Title: Assembling reconfigurable endoluminal surgical systems: opportunities and challenges

Authors: Z. Nagy, M. Fluckiger, R. Oung, I.K. Kaliakatsos, E.W. Hawkes, B.J. Nelson, K. Harada, E. Susilo, A. Menciassi, P. Dario, J.J. Abbott

Addresses: Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, Tannenstr 3, Zurich, 8092 Switzerland. ' Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, Tannenstr 3, Zurich, 8092 Switzerland. ' Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, Tannenstr 3, Zurich, 8092 Switzerland. ' Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, Tannenstr 3, Zurich, 8092 Switzerland. ' Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, Tannenstr 3, Zurich, 8092 Switzerland. ' Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, Tannenstr 3, Zurich, 8092 Switzerland. ' CRIM Laboratory, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, Pisa, Italy. ' CRIM Laboratory, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, Pisa, Italy; Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) Network, Via Morego 30, Genova, 16163 Italy. ' CRIM Laboratory, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, Pisa, Italy; Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) Network, Via Morego 30, Genova, 16163 Italy. ' CRIM Laboratory, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, Pisa, Italy; Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) Network, Via Morego 30, Genova, 16163 Italy. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, 50 S. Central Campus Dr., Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA

Abstract: The success of capsule endoscopy has promoted the development of the next generation of endoluminal surgical devices, and many research groups have proposed robotic capsules with novel functionalities, such as active locomotion and surgical intervention capabilities. Yet, these capsules are still single robotic units with a limited number of components and degrees of freedom. This paper addresses this inherent limitation of single capsule units by introducing the concept of modular robotics for surgical robotics. In the proposed procedure, the modules are ingested and assembled in the stomach cavity. We report on the key technologies of such a system: its self-assembly, actuation, power, and localisation.

Keywords: biomedical robotics; self-assembly; self-reconfiguration; robotic capsules; endoluminal surgical systems; modular robots; surgical robots; robot localisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBBR.2009.030054

International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics, 2009 Vol.1 No.1, pp.3 - 16

Published online: 03 Dec 2009 *

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