Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

An Earthworm-Like Robotic Endoscope System for Human Intestine: Design, Analysis, and Experiment

  • Published:
Annals of Biomedical Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The existing endoscope brings too much discomfort to patients because its slim and rigid rod is difficult to pass through α, γ loop of the human intestine. A robotic endoscope, as a novel solution, is expected to replace the current endoscope in clinic. A microrobotic endoscope based on wireless power supply was developed in this paper. This robot is mainly composed of a locomotion mechanism, a wireless power supply subsystem, and a communication subsystem. The locomotion mechanism is composed of three liner-driving cells connected with each other through a two-freedom universal joint. The wireless power supply subsystem is composed of a resonance transmit coil to transmit an alternating magnetic field, and a secondary coil to receive the power. Wireless communication system could transmit the image to the monitor, or send the control commands to the robot. The whole robot was packaged in the waterproof bellows. Activating the three driving cells under some rhythm, the robot could creep forward or backward as a worm. A mathematic model is built to express the energy coupling efficiency. Some experiments are performed to test the efficiency and the capability of energy transferring. The results show the wireless energy supply has enough power capacity. The velocity and the navigation ability in a pig intestine were measured in in vitro experiments. The results demonstrated this robot can navigate the intestine easily. In general, the wireless power supply and the wireless communication remove the need of a connecting wire and improve the motion flexibility. Meanwhile, the presented locomotion mechanism and principle have a high reliability and a good adaptability to the in vitro intestine. This research has laid a good foundation for the real application of the robotic endoscope in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 10
FIGURE 11
FIGURE 12
FIGURE 13
FIGURE 14
FIGURE 15
FIGURE 16
FIGURE 17
FIGURE 18

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Accoto, D., P. Castrataro, and P. Dario. Biomechanical analysis of Oligochaeta crawling. J. Theoret. Biol. 230:49–55, 2004. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2004.03.025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Carrozza, M. C., L. Lenciomi, and B. Magnani. A micro robot for colonoscopy. In: Seventh International Symposium on Micro Machine and Human Science, Nagoya, Japan, 1996, pp. 223–228

  3. Dario, P., M. C. Carrozza, E. Guglielmelli, C. Laschi, A. Menciassi, and F. Vecchi. Robotics as a future and emerging technology: biomimetics, cybernetics, and neuro-robotics in European projects. IEEE Robot. Automat. Mag. 12:29–45, 2005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Fang, D. Electrician Reckoner. Jinan, China: Shandong Science and Technology Press, 1994

  5. Iddan G., Glukhovsky A., Swain P. (2000) Wireless capsule endoscopy. Nature 405(25): 417. doi:10.1038/35013140

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1998

  7. Joung, G. B., and B. H. Cho. An energy transmission system for an artificial heart using leakage inductance compensation of transcutaneous transformer. IEEE Trans. Power Electr., 13(6):1013–1022,1998

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. B. Kim, M.G. Lee, Y.P. Lee, Y.I. Kim, G. Lee 2006 An earthworm like micro robot using shape memory alloy actuator. Sens. Actuat. A, 125, 429–437. doi:10.1016/j.sna.2005.05.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kim, B., S.-H. Park, Y. J. Chang, et al. An earthworm-like locomotive mechanism for capsule endoscopes. In: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Barcelona: IEEE, 2005, pp. 1205–1211

  10. Kraus, J. D., and D. A. Fleisch. Electromagnetics with Applications. Beijing, China: Tsinghua University Press, McGraw-Hill, 105 pp

  11. Ma, G. Research on a Miniature Robot and Wireless Powering Techniques for Intestine Inspection. Shanghai, China: Shanghai Jiaotong University, pp. 89–91, 2008

  12. Menciassi, A., and P. Dario. Bio-inspired solutions for locomotion in the gastrointestinal tract: background and perspectives. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A 5:1–12, 2003

    Google Scholar 

  13. Menciassi, A., S. Gorini, A. Moglia, et al. Clamping tools of a capsule for monitoring the gastro intestinal tract. In: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Barcelona, Spain, 2005, pp. 1309–1314

  14. Menciassi, A., S. Gorini, G. Pernorio, and P. Dario. A SMA actuated artificial earthworm. In: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, New Orleans, LA, 2004, pp. 3282–3287

  15. Ozeki, T., T. Chinzei, and Y. Abe. A study on an energy supply method for a transcutaneous energy transmission system. Artif. Organs. 27(1):68–72, 2000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. F. Sato, T. Nomoto, G. Kano 2004 A new contactless power-signal transmission device for implanted functional electrical stimulation (FES). IEEE Trans. Mag., 40(4), 2964–2966. doi:10.1109/TMAG.2004.830416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wang, G., W. Liu, and R. Bashirullah. A closed loop transcutaneous power transfer system for implantable devices with enhanced stability. In: ISCAS, 2004, pp. 17–20

  18. K. Wang, G. Yan 2007 Micro robot prototype for colonoscopy and in-vitro experiment. J. Med. Eng. Technol., 31(1), 24–28. doi:10.1080/03091900500233759

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wang, K., G. Yan, and J. Zuo. Active micro robot colonoscopy’s navigation based on vision. High Technol. Lett. 16:372–376, 2006

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yan, G.-Z., Q.-H. Lu, G. Q. Ding, et al. The prototype of a piezoelectric medical micro robot. In: International Symposium on Micromechatronics and Human Science. Nagoya: IEEE, 2002, pp. 73–78

Download references

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to make a grateful acknowledgement to the financial support from the High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2004AA404013 and 2008AA04Z201).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Instrument Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Kundong Wang, Guozheng Yan, Guanying Ma & Dongdong Ye

Authors
  1. Kundong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guozheng Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guanying Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dongdong Ye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kundong Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, K., Yan, G., Ma, G. et al. An Earthworm-Like Robotic Endoscope System for Human Intestine: Design, Analysis, and Experiment. Ann Biomed Eng 37, 210–221 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-008-9597-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-008-9597-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation