Abstract
Previously developed robotic colonoscopes have difficulties in performing diagnostic procedures since they should be performed by experienced endoscopists to control the device efficiently. In the previous study, therefore, we presented a robotic colonoscope adopting an electric motor in the body to rotate elastic caterpillars. However, the installed small motor, due to the limitation of the robot size, limited velocity and thrust force. In addition, the electrical short can occur when it is operated in the watery lumen of a pig colon. Therefore, in this paper, we present a robotic colonoscope based on elastic caterpillars which are activated by an external motor through a flexible shaft. Since it uses a high power motor, it enables faster self-locomotion in the colon and to prevent short circuits. First of all, we investigated the velocity of the robot according to thrust force and torque from the flexible shaft generated by the motor which influences the robot performance. In preliminary tests, the robot performance was tested in various radii of the acrylic pipes and a latex tube. After obtaining promising results in the artificial colon, we carried out the ex-vivo test by using an excised pig colon. Conclusively, the robot showed the reliable locomotion performance of about 2.58 cm/s without causing any mucosal injury of the colon.
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This paper was presented at the ISR-2013, KINTEX, Seoul, Korea, October 24–26, 2013. Recommended by Guest Editor Byung Kyu Kim
Dowon Kim received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Korea Aerospace University, Korea, in 2011 and 2014, respectively. His major research interests include mechanical designs for in-pipe robot and robotic endoscope.
Byungkyu Kim received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1997. From 1997 to 2000, he was a technical staff member of CXrL (Center for X-ray Lithography) in the University of Wisconsin where he developed a computer code for thermal modeling of a mask membrane and wafer during beam exposure. From 2000 to 2005, he worked for Microsystem Center of KIST as a principal research scientist. He was in charge of develo** the microrobot for a microcapsule-type endoscope. Currently, he is a professor in the school of aerospace and mechanical engineering in Korea Aerospace University. His research interests include mechanical designs and analysis for robotic endoscope.
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Kim, D., Lee, D., Joe, S. et al. The flexible caterpillar based robotic colonoscope actuated by an external motor through a flexible shaft. J Mech Sci Technol 28, 4415–4420 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-014-1009-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-014-1009-2