Advancing towards smart endoscopy with specific electronics to enable locomotion and focusing capabilities in a wireless endoscopic capsule robot

The paper reports the electronics used in a new developed wireless endoscopic capsule provided with novel focus and locomotion features. The locomotion is enabled by using legs driven by 2 brushless DC (BLDC) micromotors. The focusing system is enabled by using a liquid lens with a variable focal. These functions are managed by an ASIC that has been developed to provide the specific innovative functions. The size of the ASIC is 3.0 mm × 2.7 mm in a 0.35 um high voltage CMOS technology. The ASIC is described in detail, as well as the performances when it is used with the final devices used in the capsule.