Patent ID: 8147403
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A capsule propulsion device which is introduced in a space in which a medium for transmitting a sound wave exists, the capsule propulsion device comprising: at least one acoustic streaming generator that generates acoustic streaming as a flow of the medium in the space; a control unit that drives and controls the at least one acoustic streaming generator; a distance obtaining unit that obtains an object distance between one of the at least one acoustic streaming generator and an object existing in the space; and an input receiving unit that receives an input in a travel direction of the capsule propulsion device in the space in accordance with an operation instruction input by an operation instruction input unit that is separated from the capsule propulsion device, wherein the control unit drives and controls the at least one acoustic streaming generator on the basis of the distance information obtained by the distance obtaining unit, and the control unit specifies one or more acoustic streaming generator to be driven for travel in the travel direction in accordance with an operation signal transmitted corresponding to the operation instruction input by the operation instruction input unit and, when an object distance obtained by the distance obtaining unit is less than a predetermined threshold that is defined in advance to be a distance required for generating the acoustic streaming between the specified one or more acoustic streaming generator and the object, the control unit stops driving of the specified specified one or more acoustic streaming generator.