A System-on-Chip Solution for a Low Power Active Capsule Endoscope with Therapeutic Capabilities for Clip Application in the Gastrointestinal Tract

Abstract

This paper addresses the circuit implementation challenges resulting from the integration of a therapeutic clip in a magnetically maneuverable wireless capsule intended for colonoscopy. To deal with the size constraints typical of a capsule endoscope, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) has been designed specifically to habilitate the release of the therapeutic clip. The ASIC is a complete System on Chip (SoC) that incorporates a circuit for the low power release of the clip, thus overcoming the limitations of the power supply system. With a size of 14mm2, the ASIC can be incorporated in practically any capsule endoscope, consuming only an idle-state power of 1.5mW.