SUPCAM · New cost effective and minimally invasive endoscopic device able to investigate the colonic mucosa, ensuring a high level of navigation accuracy and enhanced diagnostic capabilities""

Colon diseases are one of the most interesting chapters of public health. Every year millions of people around the world are undergoing colonoscopy or other colon investigations. Although optical Colonoscopy is currently considered the standard diagnostic methodology for the evaluation of intestinal colic disease, it is however an invasive examination with important limitations in terms of risks and patient acceptability. In this framework, the SUPCAM project aims at developing a new cost effective and minimally invasive biomedical device able to investigate the colonic mucosa, ensuring a high level of navigation accuracy, enhanced diagnostic capabilities as well as a substantial reduction of discomforts typical of current diagnostic practices. The SUPCAM concept is based on the development of a endoscopic capsule whose structure and innovative design allow to safely and accurately guide it along the colonic lumen from the outside, through an electromagnet, completely wireless. The main goal of SUPCAM is to provide a new mechanical configuration of the endoscopic capsule able to allow the medical examination through an external system with an elementary structure, economic, with small footprint and usable at outpatient level, but ensuring an accurate vision of the colonic mucosa. The development of this innovative video capsule with magnetic control will have significant advantages for the patients, reducing clinical risk, improving tolerance and acceptability and considerably enlarging the diffusion of colo-rectal cancer screening on the territory, with consequent benefits for the whole social healthcare system. SUPCAM project will help the 34,500 SMEs active in EU in the biomedical sector to enter in endoscopic market with an innovative product, maximising their economical benefits as well as extending their target markets, strengthening their role in a sector where large companies play a major role.""