Micro-robot for colonoscope with motor locomotion and system for colonoscope using the same

• US 6,648,814 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Lee, Young Jae, Lim, Young Mo, Kim, Soo Hyun, Kim, Byungkyu, Park, Jong-Oh, Hong, Yeh-Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): MULCAHY, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/993,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 600/150, 600/151, 600/114, 600/115, 600/117, 600/141, 104/138.2, 318/82-85, 378/60, 356/241.6, 604/95.03
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators

Abstract

A micro-robot for colonoscope with motor locomotion comprises an information detecting unit for obtaining information of the interior of the colon and a driving unit for generating its own locomotion and moving the information detecting unit without causing any damages to the walls of the colon.

Claims

1. A micro-robot colonoscope with motor locomotion, comprising:

an information detecting unit for obtaining information of the interior of the colon and a driving unit for generating its own locomotion and moving the information detecting unit without causing any damages to the walls of the colon;

said information detecting unit further comprises;

a lighting emitting unit for emitting a light in the interior of the colon;

a camera for taking images the interior as the lighting emitting unit illuminates; and

a plurality of sensors for detecting pressure or force which the micro-robot applies to the interior of the colon.

2. The micro-robot according to claim 1, wherein said micro-robot further comprises:

a controlling unit for controlling the information detecting unit and the driving unit; and

a power supplying unit for supplying power to the information detecting unit, the driving unit and the controlling unit.

3. A micro-robot colonoscope with motor locomotion, comprising:

an information detecting unit for obtaining information of the interior of the colon and a driving unit for generating its own locomotion and moving the information detecting unit without causing any damages to the walls of the colon;

said driving unit having a front driving unit for generating a first locomotion and moving in the colon according to the locomotion, which carries the information detecting unit thereon, a rear driving unit for generating a second locomotion and moving in the colon corresponding to the movement of the front driving unit, wherein the rear and front driving units are connected with each other in a predetermined distance, and a steering unit for relatively controlling the front and rear driving units and changing the advancing direction of the micro-robot, which is positioned between the front and rear driving units;

said front driving unit further comprises;

a first motor for generating the first locomotion;

a set of first wheels for rotating by the first locomotion; and

a first driving force transmission unit for transmitting the first locomotion to the set of the first wheels.

4. The micro-robot according to claim 3 wherein said set of first wheels are rod-shape wheels having hemisphere or sphere at both the ends of each wheel.

5. The micro-robot according to claim 3 wherein said steering unit comprises:

a revolute joint for relatively rotating the front and rear driving units;

a plurality of steering linear actuators for controlling angles between the front and the rear driving units with respect to the revolute joint and thus helping steer the micro-robot; and

a plurality of springs for maintaining the interval between the front and rear driving units and aligning the front and rear driving units in a straight line, provided that the linear actuators do not operate.

6. The micro-robot according to claim 5, wherein said steering linear actuators comprise a pneumatic pressure cylinder operated by air pressure or shape memory alloy and polymer varying its length according to the variation of the supplied power.

7. The micro-robot according to, claim 3 wherein said micro-robot further comprises a body supporting unit for fixing the micro-robot on the inner wall of colon, wherein said body supporting unit comprising:

a plurality of supporters for fixing the micro-robot on the inner wall of colon; and

a plurality of fixing linear actuators for fixing the supporters to the inner wall of colon.

8. The micro-robot according to claim 7 wherein said fixing linear actuators comprise a pneumatic pressure cylinder operated by air pressure or shape memory alloy and polymer varying its length according to the variation of the supplied power.

9. A micro-robot colonoscope with motor locomotion, comprising:

an information detecting unit for obtaining information of the interior of the colon and a driving unit for generating its own locomotion and moving the information detecting unit without causing any damages to the walls of the colon;

said driving unit having a front driving unit for generating a first locomotion and moving in the colon according to the locomotion, which carries the information detecting unit thereon, a rear driving unit for generating a second locomotion and moving in the colon corresponding to the movement of the front driving unit, wherein the rear and front driving units are connected with each other in a predetermined distance, and a steering unit for relatively controlling the front and rear driving units and changing the advancing direction of the micro-robot, which is positioned between the front and rear driving units;

said rear driving unit further comprises;

a motor for generating the second locomotion;

a set of wheels for rotating by the second locomotion; and

a driving force transmission unit for transmitting the second locomotion to the set of the wheels.

10. The micro-robot according to claim 9, wherein said set of the wheels are rod-shape wheels having hemisphere or sphere at both the ends of each wheel.

11. A micro-robot colonoscope with motor locomotion, comprising:

an information detecting unit for obtaining information of the interior of the colon and a driving unit for generating its own locomotion and moving the information detecting unit without causing any damages to the walls of the colon;

said driving unit having a front driving unit for generating a first locomotion and moving in the colon according to the locomotion, which carries the information detecting unit thereon;

a rear driving unit for generating a second locomotion and moving in the colon corresponding to the movement of the front driving unit; and

a steering unit for connecting the front and rear driving units and steering the micro-robot;

said front driving unit further comprises;

a motor for generating a locomotion;

a plurality of wheels for carrying the front driving unit; and

a third driving force transmission unit for transmitting the locomotion to one of is the wheels.

12. The micro-robot according to claim 11, wherein said wheels are rod-shape wheels having hemisphere or sphere at both the ends of each wheel.

13. The micro-robot according to claim 11, wherein said steering unit comprises:

a first timing belt for connecting the wheel with the rear driving unit and transmitting the locomotion of the motor to the wheel and the rear driving unit; and

a set of first pulleys for being wound by the first timing belt, which are installed at the axis where the third wheel attached and the rear driving unit, respectively.

18. The system according to claim 11 wherein said steering unit comprises:

a revolute joint for relatively rotating the front driving unit and the rear driving unit;

a plurality of linear actuators for controlling angles between the front driving unit and the rear driving unit with respect to the revolute joint and steering the micro-robot; and

a plurality of springs for maintaining the interval between the front and the rear driving unit and aligning the front and rear driving units in a straight line provided that the linear actuators do not operate.

14. A micro-robot colonoscope with motor locomotion, comprising:

an information detecting unit for obtaining information of the interior of the colon and a driving unit for generating its own locomotion and moving the information detecting unit without causing any damages to the walls of the colon;

said driving unit having a front driving unit for generating a first locomotion and moving in the colon according to the locomotion, which carries the information detecting unit thereon;

a rear driving unit for generating a second locomotion and moving in the colon corresponding to the movement of the front driving unit; and

a steering unit for connecting the front and rear driving units and steering the micro-robot;

said rear driving unit further comprises;

a motor for generating locomotion;

a plurality of wheels for carrying the rear driving unit; and

driving force transmission unit for transmitting the locomotion to one of the wheels.

15. The micro-robot according to claim 14, wherein said wheels are rod-shape wheels having hemisphere or sphere at both the ends of each wheel.

16. The micro-robot according to claim 14, wherein said steering unit comprises:

a timing belt for connecting the wheel with the front driving unit and transmitting the locomotion of the motor to the wheel and the front driving unit; and

a set of pulleys for being wound by the timing belt, which are installed at the axis where the wheel attaches and the front driving unit, respectively.

17. A systsm for colonoscopy, the system comprising:

a micro-robot for obtaining information of the interior of a colon, wherein the micro-robot comprises;

an information detecting unit for obtaining information of the interior of the colon; and

a driving unit for generating its own locomotion and moving the information detecting unit without causing any damages to walls of the colon, the driving unit including;

a front driving unit for generating a first locomotion and moving in the colon according to the locomotion, which carries the information detecting unit thereon;

a rear driving unit for generating a second locomotion and moving in the colon corresponding to the movement of the front driving unit, wherein the rear and front driving units are connected with each other at a predetermined distance; and

a steering unit for relatively controlling the front and rear driving units and changing the advancing direction of the micro-robot, which is positioned between the front and rear driving units,

wherein the front driving unit comprises;

a first motor for generating the first locomotion, a set of first wheels for rotating by the first locomotion; and

a first driving force transmission unit for transmitting the first locomotion to the set of the first wheels;

a controlling unit for controlling the micro-robot; and

a power supplying unit for supplying power to the micro-robot and the controlling unit.

19. The system according to claim 17, controlling unit comprises an executive program for controlling the front and rear driving units and the steering unit according to the detected signals from the information detecting unit, so that the micro-robot flexibly moves in the colon and obtains the information of the inner wall of colon.