Development of a robotic colonoscope

Background: Colonoscopy is a common procedure for the diagnosis of various colon pathologies such as cancer of the colon. Due to the working characteristics of conventional colonoscopes, the present colonoscopy procedure is unpleasant for the patient and is technically demanding for the endoscopist. Methods: A robotic colonoscope named EndoCrawler is proposed for inspection and surgical procedures. Supported by the colonic walls, it can propel itself into the human colon using its rubber bellow actuators to push against the colonic walls. The bellow actuators are distributed circumferentially and longitudinally in order to derive sufficient propelling forces. Results: Promising results from in vitro and in vivo experiments (on pigs) suggested that the EndoCrawler was a viable alternative to the conventional colonoscope. It was observed to be able to move at a speed of 150 mm/min in a live pig colon. It achieved a distance of 30 cm before being stopped by feces. Conclusion: It was demonstrated experimentally on pigs that the plurality of bellow actuators was a viable concept. Efforts are now being dedicated towards reducing the diametral space, improving the ability of the robot to negotiate bends, and improving the crawling speed of the robotic scope.