Magnetic-guided Soft Tethered Capsule Endoscope for Upper/Lower GI Diagnostic

Overview

The electromagnetically actuated soft-tethered (EAST) colonoscope system provides a safe, effective, efficient, and easy-to-manipulate solution for colonoscopy, enhancing the social acceptance and availability of regular colon inspection.

Technical name of innovation

Electromagnetically Actuated Soft-Tethered (EAST) Colonoscope

Problem addressed

Colorectal cancer can be prevented and cured in case of early diagnosis. Conventional flexible colonoscopes are most commonly used for colon inspection and treatment, which, however, still have two major limitations: (i) patient discomfort related to the colonoscopy procedure without sedation; (ii) high skill requirements for endoscopists.

Innovation

The EAST colonoscope system is equipped with regular diagnostic and therapeutic functions as the conventional flexible colonoscope. It can achieve painless colonoscopy without sedation due to the active locomotion under external magnetic fields as well as the gentle interaction with the human colon.
Autonomous navigation and polyp detection based on artificial intelligence can introduce easy and intelligent manipulation of the colonoscope, which thus reduces the skill requirements and workloads of endoscopists.

Key impact

Equipped with regular diagnostic and therapeutic functions as the conventional flexible colonoscope
Painless colonoscopy without sedation due to the active manipulation under magnetic fields as well as the gentle interaction between the colon and the soft tether
Low skill requirements and workloads for endoscopists with easy manipulation and assisted functions of the colonoscope, such as autonomous navigation and poly detection
High autonomy of the system enables rapid colonoscopy and enhances the availability of the regular colon inspection

Award

Champion & Special Award of Professor Charles K. Kao Student Creativity Awards 2021

Application

Colonoscopy

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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