A Soft Robotic Balloon Endoscope for Airway Procedures

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Robotics
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Soft robots offer advantages in medical interventions due to low cost and safe force application.
• Endoscopic procedures in airways require precise navigation and manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of soft robots for endoscopically-guided balloon dilation in airways.
• To propose and optimize a scalable soft robot design for tracheal and bronchial procedures.

Main Methods:

• A novel soft robot design utilizing balloon catheter technology with a tip-mounted camera and LED was developed.
• Design parameters were optimized for clinical requirements of airway balloon dilation.
• The robot features proximal and distal bracing balloons for traction and dilation, and actuation balloons for locomotion and bending.
• Helical coils were incorporated into actuation balloons to prevent radial collapse, with design formulas derived.

Main Results:

• A prototype soft robot was successfully teleoperated through airways using a game controller and real-time video feedback.
• The robot demonstrated locomotion, bending, and traction capabilities.
• Experimental evaluation in rigid tubes and ex vivo porcine airways validated the approach's potential.

Conclusions:

• The proposed soft robot design shows promise for endoscopically-guided balloon dilation in the airways.
• This technology offers a scalable, cost-effective, and safe solution for airway interventions.