Electromagnetic power absorption of the human abdomen from IR-UWB based wireless capsule endoscopy devices

Abstract

Impulse Radio-Ultra Wide Band (IR-UWB) can be used to enhance the performance of Wireless Capsule Endoscopy (WCE) Devices due to its high data rate capability, low power consumption and small form factor. This paper reports simulation results regarding the electromagnetic effects on the human body caused by an IR-UWB based WCE operating inside the small intestine of the human abdomen. A complex human anatomical model consisting of human tissue simulating materials is used for the simulations. The performance of an implantable IR-UWB antenna operating at 4GHz with a -10dB bandwidth of 1GHz is shown in terms of the return loss, and antenna gain. Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), Specific Absorption (SA) and temperature increase are analyzed to compare the compliance of the WCE devices with international safety regulations. The frequency and age dependent nature of the tissue properties, such as relative permittivity, is taken into account for the simulations. The path loss variation of the electromagnetic signal emitted by a WCE device that is operating inside the small intestine is also analyzed in this paper.