Endoscope Camera in a Pill

Through the use of capsule endoscopic technology, it is easy to determine what is happening in the digestive tract of a human being. Ever since its genesis in 2001, many people have taken a crack at making a capsule that will be more efficient, but none have been more successful than RF America and its next generation capsule endoscope, Sayaka. RF America’s goal was to capture the entire gastrointestinal tract and provide a clear and high-quality resolution photo that could be used for diagnosis. That’s why they created Sayaka.

The patient gulps down the capsule and over the next couple of hours, the pill travels down the esophagus and intestines where it will capture up to 870,000 images. Because the pill requires energy to run its camera, lights and computer, the patient wears a vest which continuously transmits power. The thing that Sayaka can do that prior endoscope capsules couldn’t do was take close up pictures because the older ones would always be facing forward. But Sayaka will always spin 360 degrees so that it shoots directly at the tissue walls of the intestine. Because storing the pictures would be a waste of space, Sayaka continually transmits images to an SD Memory card which is in the patient’s vest. The doctor will then take a look at the pictures on the computer and use software to create a flat map of the intestines. If they find a problem they can magnify up to seventy-five times to scrutinize the problem.

Prior to the endoscope camera, doctors had to dissect a human body to identify problems in the digestive tract. But now, swallowing a pill is all it takes to identify these problems. Sayaka will help in the fight against diseases like Cystic Fibrosis, a disease where mucus is continuously built up in the digestive tracts. The camera will be able to monitor how much mucus is being built up at every point in the digestive tract which will give doctors a better understanding of the kind of treatment that their patients need. Digestive diseases are a problem in our world, but with the efficient technology that RF America has developed today, the fight against these diseases will be much easier.