Development of a novel wireless spiral capsule robot with modular structure

Abstract

Due to the limitations of the size of the wireless capsule robot using in diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, various functional modules cannot be integrated into a single capsule robot, which caused the practicality of the robot being reduced. This paper proposed the wireless spiral capsule robot with modular structure driven by the external magnetic field which have the mechanism that can combine and separate two robots have the Modular Structure. This robot system has two robots, namely the guide robot and auxiliary robot. The control system of the robot including the driven system, motion control and modular docking of the robots was presented. Both of the robots have two helical diversion grooves but the spiral directions are different between the two robots. In this way, they can move to each other under the same external magnetic field. This paper proposed a mechanism to make the auxiliary robot dock with the guide robot by the modular interface with the magnets and the modular structure is generic with multiple auxiliary robots. The 3D models of the robots were designed through the SolidWorks and fabricated by 3D printer. Then the active locomotive test for the two robots was taken using a thre-eaxis Helmholtz coils system. Finally, the feasibility of the docking action with the modular structure was verified. The developed capsule robot can be used to improve the capsule robot system and help for future medical applications.