Endoscopic treatment of micro-robot development overview and prospects (1)

Summary: the article describes the classification pursuant to driver representative cable endoscopy clinic robot and wireless pills-Endoscope System, diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy for in vivo study of micro-robots and prospects.

Medical robot is in recent years in interdisciplinary areas rise and increasing concern of robot application one of the leading-edge research topics.

Medical robot will robot technology applied to the medical field, greatly promoted the development of modern medical technology, in recent years, with MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) development, greatly contribute to the miniaturization of medical robot, can be used for diagnosis and treatment in the human body of research on micro-robots and more attention. Endoscopy is the current diagnosis and treatment of the main tools in the body, the cable-mini robot endoscopy system and wireless capsule endoscopy system of micro-robot is gastrointestinal minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic development in two main directions. The article describes the classification pursuant to driver representative cable endoscopy clinic robot and wireless pills-Endoscope System, analysis of endoscopic therapy micro robot related technical challenges and trends.

(A) cable-endoscopy system

Cable-Mini robot endoscopy system uses its own campaign boot boot into human head with digestive tract, to avoid the manual insertion of soft tissue injury, its key technologies to proactively guide head of development of micro drive.

At present in vivo medical robot mini drive type generally have the following: electromagnetic drive type, shape memory alloy type (SMA), pneumatic and piezoelectric.

1. electromagnetic drive type.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University developed a gut check of endoscopic micro robot, based on the principle that drives Looper as an electromagnetic force of creeping drive, from the head, tail, drive units, composed of elastic modulus, long, od 7mm 64mm, heavy 9.8g, by adjusting the frequency of driving voltage to adjust their speed, the head can carry CCD micro-camera device, such as the gut of image transfer.

Robots each cell separated by two degrees of hinge connection so that it can adapt to the winding-up of the intestines.

2. type of shape memory alloy (SMA).

Japan Institute of river with Northeastern University developed a shape memory alloy (SMA) as a drive for autonomous Medical Endoscope, development using MEMS technology, suitable for human pipeline environments such as the device in action colon, is a whole duct can independently bent multi-joint driven endoscopy, catheter diameter 1.2mm, each joint drive using shape memory alloy drive, through resistance value feedback control method, you can realize automatic soft tube and secure operation.

This can be through active endoscope can smoothly into such as S-shaped complex of colon, shape a narrow curved tube, can carry intra-Imaging optical system, front-lighting lens attachment from system, etc. automatically enters the body through the in vivo diagnosis and micro-surgery, and other functions in the body, as shown in the illustration.

Shape memory alloys can technology endoscope

3. pneumatic type.

A California Institute of technology.

Brett Slatkin, etc. to fiber endoscope-based developed pressure creeping endoscopy system, diameter 14mm, mainly by the signal control lead, pneumatic actuator duct and fiber bundle, pneumatic power source is divided into two parts in the high-voltage and low voltage, with inlays and telescopic unit, driven by the pressure setting close to the intestinal wall and expansion, have similar earthworm wriggling.

Italy and Belgium P.Dario Mitech laboratory at the University of Leuven and others use J.Peris earthworm-principles developed an intestinal endoscopy-robots, the use of compressed air driven robot body consists of three air drive, the drive to the middle of the axial expansion, produce axial thrust, pushing robot.

Micro Robot diameter 15mm, systolic time 42mm, expansion time 80mm containing CCD-camera, two clips embedded and a telescopic actuator in pneumatic distributor under the control of the implementation in the intestinal peristalsis. Robot's head is equipped with a working tool, camera and lighting. Used to check in the intestinal tract and surgical operations, as shown in the figure.

Intestinal endoscopy-robot