Investigation of Capsule Localization using 3-D Printed Spiral WPT Coil

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is an effective tool for the diagnosis of pathologies of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In its most common version, WCE provides the wireless transmission of optical images and videos of the GI tract to the healthcare practitioners helping the diagnosis of luminal disorders. However, one of the most challenging aspects of WCE is the identification of the exact location of the capsule within the GI tract during diagnosis. Such information is important for the subsequent treatment of detected pathologies either through surgery or by local drug delivery. This paper assesses the potential of using wireless power transfer for the accurate localization of the capsule using 3-D printed spiral receiver coil. The results presented here demonstrate that the magnetic field variations and mutual coupling between transmitters and receiver coils can be utilized for localization, enabling thereby the dual role of WPT as a means to transfer electrical power and determining location and orientation of a capsule. Furthermore, the results presented here demonstrates better localization accuracy compared to the previously published hand wound 3-D RX coil.