Ingestible Medical Device Rotatable Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for analyzing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are limited in retrieving detailed data, such as temporal and spatial information about bacterial and chemical populations, and are often ineffective in handling viscous, heterogeneous, or large substances due to their simplistic actuation and control mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An ingestible medical device with a rotatable storage sub-unit and chamber enclosure, equipped with a position encoder and motor, allows for controlled sampling and substance distribution within the GI tract, enabling serial collection or dispensing of multiple substances and handling of diverse substance types through a 'closed-loop' revolver mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional devices are used for GI tract analysis, then basic information about environment conditions can be obtained, but detailed data such as temporal and spatial information about bacterial and chemical populations is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple functional modules including a storage subunit with multiple chambers, a chamber enclosure with access ports, a position encoder subunit, and a motor subunit. This segmentation allows each module to perform specific functions (sampling, storage, positioning, actuation) thereby enabling comprehensive data collection while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The storage subunit with multiple chambers is nested within the chamber enclosure, which itself is nested within the capsule housing. This nested structure allows multiple sampling chambers to be compactly arranged within the limited capsule volume, enabling detailed spatial sampling capability without proportionally increasing overall device size
2Reliability
If conventional devices are triggered to sample when contact with particular GI substances, then sampling can be initiated, but effectiveness is limited due to lack of controlled actuation
Solution Approach 1:
A position encoder subunit provides feedback on the rotational position of the storage subunit or chamber enclosure to the control circuit. This feedback mechanism enables the control circuit to determine when an access port is aligned with a chamber opening and to trigger sampling or substance release at precise moments, thereby improving sampling effectiveness while maintaining ease of operation through automated control
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses its own positional information (from the position encoder) to automatically control the timing and sequence of sampling operations and substance release. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external triggering mechanisms while maintaining reliable and effective sampling through internally coordinated actuation
3Adaptability or versatility
If a rotatable storage subunit with multiple chambers is implemented, then serial collection and distribution of multiple substances is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable storage subunit with multiple chambers serves multiple functions: it can collect samples from different spatial locations, store multiple different substances in separate chambers, and distribute substances at different times. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single mechanical rotation mechanism that aligns different chamber openings with the access port sequentially, thereby providing versatile sampling and distribution capability without requiring separate mechanisms for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The storage subunit or chamber enclosure is designed to rotate dynamically, allowing the device to transition between different operational states (collecting samples from different chambers, releasing substances from different chambers) as needed. This dynamic rotation capability enables the device to adapt to different sampling and distribution requirements while using a single simple mechanical actuation system
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments are described herein for a device and method for an ingestible medical device with a rotatable element. In some described embodiments, the ingestible medical device includes a storage sub-unit with multiple chambers each having an opening for collecting or dispensing substances from the GI tract. The device further comprises a chamber enclosure with an access port. One of the chamber enclosure and the storage sub-unit are rotatable to allow for aligning the access port with a chamber opening. The ingestible medical device includes a sensor for positioning the access port of the chamber enclosure or the storage sub-unit as one of these elements rotates.