Swallowed GI Sampling Capsule With pH-Triggered Nested Tubing

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need to routinely sample and analyze the microbial community living in all regions of the gastrointestinal tract, along with their associated metabolites, to understand their interactions with the host and correlate to states of health and disease, as the complexity of this microbial ecology in individuals is not well understood.

Innovation Solution

A capsule-shaped device with a tube-shaped body wound, twisted, or folded inside, configured to collect gastrointestinal samples using a pressure differential and pH-sensitive degradable covering elements to target specific regions of the GI tract, allowing for controlled sampling and analysis of microbial species and metabolites.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a traditional sampling device is used, then the sampling process is simple, but the spatial resolution and sample collection efficiency are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespatial resolutionVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tube-shaped body is wound, twisted, or folded within the capsule, creating a nested configuration that allows a long sampling structure to be contained within a small ingestible capsule. This enables high spatial resolution sampling along the GI tract while maintaining a compact form factor for patient comfort and ease of administration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The tube-shaped body is divided into multiple sections or zones along its length, with different degradable covering elements at different positions. This segmentation allows for region-specific sampling capabilities, enabling the device to collect samples from different GI tract regions with high spatial resolution while maintaining structural manageability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If the tube-shaped body is expanded to collect samples, then the sample collection volume increases, but the dead volume and contamination risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesample collection volumeVSAvoiddead volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The tube-shaped body transitions from a collapsed low-volume state during transit to an expanded high-volume state during sampling, and then back to a collapsed state for retrieval. This dynamic volume control allows the device to maximize sample collection volume when needed while minimizing dead volume during transport and storage, reducing contamination risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The degradable covering elements are designed to dissolve at predetermined locations or times, triggering the expansion of the tube-shaped body only when and where sampling is required. This preliminary positioning and controlled activation ensures that the sampling volume is maximized at the target site while minimizing unnecessary expansion and dead volume elsewhere.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the device traverses the entire GI tract, then comprehensive sampling is achieved, but the transit time and sampling duration increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesampling coverageVSAvoidtransit time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The device is designed to periodically expand and collect samples as it traverses the GI tract, rather than continuously sampling. The degradable covering elements are positioned to trigger expansion at specific intervals or locations, allowing comprehensive sampling coverage while minimizing the total time the device needs to remain active and reducing transit time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the tube-shaped body are equipped with degradable covering elements that dissolve at different rates or under different conditions, allowing the device to adapt its sampling behavior to local GI tract characteristics. This enables comprehensive sampling across different regions while optimizing the sampling duration in each specific location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Volume of moving object

If the capsule is made small for patient comfort, then the device is easier to swallow, but the sampling capacity and analysis capability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapsule sizeVSAvoidsample capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The tube-shaped sampling body is nested within the capsule in a collapsed configuration, allowing a long sampling structure with sufficient sample capacity to be contained within a small ingestible capsule. Once deployed, the tube expands to provide adequate sampling volume while the capsule remains small for patient comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The sampling structure transitions from a two-dimensional collapsed state within the capsule to a three-dimensional expanded state during sampling. This dimensional transformation allows the device to maximize sample capacity when needed while maintaining a compact form factor for administration, effectively resolving the contradiction between capsule size and sampling capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 efficient collection of gastrointestinal samples with high spatial resolution and minimal dead volume, facilitating comprehensive analysis of gut microbiota for health and disease correlation, while minimizing contamination and maximizing sample integrity.

Implementation Method 1

movement of gastrointestinal samples into the tube-shaped body is driven by a pressure differential between a radially collapsed and radially expanded body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient