US researchers from Harvard University’s John Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have developed a small, hybrid rigid-soft robotic arm for endoscopes.

Based on a bio-inspired approach that combines pop-up fabrication with soft robotics, the arm is designed to stay flat on the endoscope and pop up after entering the target surgical site.

Soft robots are considered suitable for surgical applications as they will not accidentally puncture or tear the body tissue.

The hybrid model features a rigid skeleton that is surrounded by soft materials such as actuators that are integrated into the pop-up fabrication system.

SEAS and Wyss Institute postdoctoral fellow Sheila Russo said: “We found that, by integrating soft fluidic microactuators into the rigid pop-up structures, we could create soft pop-up mechanisms that increased the performance of the actuators in terms of the force output and the predictability and controllability of the motion.

"The idea behind this technology is basically to obtain the best of both worlds by combining soft robotic technologies with origami-inspired rigid structures."

“The idea behind this technology is basically to obtain the best of both worlds by combining soft robotic technologies with origami-inspired rigid structures.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Powered by water, the soft actuators used in the robotic arm are connected to the rigid components through an irreversible chemical bond.

The researchers incorporated capacitive sensing into the arm to measure forces applied to the tissue and to sense the direction and movement of the device. They also included a suction cup to ensure safe tissue interaction.

The arm has already been tested ex-vivo for a simulated complex endoscopic procedure, and the team intends to proceed for in-vivo evaluation.


Image: SEM images of the hybrid soft pop-up actuators. Photo: courtesy of the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.