We’re one step closer to commercializing a microrobot that, when swallowed like a pill, monitors the state of the body as a substitute of an endoscope. The manufacturer announced that it plans so as to add an autonomous driving function through artificial intelligence (AI) in the longer term and launch it in 2026.
Enterprise Beat reported on the twentieth (local time) that Endiatx, a medical startup in Silicon Valley, announced the event status of ‘PillBot’, which examines the body with a small camera and sensors.
Established in 2019, this company is developing a robot pill that appears like something out of a science fiction novel. The goal is to launch the product in the USA in early 2026 after obtaining FDA approval.
It was revealed that we’re quite near this goal. “We are going to begin a pivotal clinical trial at a significant U.S. health facility within the third quarter,” said NDX CEO Torrey Smith.
Pillbot is an ingestible robotic capsule equipped with cameras, sensors and wireless communication capabilities that may be precisely controlled by a health care provider to look at the stomach and intestines.
The present prototype measures just 13mm x 30mm and might transmit high-resolution video at 2.3 megapixels per second. We plan to soon quadruple the video quality. There are three small motors with propellers on the back, so you possibly can move it to the specified location.
This technology is claimed to enhance the inconvenience and invasiveness of existing endoscopy. As a substitute of visiting a health facility and undergoing a sleep endoscopy, you possibly can get the test within the comfort of your personal home. The intention is to avoid wasting cost and time through this.
It was revealed that AI will play a vital role in future development. Currently, the movements of Feelbot are controlled by a health care provider, however the plan is to make autonomous driving possible through AI. As well as, we plan to gather massive amounts of long-term data through this device to reinforce the precision of AI on this field.
He explained that the important thing to developing the device was miniaturization. CEO Smith said, “We started off the dimensions of a soccer ball,” and added, “Through various developments over 20 generations, we now have now reduced it to the dimensions of a multivitamin.” Complex technologies akin to 3D printing and versatile circuits were used here.
He also expressed his vision on the price issue. Once officially launched, the goal is to produce it for $50 (about 70,000 won) each.
Nonetheless, despite its potential, the corporate has raised only $7 million (about KRW 9.7 billion) in investments thus far. It is because trust in medical startups has decreased overall resulting from the ‘Theranos’ scandal, a blood testing startup that shook Silicon Valley. The corporate raised greater than $1 billion by lying, nevertheless it was eventually proven to be a fraud and founder Elizabeth Holmes was jailed.
For that reason, CEO Smith revealed that he has swallowed a complete of 43 pillbots at public stage events and in front of investors.
“I believe we’re making a $1 trillion market category by putting small robots within the body,” he said. “I believe it is going to completely change the way in which we practice internal medicine.”
Reporter Lim Da-jun ydj@aitimes.com
