Data-tracking fitness gadgets are a hot ticket these days, but what about one that actually gets implanted into your body to measure how much activity you re really getting? Talk about being held accountable. To boot, the device can give you a tiny electrical jolt when you head to the kitchen for that late-night snack.
Yesterday, Medgadget reported on a new development from a California-based company, IntraPace, in the form of an implantable gastric stimulator. Through a minimally invasive surgical procedure, the Abiliti device — about the size of a slim mobile phone — can be implanted into the stomach of patients struggling with obesity. Eating and drinking triggers the device to deliver a series of low-level electrical impulses to create a sensation of fullness — with each device customised based on the needs of the patient. The device’s battery is reportedly able to last five years.
Abiliti also communicates with an online portal called my.abiliti, which allows patients to analyse their diet and fitness habits and share them on social media.
According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, the system already received CE marking in England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany last year, but IntraPace is still awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration in the US. For Europeans, the cost of implanting the device is €15,000 (RM60,000), while Medgadget says the price has not been confirmed for the US.