Abstract:
A magnetically guided device driven by the repulsive forces generated by superconductive materials, housed in a thermally insulated vessel, due to phenomenon known as the Meissner-effect in response to the externally generated magnetic fields. The vessels will be installed in or on medical diagnostic, delivery or other procedural devices or capsules, and will enable wireless maneuvering and navigation of the host device through the lumens and cavities of the human body without any physical contact. Medical application fields include, but are not limited to, visual mapping, diagnostics, biopsy and other therapeutic and drug delivery procedures in the human body. The vessel is equipped with superconductive material, such as superconductive rings and/or disks, possessing supermagnetic properties. Shaped externally generated magnetic fields exert sufficient magnetic forces and rotational torques on the superconductive material causing the host device to move, tilt and rotate in the body lumens and cavities following the operator&#39;s closed-loop regulated directional and orientation commands.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
       [0001]    Applicant claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/262,100, filed Nov. 17, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to medical devices, and more particularly to magnetically guided freely moving medical devices deployed to move within the lumens, cavities and chambers of the human body. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Ingestible diagnostic, delivery and therapeutic devices, such as ‘GI capsules’, traveling through the cavities and ducts of the gastrointestinal tract, have been in use since year 2001. When the patient swallows such pill, the natural muscular (peristaltic) movement of the digestive tract propels it through the intestine lumen. While the capsule is moving through the intestine lumen, a small camera enables the physician to inspect the walls of the intestinal ducts for possible detection of tumors, ulcers or bleeding. However, the speed, position and the direction of the capsule and the small camera within the capsule are uncontrolled. Obtaining and maintaining a desired observational point or viewing direction are impractical, and most of the intestinal walls remain uninspected during a single passage. Returning and delivering drugs to a specific locale is imprecise and mostly unattainable. 
         [0006]    Manually operated devices of endoscopy and colonoscopy have limited success to reach clinically important anatomic sites, and generally do not enjoy patients&#39; acceptance. With the rapid increase of cases of stomach ulcers and colon cancers, effective and painless methods of regular preventive and investigative examinations are needed. The supermagnetic propulsion vessel of this disclosure offers a non-contacting, controlled procedure eliminating the control instability issues associated with magnetically operated un-tethered device navigation, and enables rapid anatomic site acquisitions for location-specific diagnoses and treatments. 
         [0007]    Therapeutic drug delivery to organs, such as the brain, the heart, the kidneys and other critical organs have similar difficulties in reaching the sites of diagnosis and therapeutic interest. Freely moving delivery capsules for deployment through the urinary ducts or the cardiovascular lumens become possible by using the supermagnetic propulsion vessel which can be levitated-suspended, moved or held in place by non-contacting external magnetic fields. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    In one embodiment, as embodied and broadly described herein, a device is disclosed that is adapted to be magnetically guided due to superconductive material exhibiting supermagnetic properties. The superconductive material is contained within a thermally insulated vessel and the device can be .maneuvered using supermagnetic propulsion in response to externally generated magnetic fields. The superconductive material is advantageously positioned within the thermally insulated vessel and can be in the form of a ring, disk, plate, or other shape. Moving and directing the device is accomplished by utilizing the superconductive Meissner-effect which repels these elements in response to externally generated magnetic fields. Generating the external fields with the proper direction and magnitude relative to these supermagnetic elements, will levitate, suspend, move and orient the vessel in a stable and controllable manner. Holding the vessel in place is achieved by controlling the external magnetic fields such that the repulsive Meissner diamagnetic forces balance on the superconductive material against the weight of the device and against the various forces holding or affecting the device within the patient. Moving and directing the capsule is accomplished by electronically shaping and moving the externally generated magnetic field in relation to the capsule utilizing a variety of core-coil electromagnets suitable to produce such variable fields. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment of the invention, the device comprises electronic equipment, such as but not limited to, a camera to take pictures and/or record video of its surroundings as well as a wireless transmitter to transmit the captured pictures and/or recorded video to an external receiver. The device further comprises a light source to illuminate the environment. 
         [0010]    In yet another embodiment of the invention, the device comprises medical equipment, such as but not limited to, an injection or spray mechanism to administer a drug or reactive agent, or diagnostic equipment adapted to collect a sample of its environment. 
         [0011]    These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the features of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the capsule of  FIG. 1  showing portions which are internal to the capsule. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3 . is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5 . is a perspective view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  block diagram of the system used to magnetically guide the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the system used to magnetically guide the capsule according to the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is the flux diversion due to diamagnetic properties of a material M. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13A and 13B  show the magnetic fields for movement in the ‘Z’ direction. 
           [0025]      FIG. 13C  is a graph of the B field strength of  FIGS. 13A and 13B . 
           [0026]      FIG. 14A  shows the magnetic fields for movement in the direction. 
           [0027]      FIG. 14B  is a graph of the B field strength of  FIG. 14A . 
           [0028]      FIG. 15A  shows the magnetic field for movement in the ‘X’ and ‘Z’ direction. 
           [0029]      FIG. 15B  is a graph of the B field strength of  FIG. 15A . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Embodiments of the invention provide an improved medical device adapted to be magnetically guided within the lumens, cavities and chambers of the human body. Referring to  FIG. 1  a capsule  100  incorporating features of the invention includes a housing  101 , a vessel  102 , an insulation material  103  and enclosures  104 . The housing  101  comprises a first end  105  and a second end  106 , wherein the first end  105  and second end  106  each are adapted to receive an enclosure  104 . In a preferred embodiment, the housing  101  is cylindrically shaped and is adapted to receive vessel  102 , such that vessel  102  is within the housing  101 . However, the shape of housing  101  is not limited to a cylinder; housing  101  can also be shaped in the form of an ellipse, sphere, or any other shape. Additionally, the enclosures  104  of  FIG. 1  are shown as being dome-shaped, but can also be formed of many different shapes. 
         [0031]    In an embodiment incorporating features of the invention, the vessel  102  comprises superconductive material  107 , wherein the superconductive material  107  comprises at least one of superconductive rings, disks, plates, domes or a combination thereof, such that the superconductive materials  107  have supermagnetic properties. The shape of the superconductive materials  107  is not limited to the shapes listed, but can be any shape. In superconducting materials, the characteristics of superconductivity appear when the temperature of the material is lowered below the critical temperature. In an embodiment of the invention, the superconductive materials  107  are cryogenically cooled in order to attain superconductivity and to freeze the trapped magnetic fields into the superconductor. However, other cooling methods known in the art may be used to lower the temperature of the superconductive materials  107  below the critical temperature. The superconductive materials  107  can be made of anisotropic High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) materials, such as yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) or other superconductor materials known in the art. 
         [0032]    The insulation material  103  provides heat transfer insulation to the capsule  100  such that the temperature increase of the superconductive materials  107  from a pre-cooled temperature to the critical temperature takes a few hours. During this time, the capsule  100  will exhibit the supermagnetic effects and will continue to be magnetically guided. In one embodiment of the invention, the insulation material  103  provides sufficient heat transfer insulation such that the capsule  100  retains superconducting characteristics for at least fifteen (15 ) minutes. In yet another embodiment, the insulation material  103  provides sufficient heat transfer insulation such that the capsule  100  retains superconducting characteristics for at least thirty (30 ) minutes. When the capsule  100  no longer exhibits superconducting characteristics, the natural peristaltic movements will excrete the capsule  100  in due time. 
         [0033]    In embodiments of the invention, the insulation material  103  is configured to comprise a plurality of insulation layers, such as but not limited to, a plurality of Mylar® layers covered by aluminum mirror layers. However, other very low thermal-conductivity insulation layers known in the art can be used instead of Mylar® for the insulation material  103 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the insulation material  103  comprises an outer insulation jacket  108  around the outer surface of superconductive material  107  and an inner insulation jacket  109  around the inner surface of the superconductive material  107 . In the embodiment of the vessel  102  of  FIG. 2 , the superconductive material  107  is covered by the insulation jackets  108 ,  109  such that the superconductive material  107  is interposed between the inner and outer insulation jackets  108 ,  109 . In another embodiment, such as  FIG. 3 , a plurality of insulation jackets  108 ,  109  can be on the outer surface of the superconductive material  107 , wherein a thermal plug  154  is disposed within the inner surface of the superconductive material  107  to further provide heat transfer insulation. In embodiments of the invention, the insulation jackets  108 ,  109  are formed of a plurality of Mylar® layers comprising an aluminum mirror layer coating on the outer surfaces of the plurality of Mylar® layers, such that the plurality of Mylar® layers are interposed between the aluminum mirror layers. The aluminum mirror layers coating the plurality of Mylar® layers reflect heat in order to minimize heat transfer. This insulation technique is effective in minimizing heat transfer for conductive, radiated and convectional heat penetration. Other insulation techniques may be used depending on the required procedure time and the critical temperature of the superconductive material. In some embodiments, the vessel  101  is impregnated into a single vacuum insulated unit, such as but not limited to a Dewar. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  discloses another embodiment of a capsule  200 . In this embodiment the capsule   200  (not shown) comprises a vessel  140  comprising a superconductive cylinder  153  and a plurality of superconductive disks  151 ,  155 . In some embodiments of the invention, the assembled vessel  140  can be approximately 11 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length. However, the vessel  140  and capsule  200  can have different dimensions depending on the procedure to be conducted and/or where the capsule is to be deployed. The superconductive cylinder  153  and disks  151 ,  155  have a thickness of about 0.25 mm to 0.50 mm, limited only by physical strength for manufacturing and handling. The vessel  140  further comprises an outer insulation jacket  152  that covers the outer surface of superconductive cylinder  153  and a thermal plug  154  which is disposed within the superconductive cylinder  153 . The thermal plug  154  is made of a light-weight and high thermal capacity material, such as but not limited to aluminum. When pre-cooled as part of the vessel  140  assembly, the thermal plug  154  assists in keeping the temperature of the superconductive cylinder  153  and disks  151 ,  155  below the critical temperature for an extended period of time. Vessel  140  further comprises insulation disks  150 ,  156  to thermally insulate the superconductive disks  151 ,  155 . In embodiments of the vessel  140 , the insulation is sufficient to provide heat transfer insulation such that the capsule  200  retains superconducting characteristics for at least fifteen (15) minutes; whereas in other embodiments the capsule  200  retains superconducting characteristics for at least thirty (30) minutes. The insulation jacket  152  and the insulation disks  150 ,  156  in  FIG. 4  comprise a plurality of insulating layers coated with mirror layers on the surfaces, such that the plurality of insulating layers are interposed between the mirror layers. The vessel  140  is impregnated into a single vacuum insulated unit. However, other manufacturing and assembly techniques may be used as technology progresses with different kinds of insulation materials.  FIG. 5  discloses another embodiment of a capsule  250 , which is similarly configured to capsule  200 , but instead uses a plurality of vessels  140 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  discloses another embodiment of a capsule  300 . In this embodiment, the capsule   300  comprises the vessel  140  disclosed above and in  FIG. 4 , but further comprises a camera  307 , at least one LED light  302  and a video broadcast unit  303 . The camera  307 , at least one LED light  302  and the video broadcast unit  303  are housing within housing  304  of capsule  300 . The vessel  140  is pre-cooled below the critical temperature separately from the housing  304  of capsule  300  and is not inserted into housing  304  until capsule  300  is to be used. The housing  304  is stored at room temperature and the insulation of vessel  140  allows the capsule  300  to exhibit superconducting characteristics as described herein. Furthermore, the insulation of vessel   140  minimizes heat transfer such that the temperature of the vessel  140  does not negatively impact the performance of the camera  307 , at least one LED light  302 , video broadcast unit  303 , or any other pieces of equipment disposed within capsule  300 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 7  discloses another embodiment of a capsule  400 . In this embodiment, the capsule   400  comprises a plurality of vessels  401 ,  402  which are similar to vessel  140  described above. Capsule  400 , similar to capsule  300 , comprises a camera  307 , at least one LED light  302  and a video broadcast unit  303 , but further comprises a therapeutic device  403  which comprises a container  404  to house a drug or reactive agent, and an injection or spray mechanism  405  to administer the drug or reactive agent stored within container  404 . In other embodiments, the therapeutic device  403  comprises a retrieval device  405  to collect a tissue sample to be stored within container  404 . In yet other embodiments, the capsule  400  can comprise both the injection or spray mechanism and the retrieval device. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 8 and 9  disclose additional embodiments of the invention. The capsule  500  disclosed in  FIG. 8  is similar to the capsule  300  of  FIG. 6 , but further comprises a superconductive dome  305  which is insulated in a similar manner as vessel  140 . The capsule   600  disclosed in  FIG. 9  is similar to the capsule  400  of  FIG. 7 , but further comprises the superconductive dome  305 . 
         [0038]    The capsules described herein are adapted to be magnetically guided due to superconductive materials exhibiting supermagnetic properties. The superconductive materials are contained within the thermally insulated vessel and the capsule can be maneuvered using supermagnetic propulsion in response to externally generated magnetic fields. The superconductive materials respond to externally generated magnetic fields by repelling from the externally generated magnetic fields due to the phenomenon called Meissner-effect. Generating the external magnetic fields with the proper direction and magnitude relative to these superconductive materials, will levitate, suspend, move and orient the capsule in a stable and controllable manner. Holding the capsule in place is achieved by controlling the external magnetic fields such that the repulsive Meissner diamagnetic forces balance on the superconductive material against the weight of the capsule and against the various forces holding or affecting the capsule within the body. Moving and directing the capsule is accomplished by electronically shaping and moving the magnetic loci of the externally generated magnetic fields in relation to the capsule&#39;s superconductive characteristics utilizing a variety of core-coil electromagnets suitable to produce such variable magnetic fields. In some embodiments, moving and directing the capsule is accomplished by utilizing the permanent magnet effect of trapped magnetic fields frozen into the superconductive disks, while the superconductive plates allow for axial rotation of the capsule. 
         [0039]      FIG. 10  discloses an embodiment of a system  700  for magnetically guiding the capsule described herein. The system of  FIG. 10  comprises a display  701 , an input device  702 , regulator   703 , amplifiers  704 , sensor  710 , a table  720 , and an external magnetic field generator  730 . The external magnetic field generator  730  comprises a plurality of electromagnetic coils  301 ,  305 ,  306 ,  309  and is adapted to form and shape a 3D magnetic field around the capsule to form a magnetic gradient valley which holds the capsule by the repulsive Meissner effects. The external magnetic field generator  730  also provides the necessary field strength and gradient to attract or repel the capsule&#39;s trapped magnetic field elements. These gradient forces move and orient the capsule. To obtain the desired location and orientation of the capsule, this complex dynamic magnetic field is regulated by a computerized closed loop system comprising the input device   702  for operator input, magnetic and visual feedback from the capsule. In one embodiment, sensors  710  are magnetic feedback sensors which receive polarized high frequency transmissions sequentially transmitted for each of the three capsule axes from the capsule to the sensors  710 . Triangulation methods and algorithms are used to compute coordinates in reference to the external electromagnetic structure where the sensors  710  are located. In another embodiment, the capsule has receivers and the sensors  710  become a sequential high frequency broadcast network. The capsule&#39;s three-axis sensor signals are then transmitted to an external receiver for decoding and computing the location of the capsule, again in reference to the external magnetic assembly. 
         [0040]    In an embodiment of the capsule which has a video camera, the video signal is displayed on display  701  for the operator for man-in-the-loop navigation. The content of the video can be deciphered by image processing and the information used for navigation. 
         [0041]    Using the capsule in any of the listed medical procedures requires the patient lying on the table  720  which is surrounded by the external magnetic field generator  730 . The pre-cooled insulated vessel will be inserted, by an appropriately automated device, into a room temperature capsule, which in turn will be sealed by the same automated device. The capsule will be swallowed or inserted into the patient. The external magnetic field generator  730 , regulator  703  and amplifiers  704  will be activated and the capsule navigation can begin. Sensors  710  indicate the location of the capsule and the externally generated magnetic field and field gradients begin to hold and control the capsule. An operator using input device  702 , such as but not limited to a joystick, can direct the capsule as directed by the input device  702 . 
         [0042]    In one procedure of intestinal investigation each patient has on the average two hours to be examined. This means that in a regular 8 hour work day, 4 procedures can be performed using 4 capsules per day. In one embodiment, using HTS material with critical temperatures at liquid Nitrogen (77K), each table  720  comprises a cryogenic-cooler (not shown) adapted to house a plurality of vessel assemblies. In some embodiments, the cryogenic-cooler needs to keep 4 vessel assemblies at the pre-cooled temperature of approximately 55K for daily use. If the warming up temperature gradient from 55K to 77K is approximately 5K/hour, and the cool-down roughly is also 5K/hour from room temp to the pre-cooled temperature level, it will take approximately 60 hours to get a fully insulated vessel assembly ready to be deployed starting the procedure at 55K. This is approximately 2.5 days for each vessel. Thus, the cryogenic-cooler has to store a minimum of four rows of 4 vessel assemblies, the first row of 4 is ready in the morning of the first day, each vessel sitting at 55K. The fourth row of 4 is loaded in at room temperature and starts to cool down. The third and second rows of 4 and 4 are cooling down with temperatures between room and the critical temperature. Once the first row is empty, the cryogenic-cooler is adapted to rotate the rows. Thus, the minimum number of vessels in the cryogenic-cooler is 16. However, in other embodiments the cryogenic-cooler can be configured to house 5 or more vessels per row depending on factors, such as the patient throughput and/or the length of the workday. This method of revolving vessel-columns cooling down in sequence supplies continuous vessel flow available for every day. There are no electronics or any other power dissipation in the vessels during cool-down. 
         [0043]    A number of electromagnetic coil-core configurations are suitable to generate magnetic fields with the necessary field strength and gradient. Electromagnetic coils  301 ,  305 ,  306  and  309  are configured around the patient&#39;s body having an operating or control region within the human body. To obtain the desired location and orientation of the vessel with 6 degrees of freedom, the fields are generated by independently controlling the coil current magnitudes and polarity from the amplifiers  704 . 
         [0044]    An important feature of the system of  FIG. 10  is that even without the visual feedback, the vessel is controllable in all modes of magnetic influence; the repelling nature of the superconductive Meissner effect is inherently stable. Adding an optional electronic feedback device, such as sensors  710 , to the system enables automated guidance control, mapping and the ability to return the capsule to the same site automatically 
         [0045]      FIG. 11  discloses another embodiment of a system  800  used to magnetically guide the capsule. In the system  800 , two sets of four coil-core electromagnets  601 ,  602 ,  603  and  604  surround the table  720  and the patient. The coil-core electromagnets surrounding the patient&#39;s body builds a gradient valley sloping toward the capsule location from all directions. 
         [0046]    The physics principle underlying the magnetic guidance of the medical device is a unique form of diamagnetism observed in High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) under moderate magnetic field conditions.  FIG. 12  shows flux diversion due to diamagnetic properties of material M, which has permeability 0&lt;&lt;μ m &lt;&lt;1. If M is a superconductor, the superconductor finds an equilibrium state where the sum of electron kinetic and the interior magnetic energies is minimum, which state for the macroscopic supermagnetic body corresponds to the expulsion of magnetic flux. Indeed, as found by F. &amp; H. London in the early 1930s, the flux penetrates into the superconductive material about 500 Å to 2000 Å, a very small thickness indeed. In terms of E energy: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             E 
             = 
             
               
                 E 
                 0 
               
               + 
               
                 
                   1 
                   
                     8 
                      
                     π 
                   
                 
                  
                 
                   ∫ 
                   
                     
                       [ 
                       
                         
                           H 
                           2 
                         
                         + 
                         
                           
                             ε 
                             L 
                             2 
                           
                            
                           
                             
                                
                               
                                 ∇ 
                                 
                                   × 
                                   H 
                                 
                               
                                
                             
                             2 
                           
                         
                       
                       ] 
                     
                      
                     
                        
                       r 
                     
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0047]    where H is the magnetic field, ε is the penetration depth and r is the location in a coordinate system in which E 0  is the sum of the electrons energy in condensed state and the kinetic energy of the permanent super-currents. The penetration depth, named after F. &amp; H. London, is: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               ε 
               L 
             
             = 
             
               
                 [ 
                 
                   
                     m 
                      
                     
                         
                     
                      
                     
                       c 
                       2 
                     
                   
                   
                     4 
                      
                     π 
                      
                     
                         
                     
                      
                     
                       n 
                       s 
                     
                      
                     
                       e 
                       2 
                     
                   
                 
                 ] 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0048]    where n s =n, the total number of conduction electrons in cubic centimeter. The field configuration in the interior of the HTS, which minimizes the free energy will satisfy the conditions of: 
         [0000]        H +[ε L   2   ∇×Δ×H ]=0
 
         [0049]    When combined with the Maxwell equations: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 ∇ 
                 
                   × 
                   H 
                 
               
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     
                       4 
                        
                       π 
                        
                       
                           
                       
                        
                       
                         j 
                         s 
                       
                     
                     c 
                   
                    
                   
                       
                   
                    
                   and 
                    
                   
                       
                   
                    
                   
                     ∇ 
                     
                       · 
                       H 
                     
                   
                 
                 = 
                 0 
               
             
             , 
           
         
       
     
         [0050]    the field distribution and the currents can be calculated. Here j s  is the current density in the HTS. The finite solution leads to conclude that the fields will run parallel with the HTS surface and the exerted force will be determined by the field gradient across the external surface of the HTS penetrating into the material with the London depth of: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               ε 
               L 
             
             = 
             
               
                 [ 
                 
                   
                     m 
                      
                     
                         
                     
                      
                     
                       c 
                       2 
                     
                   
                   
                     4 
                      
                     π 
                      
                     
                         
                     
                      
                     
                       n 
                       s 
                     
                      
                     
                       e 
                       2 
                     
                   
                 
                 ] 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0051]    integrated over the entire surface of the HTS. The repelling force exerted on the total HTS surface is: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     F 
                     S 
                   
                   = 
                   
                     k 
                     · 
                     
                       I 
                       coil 
                       2 
                     
                     · 
                     
                       ∫ 
                       
                         
                           
                              
                             B 
                           
                           
                              
                             ε 
                           
                         
                          
                         
                            
                           s 
                         
                       
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   [ 
                   1 
                   ] 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0052]    I is the coil current and B is the field strength generated by the external magnetic field generators at the capsule location, and the integration is over the s surface of the HTS in the capsule. 
         [0053]    Practical computations in FEA magnetic simulations for any shapes of HTS surface can proceed based on estimating permeability less than 1.00 for accounting for the HTS Diamagnetic nature. Values of μ≦ 1/1000 produce force calculation errors less than 1%. 
         [0054]    Force magnitude of maximum 1 Newton is obtained for a vessel volume of 4.5 mm diameter and 8 mm length. This magnitude is sufficient for controlling capsules, and micro-devices within the human body. However, the vessel walls can be very thin due to the small London penetration depth. Thus, the capsule can be very light. This is an important feature when the medical device needs to carry the useful load of diagnostic and therapeutic equipments. The limitation for larger forces is the maximum H c  critical field strength around the HTS, above which the material may be come normal even below T c  critical superconductive temperature. All calculations and simulations keep the maximum field strength below 2.5-3.0 kGauss. 
         [0055]    The diamagnetic nature of the HTS materials used in this invention assures that the capsule movement is always along the decaying slope of the field gradient independent of the field vector polarity. The capsule can be levitated in ‘+Z’ direction and moved in the ‘X’ and ‘Y’ directions in a stable manner away from higher absolute value magnetic fields toward the lower absolute values as shown in  FIG. 13A ,  13 B and  13 C for levitation,  FIG. 14A  and  FIG. 14B  for movement in ‘−X’ direction, and  FIG. 15A  and  FIG. 15B  for combined ‘−X’ and ‘+Z’ movements.  FIG. 13C  is the graph of the B field strength along the Z axis. Between 46 mm and  54 mm the presence of the capsule is evident due to the full expulsion of the flux (B≅0 Gauss). The average Field strength  802  at the location of the capsule would be about 1.8 kGauss, which level is below the H c  of 2.5 kGauss. The slope of the fields  801  providing the field gradient in the general force equation [1] is: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                  
                 B 
               
               
                  
                 z 
               
             
             = 
             
               4.5 
                
               
                   
               
                
               Tesla 
                
               
                 / 
               
                
               
                 m 
                 . 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0056]    Using Ansoft magnetic simulation with μ=0.001, the resulting F(z) force levitating and moving the capsule upward is 1.0263 Newton ( 803 ). It is evident from  FIG. 13A and 13B  that the direction (polarity) of the Z field is of no consequence, the repelling force points upward. 
         [0057]      FIG. 14A  shows the B field exerting 1.094N force on the vessel moving it in the negative (left) direction. Reversing the direction of this B field, similarly to the case of  FIG. 13A and  13B , will produce the same F(x) force in the same direction.  FIG. 14B  shows the field in the Z axis, B(z)  710 , which does not change its slope at the capsule location  713 . B(x)  711  however has the same slope than  FIG. 13C  shows for the Z axis  714 . With the particular selection of the capsule superconductive cylinder&#39;s base radius and cylinder high ratios, the forces on the capsule are very closely identical to the forces in  FIGS. 13A ,  13 B and  13 C (˜1 Newton). 
         [0058]    Having established the field polarity immunity in  FIG. 13A  through  FIG. 14B , we can also prove that superimposition of these fields from different axis will produce directional forces defined by the magnitude and angle of the externally generated fields.  FIG. 15A  shows a general case for having X and Z components acting on the capsule. The resulting F(x) and F(z) components both levitate (lift) the capsule as well as move it in ‘−X’ direction. The corresponding field strength in X and Z directions are shown in  FIG. 15B , for this case. 
         [0059]    B(z)  820  is decreasing with the same slope along the Z axis as B(x)  821  is increasing along the X axis. Again, at the capsule, the fluxes are expelled producing the gradients across the superconductive vessel with the commensurate forces driving the capsule upward as well as sideways. This case should suffice to demonstrate the concepts and the generalization for 3D control various combinations of field slopes and gradient directions. 
         [0060]    The invention is described herein with reference to certain embodiments, but it is understood that the invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. For example, the embodiments herein disclose that the superconductive material is to be cooled below the critical temperature to attain superconductive characteristics. However, alternate superconducting materials, such as room temperature superconductive material if available, would work equally well, as long as the magnetic phenomena are exhibited by the room temperature superconductive materials. Furthermore, the capsule could be attached to a tether such that the capsule could be removed in the event that the natural muscular (peristaltic) movement of the digestive tract does not expel the capsule, or if the capsule is deployed in a cavity or lumen wherein the capsule must be manually removed. Furthermore, the capsule is not limited to being deployed in humans; the capsule can also be deployed in animals. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited to any particular combination of elements in the versions described above.