A novel, miniature wireless robotic capsule for releasing bioadhesive patches in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was designed, fabricated, and preliminarily tested. In particular, the assembled prototype was successfully navigated in a GI phantom, up to a target site where the release mechanism was verified. Then, deployment of a bioadhesive patch onto ex vivo porcine tissue was accomplished, and patch adhesion strength was verified. The main application of the present system is the deployment of anchoring patches for miniature robotic modules to be operated in the targeted anatomical domain. Such an innovative application stems from the wise blend of robotics and bioadhesion. Obtained results, which are consistent with previous investigations by the group, confirm the viability of the adopted bioadhesives for the envisaged anchoring tasks. The present feasibility study complies with the spirit of minimally invasive, wireless diagnosis, and therapy, and provides a preliminary contribution for their advancement.
Autonomous Tissue Retraction in Robotic Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery – A Feasibility Study