Micro capsule type robot

Details Micro capsule type robot Micro capsule type robot

2002-04-23

2004-04-13

Leubecker, John P. (Department: 3739)

Surgery

Endoscope

C600S109000, C600S118000, C600S160000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06719684

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a micro capsule type robot, and in particular to a micro capsule type robot which is capable of stopping or delaying at a certain portion of the internal organs of a human body in accordance with a stop control signal inputted from outside of the human body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An endoscope is used for examining or treating a disease of the internal organs without performing surgeries. However, because the large intestine is curved at a steep angle, in performing of an endoscopy in the large intestine a patient may feel much pain, accordingly it has not been welcomed by patients In more detail, because the large intestine is curved steeply, in the large intestine endoscopy patient's pain and a lesion judgement are largely influenced by experience and skill of a doctor.
Recently, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem of an endoscopy in the large intestine, a virtual colonoscopy or a gene examination method, etc. have been developed. However, a doctor can not directly measure an affected part or perform a biopsy, etc. by the methods, they are regarded as indirect methods. In addition, by developing a swallowable micro capsule type endoscope for transmitting certain image information of the internal organs to outside, the small intestine which can not be examined by the conventional endoscope can be examined, accordingly a range of a medical examination has been broadened.
In the above-mentioned micro capsule type endoscope, the small intestine can be examined by transmitting information received from a camera unit of the micro capsule type endoscope to outside of a human body through a wireless transmission module.
However, because moving of the micro capsule type endoscope including the wireless camera unit only depends on natural peristalsis of the internal organs, it is impossible to stop the micro capsule type endoscope at a certain position of the internal organs even a doctor wants to examine a specific portion.
It means the micro capsule type endoscope for examining the internal organs has an image information transmission function, but it has not a stop function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a micro capsule type robot which is capable of stopping or delaying its movement at a certain examination position according to a stop signal inputted from outside.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in a micro capsule type robot having a camera for examining the internal organs of a human body, a micro capsule type robot includes stopping means installed to a body of a micro capsule type robot for stopping or delaying moving of the micro capsule type robot at a certain examination position according to a stop signal inputted from outside of a human body.
In addition, a micro capsule type robot includes a capsule type robot body, a camera unit installed to the capsule type robot body in order to observe the internal organs of a human body, a lighting unit installed to the capsule type robot body and throwing a light on the internal organs so as to capture images inside the internal organs by the camera unit, a transmitter-receiver installed to the capsule type robot body, transmitting image information of the camera unit to the outside and receiving a control signal inputted from outside of a human body, stopping means installed to the capsule type robot body for stopping or delaying the capsule type robot body at a certain position of the internal organs, a control unit installed to the capsule type robot body and controlling operation of the camera unit, the lighting unit, the transmitter-receiver and the stopping means, and a power supply unit installed to the body and supplying power to the camera unit, the lighting unit, the transmitter-receiver, the stopping means and the control unit.


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