IIT Delhi Develops Ingestible Gut-Sampling Device

On 16 December 2025, researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi announced the development of an ingestible microdevice that can directly sample bacteria from the small intestine, offering a breakthrough in human gut microbiome research.

Key Points

Scientific Breakthrough: The newly developed ingestible device allows direct sampling of bacteria from the small intestine, overcoming long-standing challenges in studying the upper gastrointestinal microbiome.
Limitations of Existing Methods: Current techniques such as endoscopy and ileostomy are invasive, while stool-based analysis provides only indirect and incomplete information about microbes residing higher in the digestive tract.
Innovative Design: The pill-sized device remains sealed in the stomach and opens only upon reaching the intestine, where it collects bacterial samples before resealing to protect them during transit through the gut.
Advanced Engineering: The device uses an enteric-coated gelatin cap that withstands acidic gastric pH (1-1.5) and dissolves at intestinal pH (3-5), enabling controlled sampling of luminal fluid.