Swallowable Capsule Phototherapy Speed Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current phototherapy methods are ineffective for treating gastrointestinal tract diseases due to the difficulty in accessing GI tract tissue, and existing ingestible capsules lack efficient control over light delivery and dosage.

Innovation Solution

A swallowable capsule with phototherapeutic light sources, a speed determination unit, and a controller that adjusts light intensity and duration based on the capsule's movement speed to deliver a therapeutic dose to specific sites within the GI tract, using wavelengths between 400-950 nm.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If phototherapy is applied to easily accessible tissue regions such as skin and mucosa, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but it cannot be applied to GI tract tissue due to accessibility difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidaccessibility to tissue

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of accessing GI tract tissue from the external side through the body surface, the invention inverts the approach by introducing the light source from the luminal side through an ingestible capsule that travels through the GI tract, allowing direct illumination of the mucosal surface from within the lumen

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses an ingestible capsule as an intermediary carrier that contains the light source and delivers it to the target GI tract tissue. The capsule serves as a mediator between the external operator and the internal tissue, enabling phototherapy application in previously inaccessible regions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If light sources are continuously activated during capsule movement, then therapeutic dose delivery is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic dose deliveryVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention dynamically adjusts the light source activation state based on the capsule's movement status. The controller monitors capsule velocity and activates the light source only when the capsule is stationary or moving slowly (below a predetermined threshold), ensuring therapeutic dose delivery while minimizing energy consumption during transit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring capsule movement speed and using this information to control light source activation. The controller receives velocity information and adjusts light emission accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes energy usage based on real-time operational conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If light intensity is increased to ensure therapeutic dose delivery, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption and tissue damage risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidtissue damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The light intensity is dynamically adjusted based on capsule movement conditions. The controller activates the light source at high intensity only when the capsule is stationary or moving slowly, ensuring adequate exposure time for therapeutic effect without requiring continuously high intensity that would increase tissue damage risk and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The light source operates in periodic pulses rather than continuous emission, activating only during periods when the capsule is stationary or moving slowly. This periodic activation pattern ensures cumulative therapeutic dose delivery while reducing peak intensity requirements and minimizing tissue damage risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 capsule provides targeted and efficient phototherapy to the GI tract, effectively treating inflammatory bowel diseases by ensuring the right dosage is delivered to the target area, improving tissue healing and reducing energy consumption.

Implementation Method 1

one or more phototherapeutic light sources... using wavelengths between 400-950 nm

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

Light therapy, conventionally referred to as 'phototherapy ', comprises exposing living tissue to light to treat a disease of the organism or tissue

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhototherapy: Photosynthesis

Data Source

PatentUS11464996B2Capsule phototherapy

Publication Date: 2022.10.11 PHOTOPILL MEDICAL LTD

AI summary

Provided is a swallowable capsule for providing phototherapy to a patient's gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the capsule including a power supply, one or more phototherapeutic light sources, a speed determination unit for calculating speed of movement of the capsule in the GI tract, and a controller unit for activating one or more of the one or more light sources for delivering a therapeutic illumination dose to a target site in the GI tract, based, at least in part, on a determined speed. Related apparatus and methods are also described.