A new robotic endoscope system that can maneuver freely and remove objects stuck in the airways without causing side effects has been developed by a research team in South Korea. (Image courtesy of the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials)
DAEJEON, May 3 (Korea Bizwire) – A new robotic endoscope system that can maneuver freely and remove objects stuck in the airways without causing side effects has been developed by a research team in South Korea.
The team, consisting of Kim Kiyoung, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, and Chang Jae-won, a professor at Chungnam National University Hospital, announced that they have created a bronchial endoscope robot system that integrates an endoscopic grasper capable of adjusting its direction, along with eye-tracking and pedal control functions.
One common accident for infants and young children is swallowing foreign objects, which can dangerously obstruct their airways and lead to life-threatening situations like choking, requiring prompt medical attention.
The researchers combined a soft, flexible bronchial endoscope – a thin tube equipped with a small camera and LED lights at the tip, widely used in medical procedures – with robotic technology that allows the camera’s direction to be controlled.
The endoscopic grasper features joints connected by wires, enabling the device’s tip to be maneuvered up, down, left, and right. This capability allows for easy adjustment of the grasper’s angle and direction, facilitating the removal of foreign objects, according to the research team.
Additionally, the system incorporates eye-tracking technology that follows the medical professional’s eye movements and a foot pedal device for direct control by the practitioner.
With the endoscope camera freely bending, extending straight, rotating, and moving in the direction of the lodged object, medical staff can operate the system without assistance from support personnel.
Traditional bronchial endoscopic graspers lack joints, making it difficult to change their direction, while soft endoscopes previously required doctors to use both hands to remove objects, necessitating help from an assistant.
During clinical trials on miniature pigs, the research team successfully removed foreign objects from the animals’ airways.
“Through these clinical trials, we have verified that our robotic system is more effective and causes fewer side effects than existing surgical methods,” said Chang. “Moving forward, we plan to develop a system that can also be applied to upper airway surgeries.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
