The second year PhD student of ADCE, Jiyuan Tian, at the University of Exeter, has been awarded the Ali H. Nayfeh Award at the Second International Nonlinear Dynamics Conference held in 16-19 February 2021. His paper title is “Finite Element Modelling of a Vibro-Impact Capsule Moving in the Small Intestine“.

The paper aims to study a finite element (FE) model to depict the nonlinear dynamics of a vibro-impact capsule moving in the small intestine for controllable capsule endoscopy. FE results were compared with the simulation results calculated using non-smooth differential equations and experimental results conducted at the ADCE lab. It was found that the FE model can provide a more realistic prediction of the system in the complex intestinal environment in terms of capsule’s tilted motion and asymmetric distribution of capsule-intestine contact pressure.

ADCE has successfully organised two symposia on Biocapsule Robots at the Second International Nonlinear Dynamics Conference (NODYCON 2021) in 17-18 February 2021. Both symposia aimed at presenting recent advances and discussing future trends in the self-propulsion techniques for gastrointestinal capsule endoscopy.