Ingestible Medical Device

1 - 73 . (canceled)

74 . An ingestible medical device, comprising:

a storage sub-unit comprising a chamber, the chamber comprising a chamber opening configured to collect a sample, distribute a substance, or both;

a chamber enclosure covering the storage sub-unit, the chamber enclosure comprising a solid region and an access port;

a member configured to generate a position signal based on a distance between the chamber opening and the access port; and

a motor configured to provide relative movement between the storage sub-unit and the chamber enclosure.

75 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , wherein the member comprises an optical transmitter and an optical receiver.

76 . The ingestible medical device of claim 75 , wherein the optical receiver is configured to receive light transmitted by the optical transmitter.

77 . The ingestible medical device of claim 76 , wherein the member is configured so that the position signal depends on an amount of light received by the optical receiver from the optical transmitter.

78 . The ingestible medical device of claim 77 , wherein:

in a first state, a first amount of light is received by the optical receiver from the optical transmitter, and the position signal has a first value;

in a second state, a second amount of light is received by the optical receiver from the optical transmitter, and the position signal has a second value;

the first amount of light is greater than the second amount of light; and

the first position signal value is greater than the second position signal value.

79 . The ingestible medical device of claim 75 , wherein the optical transmitter comprises an infrared transmitter and the optical receiver comprises an infrared receiver.

80 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , wherein the position signal comprises a voltage signal.

81 . The ingestible medical device of claim 80 , wherein the member comprises an optical transmitter and an optical receiver.

82 . The ingestible medical device of claim 81 , wherein the optical receiver is configured to receive light transmitted by the optical transmitter.

83 . The ingestible medical device of claim 82 , wherein the member is configured so that the voltage signal depends on an amount of light received by the optical receiver from the optical transmitter.

84 . The ingestible medical device of claim 82 , wherein the voltage signal is based on an optical signal, and the optical signal depends on the distance between the chamber opening and the access port.

85 . The ingestible medical device of claim 82 , wherein:

in a first state, a first amount of light is received by the optical receiver from the optical transmitter, and the voltage signal has a first value;

in a second state, a second amount of light is received by the optical receiver from the optical transmitter, and the voltage signal has a second value;

the first amount of light is greater than the second amount of light; and

the first voltage signal value is greater than the second voltage signal value.

86 . The ingestible medical device of claim 81 , wherein the optical transmitter comprises an infrared transmitter and the optical receiver comprises an infrared receiver.

87 . An ingestible medical device of claim 74 , wherein:

in a first state, the access port covers the chamber opening and the ingestible medical device is configured to collect a sample, distribute a substance, or both; and

in a second state, the solid region covers the chamber opening and the ingestible medical device is not configured to collect a sample, distribute a substance, or both.

88 . The ingestible medical device of claim 87 , wherein:

the ingestible medical device remains in the first state for a predetermined amount of time to collect the sample, distribute the substance, or both.

89 . The ingestible medical device of claim 87 , further comprising a microcontroller coupled to the motor and the member so that, based on the position signal, the microcontroller triggers the motor to stop relative movement between the storage sub-unit and the member.

90 . The ingestible medical device of claim 89 , wherein the microcontroller comprises a timer, and the microcontroller triggers relative movement between the storage sub-unit and the member based on expiration of a predetermined amount of time.

91 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , wherein the storage sub-unit is rotatable, and the chamber enclosure is stationary.

92 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , wherein the chamber enclosure is rotatable, and the storage sub-unit is stationary.

93 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , wherein the chamber comprises multiple compartments separated from each other.

94 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , further comprising an environmental sensor.

95 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , further comprising a microcontroller coupled to the motor and the member so that the microcontroller triggers the motor to initiate relative movement between the storage sub-unit and the member, regardless of the position signal.

96 . The ingestible medical device of claim 74 , further comprising a microcontroller coupled to the motor and the member so that the microcontroller triggers the motor to stop relative movement between the storage sub-unit and the member, based on the position signal.

97 . The ingestible medical device of claim 96 , wherein:

the microcontroller triggers the motor to initiate relative movement between the storage sub-unit and the member based on input from an environmental sensor.

98 . The ingestible medical device of claim 97 , wherein the environmental sensor is a pH level sensor, a light sensor, an impedance sensor, a temperature sensor or a capacitance sensor.