Swallowable Capsule With Expandable Wall For Gastrointestinal Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sampling the gastrointestinal tract, such as intubation endoscopy, are invasive, painful, and costly, and fail to efficiently collect sufficient samples for accurate analysis of nutrient absorption and digestibility, particularly for ilea protein digestibility, which is crucial for diet design and health diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A device with an expandable wall that can be swallowed and expand internally to collect a larger volume of gastrointestinal substance, featuring a closure tab that can be passively or actively actuated to open and control sample collection, allowing for non-invasive sampling without surgical procedures or sedation, and can be recovered from stool for analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If intubation endoscopy is used for sampling, then sampling accuracy and reliability are improved, but animal welfare deteriorates and procedural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical intubation endoscopy system with a swallowable capsule device that uses magnetic actuation and internal mechanical expansion mechanisms. The capsule is swallowed by the animal and activated remotely via magnetic field to expand and collect samples, eliminating the need for invasive intubation procedures while maintaining sampling accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary to control the capsule device. The external magnetic field acts as a mediator to transmit control signals to the capsule without direct physical contact or invasion, enabling remote actuation of the sampling mechanism while preserving animal welfare.
2Reliability
If intubation endoscopy is used for sampling, then sampling reliability is improved, but cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable swallowable capsule that is inexpensive to manufacture and use. Each capsule is designed for single-use, eliminating the need for expensive, time-consuming setup and teardown procedures associated with intubation endoscopy equipment, thereby improving cost and time efficiency while maintaining sampling reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule is prepared and swallowed before the actual sampling procedure, with all necessary components pre-assembled. The magnetic actuation and expansion mechanisms are pre-configured to activate automatically upon reaching the target location, eliminating the need for complex procedural setup and reducing overall time consumption.
3Quantity of substance
If the device expands to collect larger sample volume, then sample quantity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule device is segmented into distinct functional components: an expandable body structure, a magnetic actuation system, and a sample collection mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, enabling large sample volume collection through simple expansion rather than complex multi-component coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule employs a dynamic expansion mechanism that transitions from a compact swallowed state to an expanded sampling state. The expandable walls and flexible structure allow the device to increase its internal volume on demand through magnetic actuation, providing large sample capacity without requiring a permanently complex structure.
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
Enables non-invasive, efficient sampling of gastrointestinal substances, allowing for comprehensive analysis of nutrient absorption and digestibility, reducing pain and cost, and providing a more accurate measure of ilea protein digestibility without the need for surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
at least one wall which is at least partially expandable wherein, said device is held in a closed compressed state by a closure tab
Implementation Method 2
The interior of the capsule is under vacuum and allows sample to be drawn in through an inlet. The sample enters the inside of the capsule until the pressure between the inside and outside of the capsule is equalised
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for sampling internal substance(s) in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal composed of at least one wall which is partially expandable. The invention also relates to a method of orally administering the device to an animal and recovering the device from the stool to carry out analysis on the collected sample for diagnosing the health of the gastrointestinal tract and determining nutrient absorption and digestibility.