Capsule ultrasound device: Characterization and testing results

In order to overcome the limitations of conventional ultrasound endoscope, we propose to develop a capsule ultrasound (CUS) device: an ingestible and disposable pill to inspect the multiple layers of the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract as well as its surrounding organs, and to provide a convenient method for diagnosing GI diseases, such as abdominal cancers and lesions. The CUS device is composed of three building blocks: the cylindrical capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array, front-end electronics, and wireless transmitter. All of the components are functioning successfully and in this paper, we describe our characterization and testing results.