Background

Colonoscopies are procedures used to detect possible ailments of the colon. The outdated method for a colonoscopy involves inserting a probe into the colon. This probe has a small camera at the end to give the doctor a visual of the inside of the colon, giving him or her the ability to diagnose possible illnesses. This procedure is helpful in identifying inflamed areas and can determine the area of the body that needs to be examined further.

The current colonoscopy probe is a tube-like device that is inserted into the colon of a patient and is controlled outside the body. The probe is continuous from the end, where the camera is housed, to the controls, meaning there is part of the probe that is outside of the patient’s body and part that is inside. This can often cause discomfort, especially for older patients and for patients with sensitive colons due to disease or infection. The probe can graze or scrape exposed areas of the insides, which can cause further pain. The hand-operated probe is very outdated, and can be greatly improved on.

The solution presented is a small wireless probe with multiple cameras to give the doctors a full field of view. The smaller, more compact size in the design proposed will make the procedure far more comfortable for older patients and allow doctors a more comprehensive view of the colon. The device will not graze the insides by using magnetic repulsions and sensors to avoid any inner barriers.