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What is a camera pill?

Simon Belcher / Alamy/ Image Select, Wassenaar

A capsule is a medicine container that is easy to swallow with a little water. A video capsule can also be swallowed with a sip of water. Instead of medicine, this capsule contains a very small camera. That’s why it’s called a ‘camera pill’. This helps doctors find out whether you have a problem with your stomach or your intestines.

What else is in there?
The movements of your stomach and intestines push the pill through your body. Along the way, it takes several photographs every second, making a film of your insides. The pill contains even more technology, in the form of an LED lamp to provide enough light for the camera, and a device that wirelessly transmits the photographs to a computer.

Benefits
These camera pills offer quite a few advantages. You can have an examination without needing to go to the hospital, and you can just get on with your everyday routine. The pill is not painful to swallow and – after some time – leaves your body the natural way, with your poo.