Capsule Endoscope Guidance via Magnetic Field Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing capsule endoscope guidance systems face challenges in accurately guiding the capsule medical apparatus due to magnetic field distortions caused by ferromagnetic materials, leading to deviations in position and posture during navigation within the body.

Innovation Solution

A guidance apparatus that includes a magnetic field generator, an operation input device, and a controller, which uses a magnetic field shielding material to correct deviations in the magnetic field, allowing for precise control of the capsule endoscope's position and posture by adjusting the external permanent magnet's position and orientation based on pre-calculated correction values stored in a database.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a magnetic field generator is used to guide the capsule endoscope, then the capsule can be navigated to target positions, but magnetic field distortion caused by ferromagnetic materials leads to deviation in position and posture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition and posture accuracyVSAvoidguidance accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calibration by moving the magnet to multiple predetermined positions and measuring the actual positions of ferromagnetic materials using the magnetic field sensor. This advance measurement data is stored in a database and used for correction during actual guidance operations, eliminating the need for real-time complex calculations and improving guidance accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously measures the magnetic field at the capsule's location using the magnetic field sensor, compares the measured position with the target position, and feeds back correction information to the controller. The controller adjusts the magnet's position and orientation based on this feedback to compensate for deviations caused by ferromagnetic materials, achieving accurate guidance through iterative correction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Strength

If ferromagnetic materials are present in the body, then they provide structural support, but they distort the magnetic field and cause guidance deviation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidmagnetic field distortion

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the harmful effect of ferromagnetic materials (magnetic field distortion) into a useful feature by using the magnetic field sensor to detect the distortion pattern. The measured distortion data from ferromagnetic materials is stored and used to calculate correction values, transforming the previously harmful distortion into information that enables accurate compensation and guidance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters of the magnetic field by adjusting the magnet's position and orientation based on pre-measured correction data. Instead of trying to maintain a fixed magnetic field configuration, the system dynamically modifies field parameters to compensate for the presence of ferromagnetic materials, achieving accurate guidance despite their distorting effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively offsets the influence of ferromagnetic materials, enabling accurate guidance of the capsule endoscope to target positions and postures, improving navigation precision and reliability.

Implementation Method 1

a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the magnet for guiding the capsule medical apparatus

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 2

a capsule medical apparatus that is introduced into a subject and that internally includes a magnet, by a magnetic field

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetism: Magnetism

Implementation Method 3

a magnetic field shielding material configured to shield the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field shielding: Magnetic Reluctance

Data Source

PatentUS10925469B2Guidance apparatus and capsule medical apparatus guidance system

Publication Date: 2021.02.23 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

A guidance apparatus includes: a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on a magnet; a magnetic field shielding material configured to shield the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; an operation input device configured to receive an input of at least one of a target position and a target posture for guiding a position and a posture of a capsule medical apparatus; and a controller configured to control the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field that has been corrected to offset or reduce a deviation amount of the position or the posture of the capsule medical apparatus with respect to the target position or the target posture, caused by distortion, due to the magnetic field shielding material, of a magnetic field for guiding the capsule medical apparatus to at least one of the target position and the target posture.