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PILL CAMERA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE AWARD OF A BACHELOR

DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS/ COMPUTER SCIENCE. PRESENTED BY: ADEBAYO
SEMIU ODUNAYO

Conference Paper · May 2018

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 SEMINAR REPORT ON

PILL CAMERA

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE AWARD OF A

BACHELOR DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS/ COMPUTER SCIENCE.

PRESENTED BY:

ADEBAYO SEMIU ODUNAYO

MATRIC NUMBER: NOU 142100506

PRESENTED TO

THE SCHOOL OF SCIENCE,

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

18TH MAY, 2018

ABSTRACT.

Scientific advances in areas such as nanotechnology and gene therapy Promise to revolutionize the way we
discover and develop drugs, as well as how we diagnose and treat disease. In fact with a scholarly
discussion on the creation of things in general. New organs such as kidney, and eyes as well as chlorophyll
are the promises of the technology. The ‘Camera in a Pill form’ is one recent development that is generating
considerable interest as one of the deliverables of Nanotech. Until recently, only the proximal (esophagus,
stomach and duodenum) and the distal (colon) portions of the Gastrointestinal tract were easily visible using
available technology. The twenty feet or more (25 feet at an average) of small intestine in between these two
portions was essentially Unreachable. This might soon become a thing of the past as Nanotechnology is
looking for a way to leverage on the peristatic movement from the esophagus throughout the colon to
implant a device that can go all the way without human intervention.

The Camera has the ability to travel through the gut and send thousands of pictures to a receiver which is
further analyzed for desired result. This paper work Looks into the technical background and the
functionality of the device and infer on the future outlook of further works in the line.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

ABSTRACT i

TABLE OF CONTENT ii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 BACKGROUND STUDY 1

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF USAGE 2

1.3 OVERVIEW OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2

CHAPTER TWO: 2.1 LITTERATURE REVIEW 5

CHAPTER THREE: 7

3.1 UNDERSTANDING CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY

3.2 THE PILL CAMERA

CHAPTER FOUR:

4.1 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF PILL CAMERA 11

4.2 INTERNAL VIEW OF THE PILL CAMERA 12

4.3 COMPONENTS OF PILL CAMERA PLATFORM 14

CHAPTER FIVE:

5.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER 19

5.1 THE PILL CAMERA ENDOSCOPY PROCEDURES 21

CHAPTER SIX:

6.1 FURTHER STUDIES 22

ii
 6.2 THE FUTURE OF PILL CAMERA 22

6.3 ADVANTAGES 24

6.4 DISADVANTAGES 24

6.5 APPLICATIONS 25

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION 26

REFERENCES 27

iii
iv
 CHAPTER ONE.

I. INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND STUDY

Technology is like an expanding universe. As there is a great progress in manufacturing products, humans
are still thinking more complex about innovative ideas. With our present technology we manufacture
products by casting, milling, grinding, chipping and integrated fabrication. With these technologies we have
made more things at a lower cost and greater precision than ever before. In the manufacture of these
products we have been arranging atoms in great thundering statistical herds. All manufactured products are
made from atoms. The next step in manufacturing technology is to manufacture products at molecular level.
The technology used to achieve manufacturing at molecular level is “NANOTECHNOLOGY”.
Nanotechnology is the creation of useful materials, devices and system through manipulation of such
miniscule matter (nanometer). Nanotechnology deals with objects measured in Nanometers. Nanometer can
be visualized as billionth of a meter or millionth of a millimeter or it is 1/80000 width of human hair. These
technologies we have made more things at a lower cost and greater precision than before. Millions of
assembler needed to build products. In order to create enough assemblers to build consumer goods, some
Nano machines called explicators will be developed using self-replication process. Self-replication is a
process in which devices whose diameters are of atomic scales, on the order of nanometers, create copies of
themselves.

The advancement of our technology today has led to its effective use and Application to the medical field.
One effective and purposeful application of the Advancement of technology is the process of endoscopy,
which is used to diagnose and examine the conditions of the gastrointestinal tract of the patents. It has been
reported that this process is done by inserting an 8mm tube through the mouth, with a camera at one end,
and images are shown on nearby monitor, allowing the medics to carefully guide it down to the gullet or
stomach. However, despite the effectiveness of this process to diagnose the patients, research shows that
endoscopy is a pain stacking process not only for the patients, but also for the doctors and nurses as well.

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From this, the evolution of the wireless capsule endoscope has emerged. Reports, that through the marvels
of miniaturization, people with symptoms that indicate a possible in the gastrointestinal tract can now
swallow a tiny camera that takes snapshots inside the body for a physician to evaluate. The miniature
camera, along with a light, transmitter, and batteries, called Capsule Cam, is housed in a capsule, the size of
a large vitamin pill, and is used in a procedure known as capsule endoscopy, which is a noninvasive and
painless way of looking into the esophagus and small intestine. Once swallowed, the capsule is propelled
through the small intestine by peristalsis, and acquires and transmits digital images at the rate of two per
second to a sensor array attached to the patient’s abdomen, through a recording device worn on a belt stores
the images, to be examined and reviewed.

1.2.OBJECTIVE OF USAGE

Pill Camera finds its most useful application in the field of Medicine, where it is used as a means of viewing
the colon activities for a patient. Conventionally speaking, the previous method of achieving these includes
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS). The limitations of the previous methods is the inability to go as far as the
small intestine. The Pill Camera Provides a wireless transmission technology to achieve more and better
result which is one of many of the likes that came with the advent of Nano technology. The usage of the Pill
Camera will be later highlighted in the final chapters of this report.

1.3 A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

Before fully diving into the study, we shall briefly discuss the underlining technological build that ushered
in the Pill Camera. All manufactured products are made from atoms and properties of those products depend
on how those atoms are arranged in great thundering statistical herds. If we rearrange atoms in dirt, water
and air we get grass. The next step in manufacturing technology is to manufacture products at molecular
level. The technology used to achieve manufacturing at this level is Nanotechnology and Pill Camera is
one of its products which takes pictures of our intestine and transmits the same to the receiver of the
Computer for analysis of our digestive system. Nanotechnology postulations were some time ago made fun

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of until the early 80’s. An IBM researchers, in 1990, showed that it is possible to manipulate single atoms to
give a desired result. And later, this was supported by ideas from like minds to give rise to a technology,
NANOTECHNOLOGY, which will soon become the next way to go.

MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS USING NANOTECHNOLOGY

Very briefly, there are two steps to achieving nanotechnology-produced goods:

➢ All the products that are manufactured are made from atoms and properties of those products
depend of how those atoms are arranged for e.g. If we rearrange the atoms in coal we get
diamonds, if we rearrange the atoms in sand and add a pinch of impurities we get computer
chips. Scientists must be able to manipulate individual atoms. This means that they will have
to develop a technique to grab single atoms and move them to desired positions.

➢ The next step will be to develop nanosomic machines, called assemblers, that can be
programmed to manipulate atoms and molecules at will. It would take thousands of years for
a single assembler to produce any kind of material one atom at a time. In order to create
enough assemblers to build consumer goods, some Nano machines called explicators will be
developed using self-re-plication process, will be programmed to build more assemblers.
Self-replication is a process in which devices whose diameters are of atomic scales, on the
order of nanometers, create copies of themselves. For self-replication to take place in a
constructive manner, three requirements that must be met.

• Nano Robot.

The 1st requirement is that each unit be a specialized machine called Nano robot, one of whose functions is
to construct at least one copy of itself during its operational life apart from performing its intended task. An

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e.g. of self-replicating Nano robot is artificial antibody. In addition to reproducing itself, it seeks and
destroys disease causing organism.

• Ingredients.

The 2nd requirement is existence of all energy and ingredients necessary to build complete copies of Nano
robot in question. Ideally the quantities of each Ingredient should be such that they are consumed in the
correct proportion the process is intended to be finite, then when desired number of Nano robot has been
constructed, there should be non-use quantities of any ingredient.

• Replication Process

The 3rd requirement is that the environment be controlled so that the replication process can proceed
efficiently and without malfunctions. Once Nano robots are made in sufficient numbers, the process of most
of the Nano robots is changed from self-replication to mass manufacturing of products. The Nano robots are
connected and controlled by super computer, they start placing each molecules of product to be
manufactured in the required position.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITTERATURE REVIEW

The technology available to doctors has evolved dramatically over the years, enabling specially trained
gastroenterologists to carry out tests and procedures that would have required surgical procedures.

Fig .2.1 EUS Endoscope

"Basic endoscopy was introduced in the late 1960s”, and about 20 years later, ultrasound was added,
enabling us to look at internal structures like never before. Now, with EUS, we can determine the extent to
which tumors in the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, or rectum have spread in a less invasive way. In addition
to using an endoscope to stage tumors, gastroenterologists can use the instrument to take tissue samples with
fine needle aspiration (FNA). The endoscope, specially equipped with a biopsy needle, is guided to a
specific site and extracts a tissue sample. One technology that has been available for about 30 years,
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP), combines X-rays and endoscopy to diagnose
conditions affecting the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and the associated ducts. An endoscope is guided down
the patient's esophagus, stomach, and small intestine, and dye is injected to tiny ducts to enhance their
visibility on X-ray. When a person has difficulty in swallowing food or excreting waste, there could be a
motility problem. "Manometry" is a specialized test that gastroenterologists use to record muscle pressure
within the esophagus or anorectal area, essential information for the diagnosis of esophageal disorder such
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as achalasia, the failure of the lower esophageal sphincter muscle to relax, and problem such as fecal
incontinence or constipation-related rectal outlet obstruction. The traditional pH test involves threading a
catheter into the patient's nose and down the throat; the catheter is attached to a special monitor, which is
worn by the patient for 24 hours. A newer alternative eliminates the catheter completely. Instead, the
gastroenterologist, using an endoscope, attaches a small capsule to the wall of the esophagus. The capsule
transmits signals to a special receiver; afterward, the data is downloaded to a computer at the doctor's office.

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 CHAPTER THREE

3.1 UNDERSTANDING CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY

Capsule Endoscopy lets the doctor to examine the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which includes the
three portion of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum). A pill sized video camera is given to
swallow. This camera has its own light source and take picture of small intestine as it passes through. It
produces two frames per second with an approximate of 56,000 high quality images. These pictures are send
to recording device, which has to wear on the body.

Fig.3.1 Capsule Endoscopy

A capsule in view Pill Camera Page 8 Doctor will be able to view these pictures at a later time and might be
able to provide useful information regarding a human’s small intestine. Capsule endoscopy helps the doctor
to evaluate the small intestine. This part of the bowel cannot be reached by traditional upper endoscopy or
by colonoscopy. It useful for detecting polyps, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease) , ulcers and
tumors of the small intestine

3.2. THE PILL CAMERA

The Pill Camera of the Brand Name for the Capsule endoscopy which a new diagnostic tool that permits a
direct visual examination of the small intestine. It is that area of the body which is not previously accessible
using upper endoscopy or colonoscopy. The pill technically known as M2A capsule endoscopy.

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 Fig.3.2 Pill Camera.

Imagine a vitamin pill-sized camera as shown in fig 3.1 that could travel through your body taking pictures,
helping diagnose a problem which doctor previously would have found only through surgery. No longer is
such technology the stuff of science fiction films.

Currently, standard method of detecting abnormalities in the intestines is through endoscopic examination in
which doctors advance a scope down into the small intestine via the mouth. However, these scopes are
unable to reach through all of the 20-foot-long small intestine, and thus provide only a partial view of that
part of the bowel. With the help of capsule which contains conventional camera as shown in fig 3.2 not only
can diagnoses, be made for certain conditions routinely missed by other tests, but disorders can be detected
at an earlier stage, enabling treatment before complications develop. However, the amount left behind in the
body is less than is absorbed by the average person drinking tap water, according to researchers. Scientific
advances in areas such as nanotechnology and gene therapy promise to revolutionize the way we discover
and develop drugs, as well as how we diagnose and treat disease. The 'camera in a pill' is one recent
development that is generating considerable interest.

Fig 3.3 Conventional Camera

-8-
The device, called the given Diagnostic Imaging System, comes in capsule form and contains a camera,
lights, transmitter and batteries. The capsule has a clear end that allows the camera to view the lining of the
small intestine.
As shown in fig 3.4 Capsule endoscopy consists of a disposable video camera encapsulated into a pill like
form that is swallowed with water. The wireless camera takes thousands of high-quality digital images
within the body as it passes through the entire length of the small intestine.

Fig 3.4. Internal Arrangement of the Capsule Camera

The latest Pill Camera is sized at 26 x 11 mm and is capable of transmitting 50,000 color images during its
traversal through the digestive system of patient. The tiny cameras are swallowed by patients who want less
invasive examinations of their digestive track. Until now U.S. DRAM maker Micron Technology Inc. had
been the biggest promoter of the camera-in-a-pill concept, with companies such as Israel's Given Imaging
charging as much as $450 for its PillCam. MagnaChip is highlighting the low-light sensitivity of the camera,
but provided no specification detail. Usually, an LED flash is used to illuminate the area around the capsule.

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- 10 -
 CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF PILL CAMERA

The envelope contains LEDs, a lens, a color camera chip, two silver- oxide batteries, a transmitter, an
antenna, and a magnetic switch. The camera chip is constructed in complementary-metal –oxide-
semiconductor technology to require significantly less power than charge-coupled devices. Other
construction benefits includes the unit’s dome shaped that cleans itself of body fluids and moves along to
ensure optimal imaging to its obtained. For this application, small size and power efficiency are important.

Fig.4.1: Pill Camera Architecture.

There are three vital technologies that made the tiny imaging system possible: improvement of the signal-to-
noise ratio (SNR) in CMOS detectors, development of white LEDs and development of application- specific
integrated circuits (ASICs).

The silver oxide batteries in the capsule power the CMOS detector, as well as the LEDs and transmitter. The
white- light LEDs are important because pathologists distinguish diseased tissue by color. The developers
provided a novel optical design that uses a wide-angle over the imager, and manages to integrate both the
LEDs and imager under one dome while handling stray light and reflections.

- 11 -
Recent advances in ASIC design allowed the integration of a video transmitter of sufficient power output,
efficiency, and band width of very small size into the capsule.

The system’s computer work station is equipped with software for reviewing the camera data using a variety
of diagnostic tools. This allows physicians choice of viewing the information as either streaming or single
video images.

4.2 INTERNAL VIEW OF THE PILL CAMERA

The figure below shows the internal view of the Pill Camera.

Fig 4.2. Internal View and Labelling of the Pill Camera

It has 8 parts:

1. Optical Dome. 5. CMOS Image Sensor.

2. Lens Holder. 6. Battery.
3. Lens. 7. ASIC Transmitter.
4. Illuminating LEDs. 8. Antenna.

• OPTICAL DOME

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It is the front part of the capsule and it is bullet shaped. Optical dome is the light receiving window of the
capsule and it is a non- conductor material. It prevent the filtration of digestive fluids inside the capsule.

• LENS HOLDER

This accommodates the lens. Lenses are tightly fixed in the capsule to avoid dislocation of lens.

• LENS
It is the integral component of Pill Camera. This lens is placed behind the Optical Dome. The light through
window falls on the lens.

• ILLUMINATING LEDs

Illuminating LEDs illuminate an object. Non reflection coating id placed

on the light receiving window to prevent the reflection. Light irradiated from the LED s pass through the
light receiving window.

• CMOS IMAGE SENSOR

It have 140 degree field of view and detect object as small as 0.1mm. It have high precise.

• BATTERY

Battery used in the Pill Camera is bullet shaped and two in number and
Silver oxide primary batteries are used. It is disposable and harmless material.

• ASIC TRANSMITTER
It is application specific integrated circuit and is placed behind the

13
Batteries. Two transmitting electrodes are connected to this transmitter and these electrodes are electrically
isolate.

• ANTENNA

Parylene coated on to polyethylene or polypropylene antennas are used. Antenna received data from
transmitter and then send to data recorder.

4.3 COMPONENTS OF PILL CAMERA PLATFORM

In or der for the images obtained and transmitted by the capsule endoscope to be useful, they must be
received and recorded for study. Patients undergoing capsule endoscopy bear an antenna array consisting of
leads that are connected by wires to the recording unit, worn in standard locations over the abdomen, as
dictated by a template for lead placement. The antenna array is very similar in concept and practice to the
multiple leads that must be affixed to the chest of patients undergoing standard lead electrocardiography.
The antenna array and battery pack cam be worn under regular clothing. The recording device to which the
leads are attached is capable of recording the thousands of images transmitted by the capsule and received
by the antenna array. Ambulary (non-vigorous) patient movement does not interfere with image acquisition
and recording. A typical capsule endoscopy examination takes approximately 7 hours.

Mainly there are 5 platform components

1. Pill cam Capsule -SB or ESO.

2. Sensor Array Belt.
3. Data Recorder.
4. Real Time Viewer.
5. Work Station and Rapid Software.

14
 • PILL CAMERA CAPSULE:-SB OR ESO

SB ESO

• Approved by Food and Drug • Approved by Food and

Administration. Drug Administration
• For small bowel • For esophagus.
• Standard lighting control • Automatic lighting control
. • Two sided imaging
• One side imaging.. • 14 images per second.
• Two images per second. • 2,600 images in 20
• 50,000 images in 8 hours. minutes.

• THE SENSOR ARRAY BELT

Fig.4.3 Sensor array belt

Several wires are attached to the abdomen like ECG leads to obtain images by radio frequency. These wires
are connected to a light weight data recorder worn on a belt. Sensor arrays are used to calculate and indicate

15
the position of capsule in the body. A patient receiver belt around his or her waist over clothing. A belt is
applied around the waist and holds a recording device and a batter y pack. Sensors are incorporated within
the belt. Parts of sensor array are sensor pads, data cable, battery charging, and receiver bag.

• DATA RECORDER

Data recorder is a small portable recording device placed in the recorder pouch, attached to the sensor belt.
It has light weight (470gm). Data recorder receives and records signals transmitted by the camera to an array
of sensors placed on the patient’s body. It is of the size of Walkman and it receives and stores 5000 to 6000
JPEG images on a 9 GB hard drive. Images takes several hours to download through several connection.

Fig.4.4: Data recorder

The Date Recorder stores the images of your examination. Handle the Date Recorder, Recorder Belt, Sensor
Array and Battery Pack carefully. Do not expose them to shock, vibration or direct sunlight, which may
result in loss of information. Return all of the equipment as soon as possible.

• REAL TIME VIEWER

16
 Fig.4.5: Real time viewer

It is a handheld device and it enables real-time viewing. It contains rapid reader software and color LCD
monitor. It test the proper functioning before procedures and confirms location of capsule.

• WORKSTATION AND RAPID SOFTWARE

Rapid workstation per forms the function of reporting and processing of images and data. I mage data from
the data recorder is downloaded to a computer equipped with software called rapid application software. I t
helps to convert images in to a movie and allows the doctor to view the color 3D images. Once the patient
has completed the endoscopy examination, the antenna array and image recording device are returned to the
health care provider. The recording device is then attached to a specially modified computer workstation,
and the entire examination is downloaded in to the computer, where it becomes available to the physician as
a digital video. The workstation software allows the viewer to watch the video at varying rates of speed, to
view it in both forward and reverse directions, and to capture and label individual frames as well as brief
video clips. I mages showing normal anatomy of pathologic findings can be closely examined in full color.

17
A recent addition to the software package is a feature that allows some degree of localization of the capsule
within the abdomen and correlation to the video images.

18
 CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER

In the first block diagram, one SMD type transistor amplifies the video signal for efficient modulation using
a 3 biasing resistor and 1 inductor. In the bottom block, a tiny SAW resonator oscillates at 315 MHZ for
modulation of the video signal. This modulated signal is then radiated from inside the body to outside the
body. For the Receiver block diagram, a commercialized (ON/OFF Key) super heterodyne receiver with an
8-pin SMD was used. This single chip receiver for remote wireless communications, which includes an
internal local oscillator fixed at a single frequency, is based on an external reference crystal or clock. The
decoder IC receives the serial stream and interprets the serial information as 4 bits of binary data.

TRANSMITTER
ANTENNA

RADIO FREQUENCY
IMAGE SENSOR AMPLIFIER

OSCILLATOR

Fig 5.1 Transmitter circuit

19
RECEIVER
ANTENNA
RADIO FREQUENCY IMAGE SENSOR
AMPLIFIER

OSCILLATOR

Fig 5.2 Receiver circuit

Each bit is used for channel recognition of the control signal from outside the body. Since the CMOS image
sensor module consumes most of the power compared to the other components in the telemetry module,
controlling the ON/OFF of the CMOS image sensor is very important. Moreover, since lightning LED also
use significant amount of power, the individual ON/OFF control of each LED is equally necessary. As such
the control system is divided into 4 channels in the current study.

Miniature motor, when attached to the pill camera gives it a propelling action inside the body, which makes
it easy for the pill to find its way through the digestive system. Also the grain-sized motor has an application
of its own too. It can be employed to rupture and break painful kidney stones inside the body. The other two
drawbacks can be overcome using a bidirectional wireless telemetry camera. The current paper presents the
design of a bidirectional wireless telemetry camera, 11mm in diameter, which can transmit video images
from inside the human body and receive the control signals from an external control unit. It includes
transmitting antenna and receiving antenna, a demodulator, a decoder, four LED‟s, a CMOS image sensor,
along with their driving circuits.

The receiver demodulates the received signal that is radiated from the external control unit. Next, the
decoder receives this serial stream and interprets the five of the binary digits as address code. The remaining

20
signal is interpreted as binary data. As a result proposed telemetry model can demodulate the external
signals to control the behavior of the camera and 4 LEDs during the transmission of video image. Image
sensor has very low power consumption as it requires only 5 volt dc supply. The capsule is capable of
transmitting up to eight hours of video before being naturally expelled.

5.2 THE PILL CAMERA ENDOSCOPY PROCEDURES

A typical capsule endoscopic procedures begins with the patient fasting after midnight on the day before the
examination. No formal bowel preparation is required; however, surfactant (e. g. simethicone) may be
administered prior to the examination to enhance viewing. After a careful medical examination the patient is
fitted with the antenna array and image recorder. The recording device and its battery pack are worn on a
special belt that allows the patient to move freely.

A fully charged capsule is removed from its holder; once the indicator lights on the capsule and recorder
show that data is being transmitted and received, the capsule is swallowed with a small amount of water. At
this point, the patient is free to move about. Patients should avoid ingesting anything other than clear liquids
for approximately two hours after capsule ingestion (although medications can be taken with water).
Patients can eat food approximately 4 hours after they swallow the capsule without interfering with the
examination. Seven to 8 hours after ingestion. The examination can be considered complete, and the patient
can return the antenna array and recording device to the physician. It should be noted that gastrointestinal
motility is variable among individuals, and hyper and hypo motility states affect the free floating capsule’s
transit rate through the gut. Download of the data in the recording device to the workstation takes
approximately 2.5 to 3hours. Interpretation of the study takes approximately 1 hour. Individual frames and
video clips

21
 CHAPTER SIX

6.1 FURTHER STUDIES

One research suggests that, with the use of capsule endoscopy, certain gastrointestinal diseases were
diagnosed from a number of patients in a hospital, such as obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGB) and
Crone’s disease, and is believed useful in investigating and guiding further management of patients
suspected with the identified diseases. Another research by supports this claim, and reported that capsule
endoscopy is useful for evaluation of suspected Crohn’s disease, related enteropathy and celiac disease, and
is helpful in assessment of small bowel disease of children. The third study also evaluates the potential of
capsule endoscopy, and conducts a research to evaluate its safety in patients with implanted cardiac devices,
who were being assessed for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, and determine whether implanted cardiac
devices had any effect on the image capture by capsule endoscopy.

Thus, study concludes that capsule endoscopy was not associated with any adverse cardiac events, and
implanted cardiac devices do not appear to interfere with video capsule imaging. To put it simply, the three
researches conducted, emphasize that the use of capsule endoscopy is safe, has no side effects, effective, and
is efficient in the careful diagnosis and treatment of the patients. All of the three research studies were able
to effectively convey their message and aim, and give importance to the value and efficiency of using the
capsule endoscope as a way of evaluating the existing gastrointestinal diseases of patients. This process does
not only help to detect the severity of the existing gastrointestinal disease but also determine it’s effective to
the presence of implanted cardiac devices. The researches also emphasized that the use of the capsule
endoscope is better than using the traditional endoscope, for the use of the traditional endoscope does not
only damage the gastrointestinal tract of the patients but affects also the patients and the hospital staffs
because of the pain stacking process.

6.2 THE FUTURE OF PILL CAMERA.

22
It seems likely that capsule endoscopy will become increasingly effective in diagnostic gastrointestinal
endoscopy. This will be attractive to patients especially for cancer or varices detection because capsule
endoscopy is painless and is likely to have a higher take up rate compared to conventional colonoscopy and
gastroscopy.

Double imager capsules with increased frame rates have been used to image the esophagus for Barrett’s and
esophageal varices. The image quality is not bad but needs to be improved if it is to become a realistic
substitute for flexible upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. An increase in the framerate, angle of
view, depth of field, image numbers, duration of the procedure and improvements in illumination seem
likely. Colonic, esophageal and gastric capsules will improve in quality, eroding the supremacy of flexible
endoscopy, and become embedded into screening programs.

Therapeutic capsules will emerge with brushing, cytology, fluid aspiration, biopsy and drug deliver y
capabilities. Electrocautery may also become possible. Diagnostic capsules will integrate physiological
measurements with imaging and optical biopsy, and immunologic cancer recognition. Remote control
movement will improve with the use of magnets and/or electro stimulation and perhaps electromechanical
methods. External wireless commands will influence capsule diagnosis and therapy and will increasingly
entail the use of real-time imaging. However, it should be noted that speculations about the future of
technology in any detail are almost always wrong. The development of the capsule endoscopy was made
possible by miniaturization of digital chip camera technology, especially CMOS chip technology. The
continued reduction in size, increases in pixel numbers and improvements in imaging with the two rival
technologies-CCD and CMOS is likely to change the nature of endoscopy. The current differences are
becoming blurred and hybrids are emerging. The construction of an electrosurgical generator small enough
to swallow and powered by small batteries is conceivable but currently difficult because of the limitations
imposed by the internal resistance of the batteries. It may be possible to store power in small capacitors for
endosurgical use, and the size to capacity ratio of some capacitors has recently been reduced by the use of
tantalum. Small motors are currently available to move components such as biopsy devices but need radio-
controlled activators.

23
6.3 ADVANTAGES.

The advantages of the Pill Camera over other preceding technology are countless, with high technical and
performance efficiency due to absence of a moving part. The following are other advantages which makes
Pill Camera a more acceptable technology in endoscopic procedures.

▪ Painless, no side effects.

▪ Miniature size.
▪ Accurate, precise (view of 150 degree).
▪ High quality images.
▪ Harmless material.
▪ Simple procedure.
▪ High sensitivity and specificity.
▪ Avoids risk in sedation.
▪ Efficient than X-ray CT-scan, normal endoscopy.

6.4 DISADVANTAGES

With the present day design, gastrointestinal obstructions prevent the free flow of capsule. Patients with
pacemakers, pregnant women face difficulties. These are quite a huge limitation which makes it a partially
absolutely accepted technology. Other disadvantages include

▪ Very expensive and not reusable.

▪ Capsule endoscopy does not replace standard diagnostic endoscopy.
▪ It is not a replacement for any existing GI imaging technique; generally performed after a
standard endoscopy and colonoscopy.
▪ If, for any reason, the camera gets stuck, it will require a surgical procedure to remove it.

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 ▪ It cannot be controlled once it has been ingested, cannot be stopped or steered to collect
close-up details.
▪ It cannot be used to take biopsies, apply therapy or mark abnormalities for surgery.

6.5 APPLICATIONS

Basically the Pill Camera is broadly used in the Medical field for treatment and internal
examinations.
These include but not limited to the following:

• Pill Camera endoscopy is used to detect intestinal cancer, esophageal diseases like crohn’s
disease.
• Its major use is to capture live color footage of small intestinal track and detect any digestive
system disease at very early stage.
• It aids in video view for tracking the healing process in the intestine
• It helps to provide visual imaging during the treatment of ulcer.
• Nano Robots can also be used in performing delicate surgical procedures.
• Etc.

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CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

Nano Technology is gaining more acceptance in today’s world. The future of invention and technological
emancipation lie majorly on the depth of knowledge in the field. Hence, the society in the front line of this
will tend to hold the key to future acceptance when it comes to how much relevance it can attract. Above
this, Nano technology present the idea of atomic rearrangement in the manufacturing of devices; as far as
new organs and materials (though still more of a conceptual idea). It is only a matter of time before the
realization of such breakthrough in technology.

Hence the Nigerian government needs to start looking in this direction by establishing a Nano technology
capability building institutes such as research centers and Project/ Training. We need to start developing our
tertiary institutions to be capable of delivering practicable knowledge I this field.

Pill Camera is just one of the success of the technology, more are still yet to be discovered and Nigeria as a
fore country in Africa can leverage on the population resources and continental presence and relevance to
claim some futuristic diversification in the field of Nano Technology.

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 REFERENCES

Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference, 2009. BioCAS 2009. IEEE

International Journal of Advance Research in Computer and Communication Engineering, April

2016, “Pill Camera”, Miss Anchal Khadse, Prof. S.O. Dahad

Intelligent Systems, 2 006 3rd International IEEE Conference on capsule endoscopy

Medical Imaging, IEEE Transactions on Dec. 2008

Sidhu, Reena, et al. “Gastrointestinal capsule endoscopy: from tertiary centers to primary care".
BMJ, March 4 2006. 332:528 531. doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7540.528.

"Capsule Endoscopy in Gastroenterology "Mayo Clinic. Accessed October 5 2007.

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