A prototype of an anchoring and extending intestinal micro-robot and an in vitro experiment

作者：Lin, W^*; Shi, Y; Yan, G; Wang, Y; Li, L

来源：Journal of Medical Engineering and Technology, 2011, 35(8): 410-415.

DOI：10.3109/03091902.2011.625463

• Anchoring capability
• Disease diagnosis
• In-vitro
• Intestinal tract
• Invasiveness
• Micro robots
• Small bowel

In order to minimize the invasiveness of intestinal disease diagnosis and surgery, we propose an anchoring and extending micro-robot. The gait of the micro-robot was designed according to the biomechanical features of the intestinal tract. The locomotion condition showed that the anchoring capability and extending ability should be balanced to enhance locomotion efficiency. The mechanical and control system was designed and fabricated under the requirements of the locomotive model. The assembled micro-robot was 90 mm in length and 13mm in diameter. The micro-robot prototype was tested in in vitro experiments;its locomotion efficiency was approximately 100% in an ideal environment, but around 50% in a pig's small bowel (20mm in diameter). The in vitro experiment results demonstrated that the gait is feasible for locomotion in the small bowel although the diameter of the small bowel is a limiting factor.

• 出版日期2011
• 单位上海交通大学