Miniature robot for exploring your inner self (quite literally)

September 14, 2004A fantastic journey in medicine is beginning with recent advances in miniaturisation by Japanese company RF System Lab. The Norika 3 RF Endoscopic Robot Capsule brings the body alive with live video of the patient's gastrointestinal system.

Norika 3 uses a 1/6 inch colour 410,000-pixel CCD camera inside a micro capsule that is swallowed by the user. Image technology allows for variable focus by disc type magnets and a profound and dynamic range of microscopic data.

The capsule camera travels through the digestive system and can be controlled by rotor coils for tilt control by remote operation with a joystick. Lighting volume can be adjusted and switched to infrared spectrum for multiple analyses.

The increase in power needed for the improved illumination forced a revolutionary battery free endoscopic design.

Microwave technology separates the DSP from the CCD which means that 94% of it's power can be provided with wireless transmission from outside the body from a coil embedded vest worn by the user.

Operational signals are also digitized and multiplexed to communicate with the vest that then controls various devices.

The capsule's rotation, direction, lighting, air valve regulation and focusing can all be adjusted on the live monitor and the capsule's position and direction can be detected by monitoring the electrical level.

Automatic operation is possible as sequential programs can be easily transferred to the CPU within the capsule. The dimension of a capsule camera is 9mm in diameter and 23mm in length. The case is made of resin. Inside the capsule three rotor-coils for posture control are located on the rim.

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