The HKUST team said the robot is capable of imaging, high-precision motion, and multifunctional operations like sampling and drug delivery.
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The research team, led by Prof. Shen Yajing (second left), has designed an optical fiber-based submillimeter continuum robot for interventional treatment, which looks like a small tube like the one held by Dr. Zhang Tieshan (second right) in the photo. The devices held by Dr. Yang Xiong (first left) and Zhao Haoxiang (first right) serve as controllers for the robot arm and the magnetic field, respectively. | Source: HKURST
Researchers from the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, or HKUST, this week said that they successfully developed a small, multifunctional biomedical robot. With a profile of just 0.95 mm, the organization claimed the robot is 60% smaller than the typical models available on the market.
“Small-scale continuum robots hold promise for interventional diagnosis and treatment, yet existing models often struggle with compactness, precise navigation, and visualized functional treatment all in one,” stated Shen Yajing, an associate professor in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) at HKUST.
“Our study provides a significant solution for developing a surgical robot aimed at achieving early diagnosis and therapeutic goals in hard-to-reach areas of the body,” he added. “With ongoing technological advancements, we believe that the fiberscopic robot will make greater contributions to human health in the foreseeable future.”
The university team said the robot is capable of imaging, high-precision motion, and multifunctional operations like sampling, drug delivery, and laser ablation. It also offers competitive imaging performance and obstacle detection. This enables the robot to find applications in narrow and challenging channels of the human body, such as the lung’s end bronchi and oviducts.
In addition, the system offers competitive imaging performance and extends obstacle detection distance up to around 9.4 mm, a tenfold improvement from theoretical limits. It also achieves motion precision at less than 30 μm and widens the imaging region by around 25 times the inherent view.
Four components make tiny robot possible
Prof. Yajing and his team said four major components make possible the the small design of their robot. These include an optical fiber array for capturing images inside the body, a custom tool for delivering treatments precisely where needed, a hollow skeleton to hold the fibers and tools in place, and a functionalized skin that enables precise control of the robot’s movements.
The team created the hollow skeleton using a microscale 3D printer. They produced the functionalized skin through a magnetic spray technique, which helps keep the robot small and allows it to glide easily during surgery. It also features a gel-like outer layer that reduces friction.
The HKUST researchers said they tested the robot with in vitro bronchial models and ex-vivo porcine lungs. During the tests, the robot demonstrated smooth navigation in tight spaces while successfully capturing clear images and performing treatments in difficult areas.
Thanks to their ability to navigate narrow cavities while enabling quick recovery and low infection risk, small continuum robots have been employed in the treatment of several diseases, said the scientists. These include heart disease—through the deployment of stents and electrophysiology catheters—and the repair of perforations in gastric and duodenal ulcers using single-port laparoscopy, among other applications.
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HKUST plans further refinement for more settings
Building on this successful invention, the research team said it plans to further refine the robot’s features to fit them into practical settings.
“We aim to further optimize the design and control of the fiberscopic robot, prioritizing safety and reliability during interventional surgery,” said Dr. Zhang Tieshan, a postdoctoral fellow at HKUST. “We look forward to implementing in vivo trials to demonstrate its performance in clinical scenarios.”
Tieshan is one of the two co-first authors of the study, along with Dr. Li Gen. Other co-authors from HKUST include Research Assistant Professor Dr. Yang Xiong and Ph.D. student Zhao Haoxiang, also from the ECE Department.
The post HKUST researchers develop small, multifunctional biomedical robot appeared first on The Robot Report.
The research team, led by Prof. Shen Yajing (second left), has designed an optical fiber-based submillimeter continuum robot for interventional treatment, which looks like a small tube like the one held by Dr. Zhang Tieshan (second right) in the photo. The devices held by Dr. Yang Xiong (first left) and Zhao Haoxiang (first right) serve as controllers for the robot arm and the magnetic field, respectively. | Source: HKURST
Researchers from the School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, or HKUST, this week said that they successfully developed a small, multifunctional biomedical robot. With a profile of just 0.95 mm, the organization claimed the robot is 60% smaller than the typical models available on the market.
“Small-scale continuum robots hold promise for interventional diagnosis and treatment, yet existing models often struggle with compactness, precise navigation, and visualized functional treatment all in one,” stated Shen Yajing, an associate professor in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) at HKUST.
“Our study provides a significant solution for developing a surgical robot aimed at achieving early diagnosis and therapeutic goals in hard-to-reach areas of the body,” he added. “With ongoing technological advancements, we believe that the fiberscopic robot will make greater contributions to human health in the foreseeable future.”
The university team said the robot is capable of imaging, high-precision motion, and multifunctional operations like sampling, drug delivery, and laser ablation. It also offers competitive imaging performance and obstacle detection. This enables the robot to find applications in narrow and challenging channels of the human body, such as the lung’s end bronchi and oviducts.
In addition, the system offers competitive imaging performance and extends obstacle detection distance up to around 9.4 mm, a tenfold improvement from theoretical limits. It also achieves motion precision at less than 30 μm and widens the imaging region by around 25 times the inherent view.
Four components make tiny robot possible
Prof. Yajing and his team said four major components make possible the the small design of their robot. These include an optical fiber array for capturing images inside the body, a custom tool for delivering treatments precisely where needed, a hollow skeleton to hold the fibers and tools in place, and a functionalized skin that enables precise control of the robot’s movements.
The team created the hollow skeleton using a microscale 3D printer. They produced the functionalized skin through a magnetic spray technique, which helps keep the robot small and allows it to glide easily during surgery. It also features a gel-like outer layer that reduces friction.
The HKUST researchers said they tested the robot with in vitro bronchial models and ex-vivo porcine lungs. During the tests, the robot demonstrated smooth navigation in tight spaces while successfully capturing clear images and performing treatments in difficult areas.
Thanks to their ability to navigate narrow cavities while enabling quick recovery and low infection risk, small continuum robots have been employed in the treatment of several diseases, said the scientists. These include heart disease—through the deployment of stents and electrophysiology catheters—and the repair of perforations in gastric and duodenal ulcers using single-port laparoscopy, among other applications.
Register today to save 40% on conference passes!
HKUST plans further refinement for more settings
Building on this successful invention, the research team said it plans to further refine the robot’s features to fit them into practical settings.
“We aim to further optimize the design and control of the fiberscopic robot, prioritizing safety and reliability during interventional surgery,” said Dr. Zhang Tieshan, a postdoctoral fellow at HKUST. “We look forward to implementing in vivo trials to demonstrate its performance in clinical scenarios.”
Tieshan is one of the two co-first authors of the study, along with Dr. Li Gen. Other co-authors from HKUST include Research Assistant Professor Dr. Yang Xiong and Ph.D. student Zhao Haoxiang, also from the ECE Department.
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