Flexible Endoluminal Soft Robot for GI Cancer Treatment

Overview

The project focusses on the development of robotic platform technologies that will allow surgeons to perform complex surgical tasks, such as tissue retraction, suturing and resection, within the lumen of hollow visceral organs including the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.

Problem addressed

Current technologies, such as conventional endoscopes, do not provide adequate dexterity, controllability, and force exertion capabilities to easily perform some surgical tasks and also remain able to navigate within the endoluminal and extraluminal environment.

Innovation

Novel manufacturing, actuation, proprioceptive sensing and environment sensing methodologies.
Soft robotic devices that can effectively and safely navigate a lumen, while providing sufficient degrees of freedom and appropriate forces for complex tissue manipulation.
Soft robotic devices that reduce patients' discomfort during endoscopy due to their soft structure and compatibility with soft tissues

Key impact

Allowing surgeons to perform complex surgical tasks within the lumen of hollow visceral organs with adequate dexterity, controllability, and force exertion capabilities.
Rapid and economical manufacture to enable low-cost robotic devices.
Self-propulsion of soft robotic devices to minimise damage to patients.
Ability of robotic devices to sense external forces.

Application

Gastrointestinal cancer
Intraluminal or potentially transluminal procedures

Patent

UK Patent Application No. 1812408.1
International Patent Application No. PCT/GB2019/052116
UK Patent Application No. 1821129.2
Application No. PCT/WO2020/128509
Europe Patent Application No. EP3897378

Website

Through the InnoHK funding support of the HKSAR Government, the Multi-Scale Medical Robotics Center (MRC) was established in 2020 by the Chinese University of Hong Kong in collaboration with ETH Zürich, Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Hong Kong. We bring the worlds of medicine and robotics together, focusing on technological innovation with a strong emphasis on clinical translation and direct patient benefits.

Furthermore, we support three areas of research including: Endoluminal multi-scale robotic platforms for diagnostics and therapeutics, Magnetic-guided endoluminal robotic platform, Image-guided robotic interventions.

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