A wearable sensor designed to monitor intestinal gas suggests the average person may let rip around 32 times a day



For decades, Reg readers have demanded to know exactly how often humans let rip – and at last science may have produced an answer.

Rather than trusting volunteers to keep an honest diary of their daily emissions, researchers at the University of Maryland built a sensor that clips onto underwear and listens for the chemical calling card of a fart: hydrogen gas produced when gut microbes ferment carbohydrates. In other words, the so-called "Smart Underwear" quietly keeps tabs on every toot.

The project's goal is more serious than the subject matter might suggest. Gastroenterologists have long struggled to objectively measure gas production. Most previous studies relied on patient diaries, lab tests, or short clinical observations – methods that tend to miss what happens in everyday life and almost certainly overlook overnight emissions.

The wearable sensor aims to clear the air by tracking hydrogen levels throughout the day and night, producing a continuous record of intestinal activity.

...read more at theregister.com