Controlled navigation of endoscopic capsules: Concept and preliminary experimental investigations

This paper describes a technique to control the navigation of traditional wireless endoscopic capsules and reports preliminary proof-of-concept investigations. These capsules are used for non-invasive explorations of the digestive tube. At present their motion can not be controlled and they proceed by means of the visceral peristalsis. In order to enable motion controls, the technique here proposed adopts magnetic shells which to be applied to available capsules, immediately before their use. The shells are used to control the capsule movement by means of external magnetic fields. This solution is readily applicable to any endoscopic capsule, avoiding internal modifications. Prototype elastic shells made of silicone elastomers mixed with magnetic particles were fabricated. They were tested with the most diffused capsule (Given Imaging, M2A), by studying the performance of the capsule/shell complex in simplified experimental conditions. Bench tests permitted to demonstrate controlled translations, rotations and roto-translations of the capsule/shell complex within tubular structures coated with pieces of bovine tissues. The use of a new instrumentation, recently developed for cardiovascular treatments, is proposed as a potential means enabling the application of controlled magnetic fields for intrabody navigations.