Computation of the transmission frequency band for the ultra wideband capsule endoscope

Recent developments in wireless radio technology can enhance the clinical diagnosis for patients with gastroenterological disorders. Capsule endoscopes help to examine hard-to-reach parts of the gastrointestinal tract with significantly less discomfort for the patient than traditional endoscopic methods based on the insertion of flexible tubes. A capsule endoscope is an electronic device the size and shape of a pill that is swallowed and transmits wirelessly video of the gastrointestinal tract with the aid of an integrated tiny camera and a light source. A number of commercial capsule endoscopes that operate in narrowband radio channels are already available. Nevertheless, the quality of their transmitted video can be significantly enhanced through the use of an ultra wideband radio link, which enables high data rate transmission. However, multiple design constraints make the use of ultra wideband challenging for this application, particularly the large attenuation of radio signals propagating through living tissues in frequencies above 1000 MHz. Lower frequencies would yield a larger size of the ultra wideband antenna, which is impractical for integration into an ingestible device. Hence, we propose a methodology for the computation of the appropriate transmission frequency band for the ultra wideband capsule endoscope. Our methodology takes into account two design constraints, namely attenuation caused by wave propagation through human tissues and the antenna size.