Soft robotic system could ease complications and cost of colonoscopy
A doctoral candidate in mechanical and materials engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has designed a robotic alternative to the traditional colonoscope that physicians use when searching for pre-cancerous or cancerous polyps that can line the large intestine. According to the developer, Hossein Dehghani, he robot could help make the colonoscopy a painless and less costly procedure.
“Imagine a robot that deforms itself instead of deforming the colon,” said Dehghani, who designed the prototype as part of his dissertation. “That would decrease the pain significantly.”