Chip-on-tip endoscope incorporating a soft robotic pneumatic bending microactuator

Area of Science:

• Medical Robotics
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional flexible surgical instruments struggle with small bending radii and friction, limiting navigation in complex anatomies.
• Soft robotic actuators offer a promising alternative, particularly elastic inflatable actuators adhering to the S3-principle (Small, Soft, Safe).

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a novel chip-on-tip endoscope utilizing a soft robotic pneumatic bending microactuator.
• To assess the feasibility of this micro-endoscope for surgical applications.

Main Methods:

• Development and integration of a soft robotic pneumatic bending microactuator with a 1.1 x 1.1 mm² CMOS camera.
• Characterization of the micro-endoscope's performance, including its small diameter (1.66 mm).
• Preliminary testing on an eye mock-up to demonstrate surgical navigation capabilities.

Main Results:

• The developed endoscope features an ultra-small diameter of 1.66 mm.
• The soft robotic microactuator allows for precise bending and navigation within confined spaces.
• Successful preliminary testing on an eye mock-up demonstrated potential for surgical use.

Conclusions:

• The characterized soft robotic endoscope represents a significant advancement for minimally invasive surgery.
• Its small size and maneuverability overcome limitations of existing technologies.
• Further development holds promise for enhanced surgical procedures in intricate anatomical regions.