Measuring normal gas (flatulence) patterns with smart underwear and fiber intake
Using the Smart Underwear Device to Determine a Baseline of Flatus Activity Normalized to Fiber Intake
University of Maryland, College Park · NCT07134543
This project will try to measure how often adults pass gas over three days using smart underwear and see how fiber intake affects it.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 500 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Maryland, College Park (other) |
| Locations | 2 sites (College Park, Maryland and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07134543 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational project will enroll up to 500 adults across the United States who will wear a Smart Underwear device for at least 12 hours per day for three consecutive days while continuing their usual activities. Participants will complete an online eligibility survey, consent, and background questionnaire, and will log all meals with photos in a custom smartphone app. Researchers will collect continuous gas sensor data from the garment and pair those measurements with dietary intake to normalize flatus frequency to fiber consumption and probe microbiome activity. No experimental treatments are given; the effort is designed to define baseline patterns of gas events in a general adult population.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults 18 or older who live in the United States, are not pregnant or lactating, and are willing to wear the Smart Underwear device and log meals are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People seeking direct medical treatment for active gastrointestinal disease or expecting a therapeutic intervention should not expect personal clinical benefit from this observational project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could define normal ranges of flatus frequency and clarify how fiber influences gut gas production, helping researchers and clinicians interpret symptoms and design dietary guidance.
How similar studies have performed: Small laboratory studies and prototype sensor projects have measured gut gases before, but large-scale at-home monitoring with smart underwear is relatively novel and not yet widely validated.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years old or older * Lives in the US * Is not pregnant or lactating * Is willing to wear the Smart Underwear device as instructed in the study procedures Exclusion Criteria: * Younger than 18 years old * Lives outside the US * Is pregnant or lactating * Is not willing to wear the Smart Underwear device as instructed in the study procedures
Where this trial is running
College Park, Maryland and 1 other locations
- Bioscience Research Building — College Park, Maryland, United States (NOT_YET_RECRUITING)
- University of Maryland Bioscience Research Building — College Park, Maryland, United States (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Brantley Hall, PhD
- Email: brantley@umd.edu
- Phone: 5407978040
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: All Health Backgrounds to Determine a Baseline of Flatus Activity