Feb 3 2011
Researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University are developing serpentine robots that can glide into organs like the heart during surgical procedures. These organs are unsafe to perform an open surgery.
Howie Choset, a Roboticist at CMU, has designed the Cardio Arm, a snake-like robot measuring 30 cm. The serpentine robot has an articulated layout. Its adaptable moving parts are covered by 102 cylindrical links.
Catheter-based surgical tools for imaging and treatment are included through the working parts of the Cardio Arm. An incision measuring 19mm is made on the patient’s abdomen and the robot is allowed to automatically move into the chest. It includes a tiny, built-in camera on its front end, enabling the surgeon to view its navigation. The surgeon can also alter its course if required by controlling its head by means of a joystick.
Snake-like robots are more beneficial than the conventional mobile robots as well as robotic arms due to their increased flexibility and ability to move into difficult positions without disturbing the body parts located within the chest. If an urgent situation arises, the entire process can be stopped and the robot can be taken out immediately and safely.
In 2010, the Cardio Arm was subjected to a clinical trial in the Czech Republic for conducting a diagnostic heart-mapping surgery. It is expected that in future, the serpentine robot can be deployed to conduct investigations and minor procedures like epicardial injection, epicardial ablation and biopsies, without disturbing the rib cage.
These robots can also be utilized in several applications involving archaeological investigation and urban search and rescue operations. Serpentine robots can crawl through unapproachable tight spaces and can locate survivors easily. In addition its subtle approach enables the investigation of archeological remnants like tombs, without the requirement of extricating any object in the building.