A chameleon-like self-growing throat swab sampling robot and sampling method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a chameleon-like self-growing throat swab sampling robot, comprising: a robot body, formed by pneumatic self-growth of flexible material, with an internal channel connected to the atmosphere formed therein, which grasps and releases the throat swab according to the change in the gripping length of the throat swab through this internal channel; a drive storage mechanism connected to the front end of the robot body, which is used to store the flexible material required for the growth of the robot body and provide power for its growth and recovery; a pneumatic artificial muscle located on the surface of the robot body, which is used to control the position of the robot end; and an end actuator located at the end of the robot body, which includes a recovery structure and a data acquisition module. The recovery structure guides the flexible material through rolling friction to assist in the recovery of the robot body. The present disclosure imitates the chameleon's "aim-launch-swallow-withdraw" hunting process and fully utilizes the flexibility and transmission characteristics of the self-growing robot to achieve rapid and safe collection of throat swabs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of throat swab sampling, and in particular to a chameleon-like self-growing throat swab sampling robot and a sampling method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In the face of infectious diseases and potential future emergencies, it is crucial to automate and intelligently manage the throat swab sampling process. Traditional throat swab sampling robots use a rigid robotic arm to grasp the end of the throat swab for patient sampling and testing. Current throat swab testing robots suffer from high testing costs, poor flexibility, a lack of compliance, and poor safety assurance. Some throat swab robots use flexible grippers at the end for throat swab sampling, but these robots also suffer from high testing costs, a limited working range, poor integration, limited gripping force for the throat swab, and difficulty entering the confined space of the human mouth.

[0003] Self-growing robots are a new type of flexible robot that can infinitely extend its length through additive manufacturing or material expansion. Therefore, they are suitable for applications such as pipeline exploration, aircraft cabin waste recovery, and medical catheterization. They are highly adaptable to confined and unstructured spaces. However, there is currently no technology that can apply self-growing robots to throat swab sampling. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure aims to solve one of the technical problems in the related art at least to a certain extent.

[0005] To this end, the present disclosure provides a chameleon-like self-growing throat swab sampling robot and a sampling method thereof, which imitates the chameleon's "aim-launch-swallow-withdraw" hunting process and fully utilizes the flexibility and transmission characteristics of the self-growing robot to achieve the grabbing of the throat swab through the channel inside the self-growing robot. The sampling robot disclosed in the present disclosure has strong flexibility and can realize the rapid and effective collection of throat swabs at a lower cost, while effectively ensuring the safety of patients.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] The first aspect of the present disclosure provides a chameleon-like self-growing throat swab sampling robot, comprising a robot body, a drive storage mechanism, a pneumatic artificial muscle, and an end effector mechanism;

[0008] The robot body is formed by self-growth of a flexible material through a pneumatic method, and has an internal channel connected to the atmosphere formed therein. The internal channel at the end of the robot serves as a space for accommodating the throat swab rod. The throat swab is grasped and released according to the change in the gripping length of the throat swab by the internal channel during the growth or recovery of the robot body. A first rough layer is provided on the surface of the internal channel to enhance friction during the gripping of the throat swab.

[0009] The drive storage mechanism is connected to the front end of the robot body and is used to store the flexible material required for the growth of the robot body and provide power for the growth and recovery of the robot body;

[0010] The pneumatic artificial muscle is located on the surface of the robot body, and the position and posture of the robot end are controlled by changing the length of the pneumatic artificial muscle;

[0011] The end effector is located at the end of the robot body and includes a recovery structure and a data acquisition module. The recovery structure guides the flexible material through rolling friction to assist in the recovery of the robot body. A cavity is formed inside the recovery structure for the internal channel to pass through. The data acquisition module is installed on the recovery structure and is used to collect tactile information during the throat swab sampling process.

[0012] In some embodiments, the recovery structure is located inside the end of the robot body, and includes a bracket, two second drive motors, two active rollers and at least three guide rollers; the two active rollers are symmetrically located in the cavity of the bracket and are arranged close to the internal channel of the end of the robot body, and the surface of the active roller is covered with a second rough layer that contacts the side wall of the internal channel to increase the friction between the active roller and the flexible material; each second drive motor is installed on the bracket to drive a corresponding active roller to rotate, so that the second rough layer and the side wall of the internal channel produce rolling friction, providing tension for recycling the flexible material; each guide roller is rotatably connected to the end of the bracket and is arranged in a circumferentially uniform manner, so as to guide the flexible material during recycling.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first rough layer and the second rough layer are both cast from silicone, the first rough layer is a strip structure formed on two opposite surfaces of the internal channel, and the second rough layer completely covers the rolling surface of the active roller.

[0014] In some embodiments, the thickness of the first rough layer and the second rough layer is 100 μm to 30 μm.

[0015] In some embodiments, the data acquisition module includes an endoscope and a patch-type force sensor; the endoscope is fixed to the bracket by magnetic attraction, and the endoscope is located outside the robot body, for providing visual perception for throat swab sampling; the patch-type force sensor is fixed at the end of the internal channel of the robot body and in contact with the throat swab rod, for providing tangential force perception for throat swab sampling.

[0016] In some embodiments, the flexible material is selected from nylon or plastic film.

[0017] In some embodiments, the drive storage mechanism includes a tank body, a material reel, a motor housing, a first drive motor and a coupling; the material reel is installed in the tank body, and the flexible material is wound on the material reel; a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole are respectively provided on the side walls of the tank body, one end of the flexible material is mounted on the tank body through a plug body sealed at the first mounting hole, and the tank body is connected to the robot body, and the other end of the flexible material is fixed on the material reel; an air pipe interface connected to an external air pipe is sealed at the second mounting hole to provide gas drive for the growth of the robot body; the first drive motor is arranged outside the tank body and encapsulated by the motor housing, and the output shaft of the first drive motor passes through the surface of the tank body and is connected to the material reel through the coupling.

[0018] In some embodiments, the pneumatic artificial muscles are located on two opposite sides of the robot body. The pneumatic artificial muscles are expanded by inflating them to reduce the length of the pneumatic artificial muscles, so that the robot body swings toward the side where the length of the artificial pneumatic muscles is reduced, thereby changing the end posture of the robot.

[0019] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a sampling method based on the throat swab sampling robot described in any embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure, comprising:

[0020] Step S1, controlling the length changes of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle to make the robot body grow toward the throat swab grasping area until the end of the robot reaches the area, thereby completing the grasping of the throat swab;

[0021] Step S2: controlling the length of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle so that the robot end reaches the sampling area, and completing the throat swab sampling of the patient by fine-tuning the length of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle and using the data acquisition module;

[0022] Step S3: by controlling the length change of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle, the end of the robot body reaches the throat swab recovery area, and the release of the throat swab and the recovery of the robot body are completed through the cooperation of the driving storage mechanism and the recovery structure.

[0023] In some embodiments, in step S2, after the robot end reaches the sampling area, the robot end is grown toward the patient. During the growth process, the current posture of the robot end and the length of the pharyngeal swab extending into the patient's mouth are detected in real time by the data acquisition module, and the posture of the robot end is fine-tuned in conjunction with the pneumatic artificial muscle so that the pharyngeal swab end is aligned with the patient's throat. Subsequently, the force information collected by the data acquisition module is used to determine whether safe contact has occurred with the patient's throat. If it is determined that safe contact has occurred or the contact force exceeds the set threshold, the robot body stops growing, and the pharyngeal swab is removed from the patient's mouth through the cooperation of the drive storage mechanism and the recovery structure, ending step S2.

[0024] The present disclosure has the following features and beneficial effects:

[0025] The present disclosure provides a chameleon-like self-growing throat swab sampling robot, which collects throat swabs in a self-growing manner. The robot adopts an integrated design, with the end of the self-growing robot as a flexible end effector, and the throat swab is grasped by the change in the length of the self-growing robot. The sampling process of the throat swab imitates the chameleon's "aim-launch-swallow-withdraw" hunting process. The robot grasps the throat swab head and samples the throat swab by changing its own length. The internal channel at the end of the robot is directly used as the end effector of the robot, making full use of the flexibility and transmission characteristics of the self-growing robot. The throat swab is grasped and released by the change in the length of the self-growing robot. It has a compact structure, strong integration, and high flexibility in a small space. By adding a friction layer to the surface of the internal channel at the end of the robot body as a gecko-like bristle structure, the gripping force of the throat swab can be effectively increased.

[0026] Compared with the current throat swab sampling robot, the throat swab sampling robot proposed in the present invention uses a self-growth method to collect throat swabs. Compared with the traditional method of using rigid robots for throat swab sampling, it has the advantages of strong flexibility, strong robustness, lower price, high detection efficiency, and better safety.

[0027] The body of the self-growing robot is made of flexible materials. By adjusting the air pressure inside the robot body and the length of the gripper for the throat swab, the gripping force of the throat swab can be changed. In conjunction with the data acquisition module at the end of the robot, tactile perception during the throat swab sampling process can be effectively achieved, thereby effectively ensuring the safety of the entire sampling process. At the same time, the flexible self-growing robot has strong robustness. The robot can grasp the throat swab within a certain angle range with the central axis of the terminal recovery structure, and through recycling, it can automatically adjust to a position parallel to the central axis of the terminal recovery structure, reducing the requirements for the robot's grip accuracy. The self-growing robot uses replaceable flexible materials and can be replaced after the sampling is completed, ensuring the safety and hygiene of the entire sampling process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 A side view of a self-growing throat swab sampling robot provided in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a top view of a self-growing throat swab sampling robot provided in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the drive storage mechanism in the robot shown.

[0031] Figure 4 (a) to (c) are Figure 1 Side, top, and cross-section views of the robot end are shown.

[0032] Figure 5 (a) to (c) are Figure 1 Side, top, and cross-sectional views of the end-recovery mechanism in the robot shown.

[0033] Figure 6 This is an overall flow chart of the sampling method of the self-growing throat swab sampling robot provided in the embodiment of the second aspect of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the overall state of the robot sampling process provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 8 A flowchart of a robot grabbing a throat swab provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 9 (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams of different motion states of the robot in this embodiment during the process of grabbing a throat swab.

[0037] Figure 10A fluid flow diagram of a throat swab collected by a robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 11 (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams of different motion states of the robot in this embodiment during the process of collecting throat swabs.

[0039] Figure 12 A fluid flow diagram of a robot recovering a throat swab according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 13 (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams of different motion states of the robot in this embodiment during the process of recovering throat swabs.

[0041] In the picture:

[0042] 100- robot body, 110- internal channel, 120- first rough layer,

[0043] 200 - drive storage mechanism, 210 - tank body, 211 - first mounting hole, 212 - second mounting hole, 213 - plug body, 214 - air pipe interface, 220 - material reel, 230 - motor housing, 240 - first drive motor, 250 - coupling;

[0044] 300-Pneumatic artificial muscle;

[0045] 400 - end effector, 410 - recovery structure, 411 - bracket, 411a - cavity, 412 - second drive motor, 413 - active roller, 413a - second rough layer, 414 - guide roller, 415 - bearing, 421 - endoscope, 422 - patch force sensor, 423 - magnet;

[0046] 500-throat swab.

[0047] A-throat swab collection area, B-sampling area, C-throat swab recovery area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clearly understood, this application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0049] On the contrary, this application covers any alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and solutions made within the spirit and scope of this application as defined by the claims. Furthermore, to facilitate a better understanding of this application, certain specific details are described in detail below in the detailed description of this application. Those skilled in the art will be able to fully understand this application without these details.

[0050] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification for understanding and reading by those familiar with this technology. They are not used to limit the conditions for implementation of this application and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change in the proportion relationship, or adjustment of the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this application without affecting the efficacy and purpose that can be achieved by this application. At the same time, the terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle" and "one" quoted in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of implementation of this application. Changes or adjustments in their relative relationships should also be regarded as the scope of implementation of this application without substantially changing the technical content.

[0051] See also Figures 1 to 5 The first embodiment of the present disclosure provides a chameleon-like self-growing throat swab robot, comprising a robot body 100, a drive storage mechanism 200, a pneumatic artificial muscle 300 and an end effector 400;

[0052] The robot body 100 is formed by pneumatic self-growth of a flexible material and has an internal channel 110 therein that communicates with the atmosphere. The internal channel 110 at the end of the robot serves as a space for accommodating the stem of the throat swab 500. The throat swab 500 is grasped and released according to the change in the grip length of the internal channel 110 during the growth or recovery of the robot body 100. A first rough layer 120 is provided on the surface of the internal channel 110 to enhance friction during the gripping of the throat swab 500.

[0053] A drive storage mechanism 200 is connected to the front end of the robot body 100 and is used to store the flexible material required for the growth of the robot body 100 (hereinafter referred to as "growth material") and provide power for the growth and recovery of the robot body 100;

[0054] Pneumatic artificial muscles 300 are located on both sides of the robot body 100 and control the position and posture of the robot end through the change of the length of the pneumatic artificial muscles 300;

[0055] The end effector 400 is located at the end of the robot and includes a recovery structure 410 and a data acquisition module. The recovery structure 410 guides the growth material to assist the recovery of the robot body 100 by rolling friction. A cavity is formed inside the recovery structure 410 for the internal channel 110 to pass through. The data acquisition module is installed on the recovery structure 410 and is used to collect tactile information during the sampling process of the throat swab 500.

[0056] In some embodiments, the selection of a growth material should consider factors such as thickness, flexibility, airtightness, and price. For example, nylon or plastic film can be used. Plastic film is preferred as the growth material because it is easier to ensure airtightness, is readily available, is relatively inexpensive, and can be replaced after sampling, ensuring safety and hygiene throughout the sampling process.

[0057] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 The drive storage mechanism 200 includes a tank body 210, a material reel 220, a motor housing 230, a first drive motor 240, and a coupling 250. The material reel 220 is installed in the tank body 210, and the growing material is wound on the material reel 220; a first mounting hole 211 and a second mounting hole 212 are respectively provided on the side wall of the tank body 210. One end of the growing material serves as the front end of the robot body 100. It is mounted on the tank body 210 through a plug 213 glued to the first mounting hole 211, and the tank body 210 is connected to the robot body 100. The other end of the growing material is fixed to the material reel 220, thereby forming an internal channel 110 connected to the atmosphere in the growing material outside the tank body 210; an air pipe interface 214 is glued to the second mounting hole 212 to achieve the connection between the tank body 210 and the external air pipe (the external air pipe is not shown in the figure), thereby providing gas for the growth of the robot body 100. Drive, the internal air pressure of the robot body 100 is adjusted by adjusting the proportional valve on the external air pipe; the first drive motor 240 is fixed to the upper surface of the top cover of the tank body 210 by screw connection, and the first drive motor 240 is encapsulated by a motor housing 230 fixed on the top cover of the tank body 210 to ensure the overall air tightness of the drive storage mechanism 200, and the output shaft of the first drive motor 204 passes through the top cover of the tank body 201 and is connected to the top of the material reel 220 through the coupling 250 located in the tank body 210. The bottom end of the material reel 220 is rotatably connected to the tank body 210 through a bearing, and the first drive motor 240 drives the material reel 220 to rotate to realize the release and recovery of the growth material, and cooperates with the external air circuit to control the growth and recovery of the robot body 100. Taking the growth process as an example, the external air path inflates the front end of the robot body 100 through the tank body 210, and the first drive motor 240 is used to drive the material reel 220 to rotate to release the growing material. Under the action of air pressure, the growing material gradually turns outward from the internal channel 110 to the outer surface of the robot body 100, causing the robot body 100 to gradually become longer.

[0058] In some embodiments, the pneumatic artificial muscles 300 are attached to both sides of the robot body 100 by adhesive tape ( Figure 1 、 2The left and right sides are shown in the figure) and are connected to the surface of the robot body 100, which is connected to an external air circuit (the external air circuit is not shown in the figure). By controlling the proportional valve on the external air circuit, the pneumatic artificial muscle 300 on the corresponding side is inflated to expand it, so as to reduce the length of the artificial pneumatic muscle 300 on the corresponding side, so that the robot body 100 swings toward the side where the length of the artificial pneumatic muscle 300 is reduced, thereby realizing a change in the end posture of the robot.

[0059] like Figure 4 Figures (a) to (c) illustrate the end of the robot provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, which is primarily composed of the end of the robot body 100 and the end effector 400. Considering the low friction coefficient of the robot body 100, to ensure a secure grip of the pharyngeal swab 500, a first rough layer 120 is adhered to opposite surfaces of the internal channel 110 of the end of the robot body 100. This friction layer is in close contact with the stem of the pharyngeal swab 500 to enhance the frictional force during the robot's grip on the pharyngeal swab 500. The end effector 400 primarily consists of a recovery structure 410 and a data acquisition module. The recovery structure 410 is located within the end of the robot body 100 and is primarily used to recover the robot body 100, providing a channel and guide for the robot to grip the pharyngeal swab 500, and also providing a mounting platform for the data acquisition module. The data acquisition module is used to collect tactile information from the pharyngeal swab 500 during the sampling process. This tactile information includes visual information and force information. The data acquisition module provides tactile perception for the pharyngeal swab 500 sampling process, ensuring a safe and smooth process.

[0060] Furthermore, the first rough layer 120 is made of a material with a high coefficient of friction, preferably cast from silicone, to serve as a gecko-like bristle structure. The thickness of the first rough layer 120 is set to 100 μm to 30 μm. To ensure the compliance of the robot body 100, the first rough layer 120 should not cover the entire surface of the internal channel 110 at the end of the robot body 100. Instead, the first rough layer 120 should only be provided in strips on opposite sides of the internal channel 110 at the end of the robot body 100. The length of the first rough layer 120 should be slightly longer than the contact surface between the robot and the throat swab 500 when the robot grasps the throat swab 500.

[0061] Furthermore, if Figure 5(a) to (c) show the end effector 400 of the robot, and its recovery structure 410 includes a bracket 411, two second drive motors 412, two active rollers 413 and at least three guide rollers 414; the bracket 411 is cylindrical in shape and open at both ends; the two active rollers 413 are located in the cavity 411a of the bracket 411 and are arranged near the internal channel 110 at the end of the robot body 100, and the surfaces of the two active rollers 413 are both adhered with a second rough layer 413a in contact with the side wall of the internal channel 110 to increase the friction between the growing material and avoid the growing material from buckling during the recovery process. The material and thickness of the second rough layer 413a are the same as those of the first rough layer 120, and the second rough layer 413a completely covers the rolling surface of the active roller 413; the two second drive motors 412 are fixed to the bracket 411 by gluing. On the upper part, the output shaft of the second drive motor 412 is connected to one end of the corresponding active roller 413 to drive the active roller 413 to rotate, so that the second rough layer 413a rolls and rubs against the side wall of the internal channel 110, and cooperates with the material reel 220 in the drive storage mechanism 200 to realize the recycling of the robot body 100. The other end of the active roller is rotatably connected to the bracket 411 through a bearing 415. It should be noted that the second drive motor 412 is used to drive the active roller 413 to rotate only when the generated material is recycled. When the growing material is released, the second drive motor 412 does not provide power to the active roller 413; each guide roller 414 is rotatably connected to the end of the bracket 411 through a bearing 415, and is arranged in a circumferentially uniform manner. Since each guide roller 414 is a passive wheel, it can provide guidance for the growing material when recycling and releasing the growing material. When the growing material of the robot body 100 needs to be recovered, the second driving motor 412 drives the active roller 413 to rotate in the direction of reducing the length of the robot body 100, so that the second rough layer 413a on the surface of the active roller 413 and the side wall of the internal channel 110 at the end of the robot body 100 generate rolling friction, thereby providing tension for the recovered growing material. Under the guidance of the guide roller 414, the growing material located on the outermost side of the robot body 100 is gradually turned inward to the internal channel 110 of the robot body 100, and the first driving motor 240 drives the material reel 220 to rotate in the direction of reducing the length of the robot body 100, that is, the rotation direction of the material reel 220 and the active roller 413 are consistent, and the speeds of the two are consistent, both of which are half of the recovery speed of the robot body 100. At the same time, the air pressure in the robot body 100 is controlled by the proportional valve in the external air circuit, thereby finally realizing the recovery of production materials.

[0062] The data acquisition module in the end effector 400 includes an endoscope 421 and a patch-type force sensor 422; the endoscope 421 is fixed to the bracket 411 by magnetic attraction, and the endoscope 421 is located outside the robot body 100 to avoid unclear collection images caused by obstruction of growing materials. Specifically, a magnet 423 is fixed to the bracket 411 located inside the robot body 100 by gluing, and the endoscope 421 is connected to the bracket 411 through the magnet 423. The endoscope is mainly used to provide visual perception for throat swab sampling; the patch-type force sensor 422 is attached to the end of the internal channel 100 of the robot body 100 and is in contact with the rod of the throat swab 500, providing tangential force perception for throat swab sampling to ensure the safety of the entire process.

[0063] Furthermore, each driving motor in the embodiment of the present disclosure is a stepping motor.

[0064] In order to collect throat swabs, Figure 6 、 Figure 7 As shown, the throat swab sampling robot workflow proposed in the second embodiment of the present disclosure includes sequentially executing the following steps:

[0065] Step S1: Grab the pharyngeal swab. The pharyngeal swab sampling robot grabs the pharyngeal swab 500 by changing the length of the robot body 100 and the pneumatic artificial muscle 300.

[0066] Step S2: throat swab sampling. The throat swab sampling robot completes the throat swab sampling of the patient through the change of the length of the pneumatic artificial muscle 300 and the data acquisition module;

[0067] Step S3: recovery of the throat swab. The throat swab sampling robot completes the recovery of the throat swab by changing the length of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle.

[0068] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, in step S1, the throat swab grabbing sub-process includes sequentially performing the following steps:

[0069] Step S1-1, control the proportional valve on one side of the machine body 100 ( Figure 9 The pneumatic artificial muscle 300 (shown as the right side) is inflated, and the length of the pneumatic artificial muscle 100 on this side is shortened, causing the robot body 100 to swing toward the throat swab grasping area A;

[0070] Step S1-2: Based on step S1-1, control the proportional valve to increase the air pressure inside the robot body 100, and coordinate with the rotation of the material reel 220 to cause the robot body 100 to grow toward the throat swab grasping area A until the internal channel 110 at the end of the robot body 100 completes the envelopment of the partial length of the throat swab 500 rod;

[0071] Step S1-3: By driving the material reel 220 in the storage mechanism 200 and the active roller 413 in the recovery structure 410 to cooperate and recover the grown material of the robot body 100 under the guidance of the guide roller 414, due to the provision of the first rough layer 120 and the second rough layer 413a, the stem of the throat swab 500 will gradually enter the internal channel 110 of the robot body 100 following the inward rotation of the grown material, thereby gradually increasing the grasping length of the stem of the throat swab 500 by the robot body 100, and completing the grasping of the throat swab 500;

[0072] Step S1-4, control the proportional valve to the other side of the robot body 100 ( Figure 8 The pneumatic artificial muscle 300 on the left side (shown in the figure) is inflated, causing the pneumatic artificial muscle 300 on that side to shorten, and the robot body 100 swings back to its initial position, completing the preparations before throat swab sampling.

[0073] In some embodiments, as Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, in step S2, the throat swab sampling sub-process includes sequentially performing the following steps:

[0074] Step S2-1, the patient arrives at sampling area B;

[0075] Step S2-2: The throat swab sampling robot grows toward the patient. During the growth process, the endoscope 421 at the end detects the current position of the robot end and the length of the throat swab 500 inserted into the patient's mouth in real time. The pneumatic artificial muscles 300 on both sides are used to fine-tune the position of the robot end so that the throat swab end is aligned with the patient's throat.

[0076] In step S2-3, the patch force sensor 422 at the end of the robot in contact with the pharyngeal swab 500 is used to determine whether the pharyngeal swab 500 has made contact with the patient's throat. If it is determined that no contact has occurred, the process returns to step S2-2, causing the robot to continue growing until contact is determined to have occurred. If contact has occurred, the material reel 220 is stopped, causing the robot to stop growing, and a determination is made as to whether the contact force exceeds a set threshold. If so, an emergency stop is performed, terminating the entire pharyngeal swab sampling process. If the threshold has not been exceeded, the process continues with step S2-4.

[0077] Step S2-4: After the contact process is completed, the active roller 413 and the material reel 220 are driven to rotate synchronously, and the robot body 100 is retracted under the guidance of the guide roller 414 to shorten its length;

[0078] Step S2-5, the patient leaves the throat swab sampling area B, completing the throat swab sampling step.

[0079] In some embodiments, as Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, in step S3, the throat swab recovery sub-process includes sequentially performing the following steps:

[0080] Step S3-1: Control the proportional valve to inflate the pneumatic artificial muscle 300, causing the pneumatic artificial muscle 300 on the left side of the robot to contract, and the robot body 100 to swing toward the throat swab recovery area C;

[0081] Step S3-2: Based on step S3-1, the proportional valve is controlled to increase the air pressure inside the robot body 100, and the material reel 220 is rotated to make the robot body 100 grow toward the throat swab recovery area C. As the length of the robot body 100 increases, the gripping length of the throat swab 500 by the end of the robot body 100 gradually decreases until the throat swab 500 falls off from the internal channel 110 of the end of the robot body 100, completing the release operation of the throat swab 500.

[0082] Step S3-3, by driving the material reel 220 in the storage mechanism 200 and the active roller 413 in the recovery structure 410 and under the guidance of the guide roller 414, the growth material of the robot body 100 is recovered until the robot body 100 returns to its original length;

[0083] In step S3-4, the proportional valve is controlled to inflate the right pneumatic artificial muscle 300, the length of the right pneumatic artificial muscle 300 is contracted, and the robot body 100 swings back to the initial position, completing the throat swab recovery process.

[0084] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0085] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A chameleon-like self-growing throat swab sampling robot, characterized in that: It includes robot body, drive storage mechanism, pneumatic artificial muscle and end effector; The robot body is formed by self-growth of a flexible material through a pneumatic method, and has an internal channel connected to the atmosphere formed therein. The internal channel at the end of the robot serves as a space for accommodating the throat swab rod. The throat swab is grasped and released according to the change in the gripping length of the throat swab by the internal channel during the growth or recovery of the robot body. A first rough layer is provided on the surface of the internal channel to enhance friction during the gripping of the throat swab. The drive storage mechanism is connected to the front end of the robot body and is used to store the flexible material required for the growth of the robot body and provide power for the growth and recovery of the robot body; The pneumatic artificial muscle is located on the surface of the robot body, and the position and posture of the robot end are controlled by changing the length of the pneumatic artificial muscle; The end effector is located at the end of the robot body and includes a recovery structure and a data acquisition module. The recovery structure guides the flexible material through rolling friction to assist in the recovery of the robot body. A cavity is formed inside the recovery structure for the internal channel to pass through. The data acquisition module is installed on the recovery structure and is used to collect tactile information during the throat swab sampling process.

2. The throat swab sampling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The recovery structure is located inside the end of the robot body and includes a bracket, two second drive motors, two active rollers, and at least three guide rollers; the two active rollers are symmetrically located in the cavity of the bracket and are arranged near the internal channel of the end of the robot body; the surfaces of the active rollers are covered with a second rough layer that contacts the side walls of the internal channel to increase friction between the active rollers and the flexible material; Each second drive motor is mounted on the bracket to drive a corresponding active roller to rotate, so that the second rough layer and the side wall of the internal channel generate rolling friction, thereby providing tension for recycling the flexible material; each guide roller is rotatably connected to the end of the bracket and is arranged in a circumferentially uniform manner to guide the flexible material during recycling.

3. The throat swab sampling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first rough layer and the second rough layer are both cast from silicone. The first rough layer is a strip-shaped structure formed on two opposite surfaces of the internal channel, and the second rough layer completely covers the rolling surface of the active roller.

4. The throat swab sampling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thickness of the first rough layer and the second rough layer is 100 μm to 30 μm.

5. The throat swab sampling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The data acquisition module includes an endoscope and a patch-type force sensor; the endoscope is fixed to the bracket by magnetic attraction, and the endoscope is located outside the robot body, used to provide visual perception for throat swab sampling; the patch-type force sensor is fixed at the end of the internal channel of the robot body and in contact with the throat swab rod, used to provide tangential force perception for throat swab sampling.

6. The throat swab sampling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible material is selected from nylon or plastic film.

7. The throat swab sampling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive storage mechanism includes a tank body, a material reel, a motor housing, a first drive motor and a coupling; the material reel is installed in the tank body, and the flexible material is wound on the material reel; a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole are respectively provided on the side walls of the tank body, one end of the flexible material is mounted on the tank body through a plug body sealed and connected to the first mounting hole, and the tank body is connected to the robot body, and the other end of the flexible material is fixed on the material reel; an air pipe interface connected to an external air pipe is sealed at the second mounting hole to provide gas drive for the growth of the robot body; the first drive motor is arranged outside the tank body and encapsulated by the motor housing, and the output shaft of the first drive motor passes through the surface of the tank body and is connected to the material reel through the coupling.

8. The throat swab sampling robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pneumatic artificial muscles are located on two opposite sides of the robot body. By inflating the pneumatic artificial muscles to make them expand, the length of the pneumatic artificial muscles is reduced, so that the robot body swings toward the side where the length of the artificial pneumatic muscles is reduced, thereby changing the end position of the robot.

9. A sampling method based on the throat swab sampling robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: include: Step S1, controlling the length changes of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle to make the robot body grow toward the throat swab grasping area until the end of the robot reaches the area, thereby completing the grasping of the throat swab; Step S2: controlling the length of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle so that the robot end reaches the sampling area, and completing the throat swab sampling of the patient by fine-tuning the length of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle and using the data acquisition module; Step S3: by controlling the length change of the robot body and the pneumatic artificial muscle, the end of the robot body reaches the throat swab recovery area, and the release of the throat swab and the recovery of the robot body are completed through the cooperation of the driving storage mechanism and the recovery structure.

10. The sampling method according to claim 9, characterized in that: In step S2, after the robot end reaches the sampling area, the robot end is made to grow toward the patient. During the growth process, the current posture of the robot end and the length of the pharyngeal swab inserted into the patient's mouth are detected in real time by the data acquisition module, and the posture of the robot end is fine-tuned in conjunction with the pneumatic artificial muscle so that the pharyngeal swab end is aligned with the patient's throat. Subsequently, the force information collected by the data acquisition module is used to determine whether safe contact with the patient's throat occurs. If it is determined that safe contact occurs or the contact force exceeds a set threshold, the robot body stops growing, and the pharyngeal swab is made to leave the patient's mouth through the cooperation of the drive storage mechanism and the recovery structure, ending step S2.

Images