Comparative Performance Evaluation of RF Localization for Wireless Capsule Endoscopy Applications

This paper presents an assessment of the accuracy of cooperative localization of a wireless capsule endoscope (WCE) using radio frequency (RF) signals with particular emphasis on localization inside the small intestine. We derive the Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB) for cooperative location estimators using the received signal strength (RSS) or the time of arrival (TOA) of the RF signal. Our derivations are based on a three-dimension human body model, an existing model for RSS propagation from implanted organs to the body surface and a new TOA ranging error model for the effects of non-homogeneity of the human body on TOA of the RF signals. Using models for RSS and TOA errors, we first calculate the 3D CRLB bounds for cooperative localization of the WCE in three major digestive organs in the path of GI tract: the stomach, the small intestine and the large intestine. Then we analyze the performance of localization techniques on a typical path inside the small intestine. Our analysis includes the effects of the number of external sensors, the external sensor array topology, number of WCEs used in cooperation and the random variations in the transmitted power from the capsule.