State of the art in soft eversion robots for colonoscopy: a review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Robotics
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Conventional colonoscopy causes patient discomfort, leading to reluctance and delayed diagnoses.
• Colorectal cancer has high mortality rates, emphasizing the need for better screening methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state of eversion robotics for colonoscopy.
• To identify challenges and opportunities for clinical application of eversion robots.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on material selection, actuation, steering, and payload delivery for eversion robots.
• Analysis of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as a suitable material.
• Evaluation of tip-steering mechanisms for navigation.
• Assessment of cap-free versus cap-based payload delivery designs.

Main Results:

• Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is identified as the optimal material for robot sleeves due to its properties.
• Tip-steering mechanisms are most effective for navigation without increasing robot wall thickness.
• Cap-free designs offer better adaptability and lower friction compared to cap-based methods.

Conclusions:

• Eversion soft robots present a promising, less invasive approach for colorectal diagnostics and therapy.
• Further development of these robots can enhance patient comfort and screening compliance.