Researchers at the University of Leeds have built a tiny robot capable of traveling deep into the lungs and detecting the first indications of cancer. The ultra-soft tentacle, which measures only 2 mm in diameter and is controlled by magnets, will be able to reach some of the smallest bronchial passages and could revolutionize lung cancer treatment. The study, which was produced by scientists, engineers, and doctors at the STORM Lab in Leeds, lays the door for a more customized, accurate, and significantly less invasive approach to treatment.
Less tissue injury, greater precision
The magnetic tentacle robot was tested on the lungs of a cadaver, and it was determined that it can reach 37% deeper and with less tissue damage than normal equipment. The findings of the studies, which were funded by the European Research Council, were published in Nature Engineering Communications on Thursday (July 27).
Director of the STORM Lab and research supervisor Professor Pietro Valdastri said: “This is a really exciting development. This new approach has the advantage of being specific to the anatomy, softer than the anatomy, and fully-shape controllable via magnetics. These three main features have the potential to revolutionize navigation inside the body.”
Robots will open the way for less invasive medical treatment
While enhancing navigation within the lungs during biopsies, the magnetic tentacle robot can also pave the path for considerably less intrusive treatment by allowing clinicians to target only malignant cells while leaving healthy organs and tissue alone. Dr. Giovanni Pittiglio, co-author of the report and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Leeds’ School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, stated, “Our goal was, and still is, to bring curative aid with minimal pain for the patient.” “Remote magnetic actuation enabled us to do this using ultra-soft tentacles which can reach deeper while shaping the anatomy and reducing trauma,” he added.
The team will now begin collecting all of the data necessary to begin human studies. The paper’s lead author Zaneta Koszowska, who is a researcher at the University of Leeds School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, stated, “This is a significant contribution to the field of magnetically controlled robotics. Our findings show that diagnostic procedures with a camera, as well as full surgical procedures, can be performed in small anatomical spaces.”
