Monday, June 12, 2006

Huskers to Become Pill Poppers


Here’s how it works. You swallow the pill and it could possibly save your life. The Nebraska football team is taking technology from NASA to monitor the body temperatures of their players.

The capsules, which are swallowed like any other pill, house coils, circuits and a battery. The capsules transmit a low-frequency radio signal that varies with a patient's body temperature, and the information being picked up by a hand-held recorder.

The pill measures core body temperature as it passes through the digestive system, and it typically stays in the system 20 to 36 hours.

During workouts, a trainer scans players with a device that resembles a television remote control and records the core temperature. If a player is overheating, the device sends a warning signal.

"We're just trying to maintain a proactive approach, especially in the summer months when the humidity and heat index begin to build," said Husker head coach Bill Callahan. "You can't be too careful, in my opinion."

Callahan said that about a dozen Nebraska players would try the capsules this summer.