A semi-autonomous micro-robotic system for Colonoscopy

In recent year, much research has been focused on designing robotic systems for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). This paper presents a whole micro-robotic system for MIS of colonoscopy. The purpose of this conceived system is to reduce the complexity of current colonoscopic procedure by designing a novel robotic tip. This system is composed of a micro robotic tip-Colobot, a proximity multi-sensor system and real-time control system for guiding the exploration of colon. The focus of this system was emphasized on the sensor capability and control strategy for automatically guiding the progression of the Colobot inside the human colon. This novel robotic tip is based on a new type of robot-continuum robot that does not present any articulations. This type of robot demonstrates the high dexterity in small space which is very suitable for medical surgery application. Colobot with 3 DOF is made of silicone rubber in view of the compact size and safety compatibility in the medical context. Experimental results will be presented to verify the performance of the whole system within a transparent tube.