New “Tentacle Robot” > Bronchoscopy for Lung Monitoring

The robot is essentially a 2mm wide catheter made up of tiny elastomer segments that contain magnetic particles. With the use of external magnets, the tentacle conforms to the shape of the bronchial tree anatomy to explore most areas of the lung, which eliminates the need for patients to be X-rayed during inspection. By calculating the path of the scope prior to the procedure, the system becomes autonomous and doesn’t require medical staff to guide it. A video with more information can be seen here.