A Novel Magnetic Anchoring System for Wireless Capsule Endoscopes Operating Within the Gastrointestinal Tract

We report on a remotely actuated novel anchoring system (patent-pending) based on a curved scissor-extending mechanism and the principle of a magnetic spring for wireless capsule endoscopy. An analytical model is proposed to determine the magnetic torque needed for the actuation of the anchoring mechanism inside the gastrointestinal tract. Magnetic finite element simulations are conducted to better comprehend the operation principle of the anchoring mechanism and select the magnetic spring. A prototype of the anchoring module is designed, fabricated, and attached to a commercial endoscopic capsule as an add-on accessory, without increasing its diameter. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that a capsule endoscope equipped with this low footprint anchoring module could effectively be stopped and released inside the porcine intestine by turning on and turning off the external magnetic field. The experiments showed that the proposed anchoring system raised the anchoring force by approximately five times after its activation, which provides the capsule with sufficient stopping force to overcome the peristaltic force and other propulsive forces in the gastrointestinal tract. The proposed anchoring system will provide a practical and novel solution to enhancing the capabilities of the wireless endoscopic capsules by allowing them to effectively undertake diagnostic, therapeutical, surgical, and sample collection tasks within the human gastrointestinal tract.