Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Introduction

Now, back to the future. Back to the future of the medieval times. And even more back to the future of the present, we discover that some kids are discussing about a project about the history of ingestible sensors.

Student A: So, it all started with Helius, which was a digital health feedback system used to support care delivery of a patient. It is a medical adherence system for patients. Basically some patients weren’t very good in following the routine of taking medicines in time and so people used to get worse in their illnesses.

Student B: That’s very odd. I don’t see any kind of problem like that now.

Student C: That’s because we have those sensors in all of our medicines and so nobody misses their medications. If they do miss, they are alerted immediately.

Student B.: Oh, really?

Student A: That’s what we are writing this report about, remember. About these sensors that are in all of our pills and monitor our health, our routine of taking pills, and help us remain so fit.

Student B: I didn’t know that at all.

Student A: Well, that’s our project, right?

Student B: Oh, really? (confused) I thought we were going to talk about baboons. Maybe I am in the wrong group. (leaves immediately, the other two students just stare at him leaving)

Student A: So, what do you think?

Student C: About what?

Student A: The Helius thing?

Student C: Oh! It’s good. But it sounds really primitive now.

Student A: Well, at that time, it was revolutionary. It was a great tool to, first of all, keep track of your own health, as it would provide daily information on your activities, daily medication taking and rest patterns. Besides yourself, your family members could also remain acknowledged about your health condition by sharing your information on daily medication taking, your activities, and physical body condition. For example, if a daughter was 20 miles away from her mother and her mother was suffering from a chronic condition, then the daughter, with the help of Helius, can keep on getting information on whether she is regularly taking medication. Similarly, the mother herself gets alert messages if she misses her medication dose. (1)

Student C: It doesn’t really sound revolutionary to me.

Student A: That’s because people hardly get sick nowadays because of their proper monitoring of health activities and dietary patterns, all thanks to this type of sensor technology like this pill. 

Student C: Then, what was in it for the doctors?

Student A: For doctors also, it was very useful. The doctors could use the activities data acquired about medication-taking patterns, activities and rest patterns and body markers like blood pressure to gain insight into the patient’s needs and conditions, and thus manage the support for the patients accordingly.(2)

Student C: That sounds really boring.

[Student D enters]

Student D: No, it doesn’t.

Student C: Why?

Student D: I’m sorry. What were you talking about?

Student C: So, you just contradicted me without even hearing what we were talking about?

Student D: Well, (thinks) was I? I don’t know. I guess we will never know. I am D, the new guy.

Student C: I am C. I am the New Girl (and pointing to A). He is the Old boy.

Student D: Sorry, I am late. By mistake, I ended up in the group where they were talking about baboons. So, what are we talking about?

Student C: Proteus Digital Health's Helius Ingestible pill.

Student D: Oh, that. I did some research on that too. It’s pretty sick. First of all, there is a really really tiny sensor in the pill. When the patient ingests the pill, it goes into the stomach where it is eventually powered by the energy from the stomach juices. Then the sensor then sends signals to a skin patch electrode, which then wirelessly transmits information such as vital signs, body position, and verification of medication ingestion to a nearby smartphone. (2)

Student A: Good, you did some research too. (hits student D on the head with a stick)

Student D: Thanks for the stick.

Student A: So, have you done any research on it?

Student C: No. Not really. My parents told me off in the morning so I got upset. Recently, I hadn’t been drinking enough water, and because of these sensors in water, my mother noticed it and scolded me in the morning that I should drink the prescribed amount of water.

Student A: That happened to me, too. I got told off for eating too much carbohydrate and sugar. Because of these sensors now embedded in all the food that we eat, they found I was eating too many sweets and rice. So, although I ignored the alerts, my parents caught me.

Student D: Funny stories. They also put it in alcohol now, so if you are under the age limit and you decided to drink alcohol, you are screwed.

Student A: Anyway, let’s focus back on the topic. And I think we can talk about Proteus Digital Health in the year 2014 

Student C: Why 2014?

Student A: It seems that a student named Kiran was taking a course in 2014, and for its final project he wrote about Proteus Digital Health’s Helius ingestible pill. So, he has some good information related to Proteus Digital Health in his whatever he wrote. And he also sent us a message from the past saying that if we used his material in his project, he would write about us in his project paper.

Student D: Did he?

Student A: Yes, he did.

Student D: That’s going to be paradoxical. Does he actually mention us in his project?

Student A: Ummm…..let me see

Student C: (interrupts) So, what kind of information does he have from the year 2014?

Student A: So, here are some facts from his project. So, FDA approves the ingestible sensor in year 2012. In the year 2014, commercial pilots are underway in selected parts of USA and UK for chronic diseases like heart disease and hypertension. It is being used in inactive pills that are taken alongside medication but it is also partnering up with companies like Novartis and Otsuka Pharmaceutical to develop digital medicines in which case the sensors will be carried by active pills. Just as a startup, it had raised 62.5 million dollars in 2013, and 172 million dollars in 2014. So, definitely it looked like it was gaining the trust of a lot of investors because of its potential. (3)

Student C: So, who wants some cheesecake?

[Student A and D don’t do anything other than stare back at student C.]

Student C: Don’t worry. I won’t judge you for not enjoying life. (gets up to get cheesecake)