A remotely controlled robotic capsule developed by Endiatx is designed to swim through the stomach using six directional water jets, allowing a physician to steer it and view live images. The device contains a camera, lights, accelerometer and wireless transmitter, and the company has raised about $21 million during more than five years of development. Human trials began in New Zealand in 2024.
The technology is intended primarily as a less invasive way to examine the stomach. The article notes that roughly 80% of upper endoscopies find nothing significant, suggesting a potential future role for a swallowable device that could reduce the need for sedation and procedure-room resources. However, the capsule has not been cleared by U.S. regulators or approved for clinical use, and any abnormal finding would still require conventional endoscopy.