Endoscope with IMUs and Haptic Stiffness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopes face challenges in navigating tortuous body pathways due to limitations in bending stiffness and torsional control, which can lead to inaccuracies in positioning and orientation within the body.
Innovation Solution
The integration of distal and intermediate inertial measurement units (IMUs) with an optical module and a flexible insertion tube, along with a computer system that adjusts torsional and bending stiffness characteristics in real-time using haptic feedback and calibration data, enables precise navigation and imaging within the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the endoscope uses a flexible insertion tube with fixed bending stiffness, then the endoscope can navigate tortuous body pathways, but positioning accuracy and orientation control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the bending stiffness of the insertion tube dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The system includes a stiffness control mechanism that can modify the bending stiffness in real-time based on navigation requirements, allowing the endoscope to be stiff when positioning accuracy is needed and flexible when navigating tortuous pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of bending stiffness from a constant value to a variable parameter. By incorporating stiffness adjustment mechanisms and control systems, the endoscope can modify its mechanical properties during operation to optimize both navigation capability and positioning accuracy for different procedural stages.
2Ease of operation
If the endoscope uses a flexible insertion tube with fixed torsional control, then the endoscope can navigate body pathways, but orientation control accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the torsional control characteristics dynamically adjustable. The system includes torsional stiffness control mechanisms that can modify the torsional properties of the insertion tube in real-time, allowing optimal orientation control during different phases of navigation and imaging procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of torsional stiffness from a constant value to a variable parameter. By incorporating torsional adjustment mechanisms, the endoscope can modify its torsional response during operation to improve both navigation through tortuous pathways and precision of orientation control when positioning is critical.
3Device complexity
If the endoscope uses fixed bending stiffness, then the device structure remains simple, but navigation precision in tortuous pathways deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing dynamic stiffness adjustment capabilities that allow the endoscope to adapt its mechanical properties during navigation. This enables the device to achieve high navigation precision in tortuous pathways by adjusting bending stiffness as needed, while the base structure remains relatively simple and can be manufactured using conventional techniques.
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope having an insertion tube with a distal optical module and a releasable handle. In a semi-robotic embodiment, the handle comprises haptic controllers and a computer configured for steering and/or adjusting physical properties of the insertion tube in response to one or more command inputs from the haptic controllers. The computer may also convert image data received from the optical module into two-dimensional images displayable on a monitor. The endoscope may have inertial measurement units (IMUs) for providing data to the computer for creating a digital three-dimensional image representation of an anatomy model and/or for facilitating handling properties of the endoscope.