From wired to wireless: a miniature robot for intestinal inspection.

Increasingly more robots are used for various medical purposes, one of which is for intestinal inspection. A prototype robotic endoscope is presented along with a locomotion mechanism and relative experiment. Image, pH, pressure and temperature, etc. can be measured by the robot, which is very helpful in diagnoses. A wired robot will be replaced by a wireless robot because it is not comfortable for subjects and the wired robot cannot advance further into the small intestine because of too many folds and projections in the intestine. Key obstacles of the future wireless robot for intestinal inspection are discussed in detail and a reversed tracking method is provided.