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With the latest advancements in the rapidly evolving field of medical robotics, scientists have built small intestinal explorer robots to detect and treat deadly common cancers.
This machine performs a 3D scan of a colon that was previously impossible to do to roll the digestive system using a mussel shell-like shape when guided by a magnet outside the body. This innovation could enhance detection of intestinal cancer, which is treatable early on, but the second largest cause in the world.
“This minimally invasive robotics approach could significantly improve early diagnosis and in the future enable targeted ultrasound-triggered medical delivery,” said Nikita Greenidge of Leeds University, the lead author of a paper on the study published Wednesday at Science Robotics.
Developers at Leeds, Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh are hoping to start human testing of coin-sized robots next year after successful testing on pigs.
The machine is 3D printed from a resin in the shape known as an oroid, allowing for a wide range of movement and contact with surfaces.
Nikita Greendidge of Leeds University: “This minimally invasive robotic approach will significantly improve early diagnosis and will be able to provide targeted ultrasound trigger medications in the future.” © StormLab
This means that you can navigate and image the large intestine to a degree that was previously unattainable, the researchers said. The UK Penny-sized machine has been tested on surfaces that simulate the structure of the colon, esophagus and stomach.
The robot may allow virtual cancer screening to eliminate the delays, costs and complications associated with traditional biopsy methods based on extraction of body tissue, the authors write.
Screening, diagnosis, and treatment can be performed “in a single step” rather than an existing multi-stage process that lasts for more than a few weeks.
The new methods could be particularly useful for women, researchers say. Female colons are on average longer than their male counterparts. This means that standard screening involving tube insertion can be difficult to perform and more painful.
This project is an example of how cutting-edge technology is enabling the development of “fast, non-invasive solutions that could revolutionize cancer diagnosis and treatment.”
Intestinal cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the third most common cancer in the world. In 2022, 185 countries covered by the World Health Organization’s global cancer stations accounted for 1.9 million new cases and 900,000 deaths.
Colorectal cancer rates in people under the age of 50 are rising in many high-income countries, including the United States. Scientists are investigating possible links to diets that are rich in so-called ultra-highly processed foods.
Prof. Name Sunro, future council member and vice-chairman for Royal British Surgeons, said that new robot investigators would be a significant innovation if fully proven in human trials.
“This is potentially groundbreaking,” he said. “However, further research is essential to verify safety, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness before integration into routine medical and surgical practices.”
Robots are increasingly used in medicine for tasks such as improving diagnosis and reducing the invasiveness of surgical procedures. Droids are deployed in processes such as vascular x-rays and precision radiation therapy in several tumors.
