Technology: IntraPace’s Fat-Zapping Implant – Abiliti

September 24, 2012

After all the weight loss gimmicks… commercials… counseling… complex procedures… Could someone really have figured out an ultimate fat-fighting system? Could be…

IntraPace of Mountain View, California, has been prototyping advanced weight-control technology in England, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany called Abiliti. AÂ battery-powered implant, about the size of a half-inch stack of business cards, is the centerpiece of the company’s innovation. Once in place, the Abiliti implant sends electrical pulses to the stomach to make people feel full having eaten smaller meals. Also sending signals to the brain, as part of its function, to discourage between-meal and late night snacking, Abiliti could be the ultimate diet coach. More than that, the technology ties patients directly into a support group – via social networking – to give them a real shot at sustainable weight loss and improved health outcomes:

The IntraPace approach, which uses minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to implant the device and then relies on wireless data tracking and a social networking support group, is seen by some as having a shot at truly changing eating patterns. â€œI am quite interested in the approach, which is a holistic one, instead of just one surgery,â€ says Otello Stampacchia, managing partner of Omega Funds, which also invests in IntraPace.

No definitive info was given on a release date for clearance in the United States (or elsewhere). Results so far have been similar to gastric banding surgery. Looks like Abiliti is good tech!

– @ojones1