Magnetic tentacle robot navigates smallest bronchial tubes
A magnetic tentacle robot could one day take tissue samples or deliver targeted cancer therapy to the smallest bronchial tubes in the lungs.
This is the claim of engineers, scientists and clinicians at the STORM Lab at Leeds University who have developed the proof-of-concept robot that measures 2mm in diameter.
The team is pioneering the use of robotic systems to assist in endoscopy and catheter procedures and their current findings have been published in Soft Robotics.
The proof of concept was based on laboratory tests involving a 3D replica of a bronchial tree modelled from anatomical data. The next phase of the research will investigate the effectiveness of the device in navigating lungs taken from a cadaver.
Currently, doctors use a bronchoscope to carry out an examination of the lungs and air passages. The procedure involves passing a flexible tube-like instrument measuring around 3.5 to 4mm in diameter through the nose or mouth and into the bronchial passages.
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