muscle loss doesn't simply make a person physically weaker. Among other things, it increases the risk of serious falls … and even death. A new urine test, however, could allow it to be detected earlier than ever before.

Researchers have developed a tool that rapidly detects bacteria in saliva using SHERLOCK, the evolution of CRISPR. You may soon be leaving the dentist with comprehensive information about the health of your mouth as well as your overall health.

Researchers have developed a breakthrough ultrasound method that uses shear waves to, for the first time, measure tension in human tissue. The discovery has to the potential to revolutionize disease diagnosis.

Researchers have developed a platform that allows wireless ingestible devices to be tracked in 3D as they travel through the gut, which may provide a cheaper, less invasive way of investigating disorders that affect gastric motility.

A clinical trial has shown a new type of medical scan can identify specific adrenal gland nodules responsible for high blood pressure. The scan offers the first simple diagnostic tool for what is the cause of hypertension in up to 10% of people.