Capsule microrobot for targeting in medical diagnostic treatment

This paper presents a novel microrobot for medical diagnostic treatment in intestines. The microrobot is equipped with functions of sticking and drug ejecting as well as functions of conventional capsule endoscope for imaging. These novel functions of capsule microrobot are driven by pneumatic pressure. Pneumatic balloons on a body surface of microrobot are swollen so as to push their surfaces against an inner wall of intestines. The balloon surface has many tiny pillars to increase friction force for sticking. An integrated pressure source employs gas generation by blowing agent widely used for health examination. The microrobot also ejects drug solution by using the pressure generated by a reaction of blowing agent. Drug ejecting would contribute to both imaging and drug delivery for DDS. The typical size of current microrobot is less than 15 mm in diameter and 50 mm in length. This paper reports design, implementation and demonstration of developed microrobot.