Micro Electronic Pill
By
Chaudhari Pratikkumar M.
Exam No.637
CONTENT
• Introduction
• History
• Parts of micro electronic pill
• Structure of micro electronic pill
• Sensors and Chip
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Application
• Reference
Introduction
• A “Microelectronic pill” is a basically a multichannel sensor used for remote biomedical
measurements using micro technology.
• This has been developed for the internal study and detection of diseases and abnormalities in the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract where restricted access prevents the use of traditional endoscope.
• The measurement parameters for detection include real – time remote recording of temperature,
pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen in the GI tract.
HISTORY
• Scientists discovered electronic pill in 1972.
• Use of discrete & relatively large component’s, poor reliability, short lifetimes &
low sensitivity makes it outdated.
• To overcome all these problems professor Jon cooper and Dr. Erik Johanessen from
Glasgow University, U.K has led to the development of a modern microelectronic
pill.
• When Microelectronic pill is swallowed, then it will travel through the Gastro
Intestinal Tract & simultaneously perform multiparameter in situ physiological
analysis.
PARTS
PARTS
BIOCOMPATIBLE
BIOCOMPATIBLE
CAPSULE
CAPSULE RADIO
RADIO
CONTROL
CONTROL CHIP
CHIP ENCASING
ENCASING 2
2 SILVER
SILVER OXIDE
OXIDE
TRANSMITTER
TRANSMITTER
MICROSENSOR
MICROSENSOR CELLS
CELLS
ION-SELECTIVE
ION-SELECTIVE DIRECT
DIRECT 3
3 ELECTRODE
ELECTRODE
FIELD
FIELD EFFECT
EFFECT CONTACT
CONTACT GOLD
GOLD
SILICON
SILICON DIODE
DIODE ELECTROCHEMICAL
ELECTROCHEMICAL
TRANSISTOR
TRANSISTOR ELECTRODE
ELECTRODE CELL
CELL
(ISFET)
(ISFET)
Structure
Silicon Diode
• It measures the body core temperature.
• Also compensates with the temperature induced signal changes in other sensors.
• It also identifies local changes associated with Tissue Inflammation & Ulcers.
Ion-selective Field Effect Transistor (ISFET)
The ISFET measures pH.
It can reveal pathological conditions associated with abnormal pH levels
These abnormalities include :
Pancreatic disease
Hypertension
Inflammatory bowel disease
The activity of fermenting bacteria
The level of acid excretion
Reflux of oesophagus
Effect of GI specific drugs on target
organs.
Direct Contact Gold Electrode
The pair of direct contact Gold electrodes
measures conductivity, by
• measuring the contents of water & salt
absorption,
• bile secretion & the breakdown of organic
components into charged colloids etc. in the
GI tract.
Since the gold has best conductivity among
all the elements, Therefore it gives true value
of conductivity as measured.
3 Electrode Electrochemical Cell
• The three electrode electrochemical cell detects the level of dissolved oxygen in
solution.
• It measures the oxygen gradient from the proximal to the distal GI Tract
• It investigates :
Growth of aerobic or bacterial infection
Formation of radicals causing cellular injury & pathophysiological conditions
like inflammation & Gastric ulceration.
It develops 1st generation enzymes linked with amperometric biosensors.
Arrangement
MICRO
ELECTRONIC
PILL
CONTROL
CHIP - 1 CHIP - 2
CHIP
Control Chip
• The ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) is the control unit that connects together other
components of the micro system.
• It contains an analogue signal –conditioning module operating the sensors, 10-bit analogue to digital
(ADC) & digital to analogue (DAC) converters, & digital data processing module.
• The temperature circuitry bias the diode at constant current so that change in temperature reflects a
corresponding change in in diode voltage.
• The pH ISFET sensor is biased as a simple source at constant current with the source voltage
changing with threshold voltage & pH.
Radio Transmitter
Size of transmitter = 8×5×3 mm
Modulation Scheme = Frequency Shift Keying (FSK)
Data Transfer Rate = 1 kbps
Frequency = 40.01 MHz at 20°C
Bandwidth of the signal generated 10 KHz
It consumes 6.8 mW power at 2.2 mA of current.
2 Silver Oxide Batteries
2 SR44 Ag2O batteries are used.
Operating Time > 40 hours.
Power Consumption = 12.1 mW
Corresponding current consumption = 3.9mA
Supply Voltage = 3.1 V
Range & Accuracy
RANGE :
Temperature from 0 to 70°C
pH from 1 to 13
Dissolved Oxygen up to 8.2 mg per liter
Conductivity above 0.05 mScm-1
Full scale dynamic Range analogue signal = 2.8 V
ACCURACY :
pH channel is around 0.2 unit above the real value
Oxygen Sensor is ±0.4 mgL.
Temperature & Conductivity is within ±1%.
Advantages
Adaptable for use in corrosive & quiescent environment
Micro Electronic Pill utilizes a programmable standby mode, So Power consumption is very less.
It has very small size, hence it is very easy for practical usage
High sensitivity, Good reliability & Life times.
Very long life of the cells(40 hours), Less Power, Current & Voltage requirement (12.1 mW, 3.9 mA,
3.1 V)
Less transmission length & hence has zero noise interference.
Disadvantages
• It cannot perform ultrasound & impedance tomography.
• Cannot detect radiation abnormalities.
• Cannot perform radiation treatment associated with cancer & chronic
inflammation.
• Micro Electronic Pills are expensive & are not available in many countries.
• Still its size is not digestible to small babies.
Application
Crohn’s Disease
Obscure GI Bleeding
Ulcerative colitis
Colorectal cancer
Tumours of the small intestine &Vascular Disorders.
Medication Related To small Bowel Injury
An can be used in industries in evaluation of water quality, pollution Detection, fermentation
process control & inspection of pipelines.
Reference
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