Overview
- USA TODAY reports that more than 3,000 people nationwide have volunteered for the University of Maryland’s Human Flatulence Study, with recruitment now underway.
- Participants will wear the coin‑sized device for three consecutive days for about 12 hours per day, upload meal photos through an app, and complete a follow‑up questionnaire.
- The research team will analyze stool samples from selected participants at the low and high ends of gas production to link flatulence patterns with gut microbiomes.
- The device detects hydrogen produced by gut microbes, and a December 2025 pilot with 19 adults recorded an average of about 32 daily events during wear, with a range of 4 to 59.
- In the pilot, the sensor identified a prebiotic‑driven rise in microbial activity with 94.7% sensitivity, and researchers expect preliminary results from the nationwide study within about a year.