Have you ever wondered how much you fart on any given day? Soon, you may be able to track the frequency of your flatulence to your fart’s (I mean, heart’s) content. Recently, researchers studying the metabolism of gut microbes snapped a wearable sensor onto underwear (right in the sweet spot, at the back of the crotch), exposing a new frontier in preventative diagnostic tech. Science News’s Tina Hesman Saey opens the kimono on this new technology.

🧠 Smart farts

Previous research on flatulence was a fart-ial draft at best. Data either relied on invasive medical procedures or was self-reported, and users couldn’t account for their gaseous emissions while they were asleep. The new tracking device, created by microbiologists at the University of Maryland in College Park, uses chemical sensors to detect the frequency, duration and gas concentration of flatulence events — around the clock. After establishing a wearer’s baseline fart performance, or “gas profile,” the researchers successfully monitored changes that occurred after giving volunteers high-fiber gumdrops. This developing technology could someday offer much-needed data on how specific foods are being fermented by gut bacteria. In fact, the researchers are planning to commercialize their patent-pending “Fitbit for farts” under the name Ventoscity LLC.

⚕️Disrupting the gut

Why track farts? Not just for yuks, but because upwards of 70 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, costing the U.S. healthcare system over $100 billion annually. By digitizing the output of our digestive systems, we will potentially be able to help users to manage symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and the like. While gas-tracking underwear is the first of its kind to hit the bottom of the market (it’s not available for purchase just yet), the innovation joins a rapidly diversifying ecosystem of medical wearables.

🩲 Underwear all-stars

While you wait for your fart (I mean, smart) briefs, these other wearable underwear leaders are already dominating the space. [Note: all of the following companies include product disclaimers stating that their products are wellness or fitness tools intended for personal insight, not as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment.]

• WHOOP disrupted the market by moving the sensor off the wrist and into the waistband. Their Any-Wear technology allows their flashdrive-sized tracker to be slipped into specially designed slots in bras, boxers and briefs. The product has been endorsed by numerous elite athletes including Olympic track star Sha’Carri Richardson, National Football League quarterback Patrick Mahomes and international soccer phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo. Whoop has raised over $400 million to date, with a valuation of $3.6 billion following its Series F led by SoftBank.
  
• Myant makes smart textiles that track heart rhythm, posture, sleep stages and hydration levels via embedded sensors and actuators. Their Skiin line includes underwear and bras with sensors knitted directly into the fabric, rather than clipped on. They’ve raised $1.5 million and have partnerships with the Mayo Clinic and various defense organizations.
  
• LifeSense Group creates a product called Carin, smart underwear for women focused on strengthening the pelvic floor. The garments include a bluetooth sensor that records and transmits data on bodily activity and urine loss, connected to an app with motivational content and exercise videos. LifeSense has raised nearly $4 million.

For personalized medicine, the most valuable data might just come from inside your drawers.

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