Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston, Massachusetts, have successfully tested a controllable endoscopic capsule designed to manoeuvre through the human body and take photographs.

According to a statement, the capsule is designed to be swallowed like a pill and can be equipped with a camera. Once inside the patient’s digestive track, a doctor can steer the capsule through the body using an MRI machine, photograph specific areas of interest and view those pictures wirelessly.

With current endoscopic capsule technology, the capsule tumbles randomly through the digestive track and clinicians have no control over what areas of the body are being photographed.

The ability to steer a capsule, aim a camera and take pictures of specific areas of concern is a major leap forward with the potential for broad medical implications. via the engineer