Wireless capsule endoscopy offers a minimally invasive diagnostic method for exploring the gastrointestinal tract, significantly reducing patient dis comfort compared to the traditional endoscopy. Traditional capsule endoscopy is passive and lacks precise navigation capabilities, which can hinder the identification and inspection of problem areas and may lead to false negatives and false positives. To address the existing limitation, a magnetic capsule can be used, which is controlled via a robotic arm equipped with a rotating permanent magnet on its end effector.
This study investigates the control of the capsule’s orientation using the RPM. Orientation control is crucial for detailed inspection of problem areas, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of underlying issues. The results of pitch orientation control demonstrate that precise orientation is achievable. The measured capsule angles closely match the theoretical angles. Experimental results demonstrated that while flat surfaces yielded low directional mean absolute error (MAE) at shorter distances (e.g., 1.12° at 80 mm), the error increased sharply with distance—reaching up to 23.94° at 120 mm—indicating reduced reliability for longer-range alignment. In contrast, curved surfaces, particularly those with larger curvature, maintained lower and more stable MAE across all distances.
These findings highlight that anatomical curvature not only enhances capsule stability but also plays a critical role in sustaining ac curate orientation during extended navigation. Overall, this study indicates that orientation control is possible in magnetic capsule endoscopy, marking a significant advancement in the field.