Modular robotic-assisted system for enhanced endoscope and colonoscope navigation

Background

Endoscopic and colonoscopic procedures are essential for diagnosing and treating a wide range of internal conditions, from gastrointestinal bleeding to early-stage cancers. These minimally invasive techniques depend on the clinician’s ability to skillfully navigate complex, tortuous anatomical structures to achieve clear visualization and accurate sampling.
As demand for these procedures rises and specialist availability remains constrained, there is an urgent need for more intuitive, efficient control systems that reduce clinician workload, standardize procedural performance, and expand access—including potential applications in remote or semi-automated interventions.
Current manual endoscope and colonoscope systems require significant operator dexterity, coordinating insertion, bending, and sometimes rotation with limited tactile feedback. The steep learning curve contributes to operator fatigue, variable procedure times, inconsistent imaging quality, and elevated risk of tissue injury.
Moreover, existing platforms are generally isolated from ancillary sensors, software-based guidance, or distance-spanning control, limiting opportunities for real-time decision support, remote operation, and AI integration.

Technology overview

This modular system introduces a three-part platform designed to enhance navigation and control of standard endoscopes and colonoscopes without requiring customized fixtures. An actuation and gripping module mechanically interfaces with standard scope handles via a concentric collet mechanism, leveraging dedicated motors to control insertion, bidirectional bending, and optional twisting.
A user-interface module translates these movements to intuitive control devices—such as joysticks, haptic devices, spatial mice, or wearable controllers—with optional force feedback for tactile simulation. A visualization module streams live endoscopic video to monitors or AR/VR headsets, providing augmented or virtual reality-enhanced views.
The modular, plug-and-play architecture allows mechanical compatibility with a wide range of existing devices, reducing setup time and infrastructure costs. Motorized actuation simplifies manual manipulation, enhancing precision and reducing clinician fatigue. Integrated software enables remote control, sensor fusion, shared manual/automated operation, and provides a pathway to AI-assisted navigation.
Beyond medical applications, the flexible design is adaptable to industrial inspections and other non-clinical domains requiring precision navigation in confined spaces.

Benefits

  • Motorized articulation of all major degrees of freedom enhances precision and reduces clinician fatigue.
  • Plug-and-play interface compatible with standard endoscope and colonoscope handles, requiring no custom fixtures.
  • Supports intuitive teleoperation with optional haptic force feedback for enhanced situational awareness.
  • Live video streaming with AR/VR visualization modules improves navigation and user immersion.
  • Modular architecture enables integration of advanced sensors, software-based guidance, and AI-driven control.

Applications

  • Gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy
  • Remote endoscopic diagnosis and treatment
  • Robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery
  • Industrial inspection in confined or hazardous environments
  • Shared-control or autonomous navigation platforms

Opportunity

  • Replaces complex manual endoscope manipulation with a scalable, intuitive robotic-assisted system.
  • Accelerates telehealth and robotic surgery innovations by enabling remote or AI-enhanced procedural control.
  • Available for licensing to partners in medical device development, telemedicine, surgical robotics, and industrial inspection sectors.

Intellectual Property

PCT/US2024/058589
Patent Information:
Direct Link:
https://canberra-ip.technologypublisher.com/tech/Modular_robotic-assisted_sys tem_for_enhanced_endoscope_and_colonoscope_navigation
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For Information, Contact:
Cory Lago
Intellectual Property Specialist
University of Texas at Austin
cory.lago@austin.utexas.edu