Comprehensive Analysis of Wireless Capsule Endoscopy Radio Channel Characteristics Using Anatomically Realistic Gastrointestinal Simulation Model

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive study of radio channels related to capsule endoscopy communications in ultra wideband wireless body area networks (UWB-WBAN) utilizing multiple antenna systems. The research includes 363 channel realizations, obtained through simulations using an anatomically realistic voxel model and a capsule model. A capsule position is modelled in such a way that it moves throughout the entire intestinal tract. The study examines the frequency and time domain characteristics of the channels in various capsule locations, including the most challenging positions deep inside the tissues or far away from most of the antennas. Additionally, the propagation characteristics inside the abdominal tissue are studied by calculating the most obvious propagation paths based on power flow illustrations and reflecting the results with the channel impulse response analysis. The impact of capsule rotation is also studied. It is shown how small changes in capsule location can greatly impact on the channel characteristics if the thickness of the tissues between the capsule and the on-body antenna changes significantly. The paper concludes with statistical analysis of the channel data, including path loss and root mean square (RMS) delay spread. The results provide valuable insight into how the signal propagates inside different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. They show that channel attenuation remains moderate along most of the gastrointestinal tract, and that even the deepest locations in the small intestine area can be resolved with the use of directional on-body antennas and receivers with higher sensitivity.