In-vivo Experimental Validation of the Attenuation Path Loss Model for Localization of Wireless Implanted Transmitters at 2.45 GHz

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is a modern, non-invasive method of gastrointestinal examination that can significantly reduce mortality and morbidity. One of the current challenges in WCE is the precise localization of the capsule. An accurate path loss propagation model can be used to find the exact distance from the surface to the capsule inside the abdominal cavity. Unfortunately, there are no standardized In-to-On-Body channel models describing the signal propagation at ultra-high frequencies that are used in the most commercially available WCE systems. This study addresses the gap by conducting an experimental validation of a new propagation model for WCE applications at 2.45 GHz. The results were confirmed by conducting two separate in-vivo trials on porcine animals under general anesthesia. The performance of the model as well as the corresponding ranging errors were evaluated when it was used as an inverse solution for distance estimation to an ingested transmitter. The main advantage of the model is its theoretical basis, which can help further generalize the findings for similar communication scenarios. The obtained ranging error was smaller than one centimeter, suggesting that it can be used for accurate range-based positioning of implanted transmitters.