Researchers at the University of Leeds’ STORM Lab have developed an ultra-soft, 2mm diameter robotic tentacle controlled by magnets that can penetrate deep into the lungs to detect and treat early signs of cancer.
Tests on a cadaver demonstrated that this magnetic tentacle robot could travel 37% deeper into the lungs than standard equipment, resulting in less tissue damage.
A Tailored, Less Invasive Approach
This innovative development heralds a more precise and minimally invasive approach to treating lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
Surgical intervention is the standard treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, which constitutes around 84% of lung cancer cases.
However, such interventions are often highly invasive and lead to substantial tissue removal, impacting lung function and not suitable for all patients.
Paving the Way for Non-invasive Treatment
The development of the magnetic tentacle robot offers a less invasive option, potentially allowing clinicians to target only malignant cells while sparing healthy tissue.
Such a technique not only improves navigation within the lungs during biopsies but also offers potential for less invasive treatment.
Two Robots, Better Than One
The STORM Lab team is also exploring how to control two independent magnetic robots to work together within a confined area of the human body.
In a replicated skull model, they successfully demonstrated how one robot could maneuver a camera while the other directed a laser to remove tumors.
These robots, made from silicone to minimize tissue damage, are steered by magnets mounted on robotic arms outside the patient’s body.
Controlling two magnetic robots in close proximity posed a challenge due to mutual attraction, but this was resolved by designing the tentacles to only bend in certain directions and strategically placing the magnetic poles in each robot.
This breakthrough is seen as a significant contribution to magnetically controlled robotics, demonstrating that diagnostic procedures with a camera and full surgical procedures can be performed in small anatomical spaces.
The results of these investigations are published in the journals Engineering Communications and Advanced Intelligent Systems. The team is now working on gathering data to initiate human trials.
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The study was published in Communications Engineering.
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