New "Camera-In-a-Pill" Uses Photobit Sensor

PASADENA, CA, May 26 -- Photobit Corporation, the leading supplier of CMOS image sensors, has designed a sensor for use in an ingestible capsule. According to the company, this new application is made possible by the ultra-low power requirements (less than 3 milliwatts) and ultra-small silicon die size of the sensor, which produces color video of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The disposable "pill cam" will be marketed by Given Imaging Ltd., Yokneam, Israel.

The new product, which can be swallowed like a pill, takes images of the stomach and small bowel as it passes through them unaided. Current procedures such as endoscopy and radiological imaging can be expensive, produce limited results, or cause discomfort for the patient. The capsule, which measures 11mm x 30mm, is designed to help eliminate these drawbacks.

"Our goal has always been to commercialize a minimally invasive, disposable imaging capsule for diagnosing small-intestine disorders," said Dr. Gavriel D. Meron, president and CEO of Given Imaging. "Photobit's sensor, with its ability to combine all camera functions on such an incredibly small chip, has made this dream a reality."

The diagnostic process begins with the patient swallowing the M2A^TM capsule, which then passes smoothly through the digestive tract and is naturally excreted. An antenna array is attached to the patient and a wireless recorder, worn on a belt around the patient's waist, records the signals transmitted by the capsule to the array. A computer workstation, equipped with Given's proprietary RAPID (Reporting and Processing of Images and Data) software, then processes the data. The result is a 20-minute video clip of the images captured by the CMOS sensor, in synchronization with the trajectory of the capsule as it passes through the body.

"We're excited to be part of such a revolutionary medical application," said Dr. Sabrina Kemeny, president and CEO of Photobit. "CMOS imaging technology, which can be used in anything from PC video cameras to machine vision, is here helping to ensure a more pleasant experience for patients."

Photobit, which is based in Pasadena, CA, owns the rights to high-performance, image-capture technology invented at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

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