Snake-Like Soft Robot Could Diagnose and Treat Small Intestine Disorders
In live pigs, the device moved through about 2 meters of small intestine in 11 minutes while capturing images, taking biopsies and delivering fluid.
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Snake-inspired soft robot could help doctors diagnose and treat small intestine disorders
Disorders of the small intestine are often difficult to diagnose and treat. More than 20 feet (6.1 meters) long, an inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter and located deep within the body, this organ is harder to access than other parts of the digestive tract, such as the colon or stomach.
MIT engineers created a soft enteroscope that advanced about two meters in animal testing and gathered tools to obtain images, administer drugs and take samples. The device, inspired by snakes, seeks to facilitate access to a section of the digestive system that is difficult to explore.
Robot Could Improve Diagnosis, Treatment of Small Intestine Disorders
An innovative robotic device inspired by snake movement could someday help gastroenterologists diagnose and treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other disorders of the small intestine and remove small polyps while reducing trauma to the organ's delicate tissues.
Researchers at MIT developed a soft robotic enteroscope, inspired by snake movement, that manages to navigate through the small intestine. The device facilitates exploration of this complex access area to capture images, remove tissue and administer medications locally.
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