Design and Development of Magnetically Manipulated Battery-less Endoscopic Capsules

This thesis investigates battery-less robotic capsule endoscopy powered through wireless power transfer (WPT), within the framework of the European AUTOCAPSULE project. The research addresses key challenges related to wireless powering under variable coupling conditions, electromagnetic safety, and adaptive power control. An inductive system integrating a three-dimensional receiving coil and LSK back-telemetry was developed and validated through laboratory characterisation and an in-vivo porcine trial in 2023. A second-generation receiver, featuring a custom three-axis active rectifier ASIC (3AX-IC), was subsequently developed, demonstrating improved efficiency and stable operation under robotic motion. The research also presents an integrated imaging and wireless data transmission subsystem, experimentally validated in 2025. Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility of wireless powering and advanced functionality integration in robotic capsule endoscopy, with potential applications extending to other miniaturised biomedical devices and implantable systems.