Towards active capsular endoscopy: preliminary results on a legged platform.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Robotics
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Endoscopic capsules require active locomotion for navigating the gastrointestinal tract.
• Current capsule technology lacks controlled movement in complex, tubular environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the challenge of active locomotion for endoscopic capsules in the gastrointestinal tract.
• To design and evaluate a legged capsule system for improved navigation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of locomotion in unstructured, flexible, tubular environments.
• Theoretical simulation of legged capsule locomotion for parameter optimization.
• Development of a 4-legged capsule prototype actuated by a miniaturized DC brushless motor.

Main Results:

• Optimal parameters for capsule design and gait selection were defined through simulation.
• A functional legged capsule prototype (3 cm³ volume) was successfully constructed.
• In vitro tests demonstrated a high achievable speed of 92 mm/min.

Conclusions:

• A legged capsule system offers a viable solution for active locomotion in the gastrointestinal tract.
• The developed prototype shows promising performance for future endoscopic applications.