Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 13, 2025
11:06
Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Published on: November 14, 2015
9.2K
Design and implementation of a novel wireless modular capsule robotic system in pipe
Jian Guo1, Zihong Bao1, Qiang Fu2
1Tianjin Key Laboratory for Control Theory & Applications in Complicated Systems and Biomedical Robot Laboratory, Tianjin International Joint Research and Development Center, Tianjin University of Technology, Binshui Xidao, Tianjin, 391, China.
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing
|July 26, 2020
Summary
This study introduces a new wireless modular capsule robotic system for digestive disease diagnosis. The novel system offers improved locomotion and functionality, overcoming limitations of current capsule endoscopy technologies.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Robotics
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Current capsule endoscopy technologies face limitations including large size, single functionality, and lack of active locomotion control.
- These limitations hinder effective diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and design a novel wireless modular capsule robotic system for enhanced gastrointestinal diagnosis.
- To address the shortcomings of existing capsule robots by enabling active locomotion, modularity, and precise control.
Main Methods:
- Designed a modular capsule robot system capable of axial movement, turning in bends, and rendezvous/separation actions.
- Utilized a three-dimensional rotating magnetic field generated by three-axis Helmholtz coils for robot control.
- Analyzed and designed the drive system for the Helmholtz coils, power supply control, and robot structure.
- Conducted characterization experiments to evaluate motion under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, varying signal frequencies, and robot structures.
Main Results:
- Modular capsule robots demonstrated effective forward, backward, and turning movements in pipe environments.
- The system successfully achieved rendezvous and separation actions.
- Experimental results validated the good motion characteristics and modular functionality under diverse conditions, including simulated gastrointestinal flow.
Conclusions:
- The developed wireless modular capsule robotic system offers a promising advancement over current capsule endoscopy.
- The system's design and experimental validation confirm its potential for improved diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Multiple Pipe Systems
1.0K
Multipipe systems consist of complex configurations of interconnected pipes designed to transport fluids efficiently across intricate networks. They are essential in engineering applications requiring precise control over flow distribution, pressure, and head loss. They are categorized into series, parallel, loop, and network configurations, each distinguished by unique flow characteristics and applications.
Series Configuration
In a series configuration, fluid flows sequentially from one pipe...
Series Configuration
In a series configuration, fluid flows sequentially from one pipe...
1.0K
01:25Design Example: Designing a Residential Plumbing System
973
The design of residential plumbing systems requires carefully evaluating water demand, flow rates, and pressure dynamics to ensure both efficiency and reliability. The nature of water flow within pipes is defined by its Reynolds number, which classifies flow as either laminar (smooth) or turbulent.
973
01:24Single Pipe Systems
340
In pipe flow analysis, problems are typically categorized into three types — Type I, Type II, and Type III — based on the known parameters and the desired outcome. Each type of problem addresses specific engineering requirements using fluid properties, pipe characteristics, and operational conditions.
In a Type I problem, fluid properties (density and viscosity), pipe characteristics (including diameter, length, and surface roughness), and the flow rate or average velocity are...
In a Type I problem, fluid properties (density and viscosity), pipe characteristics (including diameter, length, and surface roughness), and the flow rate or average velocity are...
340
01:25Design Example: Flow of Oil Through Circular Pipes
335
Understanding fluid flow behavior through pipes is critical in fluid mechanics, especially in applications like oil transportation through pipelines. Hagen-Poiseuille's law provides an exact solution derived from the Navier-Stokes equations for steady, incompressible, and laminar flow within a circular pipe. Hagen-Poiseuille's law helps determine the necessary pressure drop across a pipeline section by determining parameters like pipe length, radius, oil viscosity, and the desired volumetric...
335
01:22Mechanical Systems
490
Mechanical systems are analogous to to electrical networks where springs and masses play similar roles to inductors and capacitors, respectively. A viscous damper in mechanical systems functions similarly to a resistor in electrical networks, dissipating energy. The forces acting on a mass in such systems include an applied force in the direction of motion, counteracted by forces from the spring, a viscous damper, and the mass's acceleration. This interplay of forces is mathematically...
490