A soft robot could help doctors diagnose and treat disorders of the small intest
Overview
MIT engineers have developed a soft robotic enteroscope that can navigate the small intestine, perform imaging, deliver drugs, and remove tissue samples. Inspired by snake locomotion and kirigami, the robot uses inflatable actuators and textured coatings to enhance traction and maneuverability, offering a potential alternative to traditional endoscopic procedures.
From MIT — Robotics
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“Disorders of the small intestine are often difficult to diagnose and treat. More than 20 feet long, an inch in diameter, and located deep within the body, this organ is harder to access than other parts of the digestive tract, such as the colon or stomach. To overcome those challenges, MIT engineers have designed a new robotic enteroscope that can move easily through the narrow passage of the small intestine, allowin”
Exact source · revision 1mit
Reported quantity · length: 25 other · Basis not reported · Differing source assertions
“rough the tract. This process is slow and laborious, so the MIT team wanted to design an alternative enteroscope that would be easier to control and could move faster through the intestine. “The fundamental challenge that we’re trying to overcome is how to evaluate that 20-to-25-foot segment of the small intestine in a way that can be more automated,” Traverso says. The new tube-like robot moves through the narrow sm”
Exact source · revision 1mit
Evidence dependency changes (3)
- 2026-10-30T18:22:15.477Z · evidence updated · source revision 1. Evidence extraction was updated; current source attributions are shown above.
- 2026-10-30T17:37:37.395Z · evidence updated · source revision 1. Evidence extraction was updated; current source attributions are shown above.
- 2026-10-30T17:24:00.287Z · evidence updated · source revision 1. Evidence extraction was updated; current source attributions are shown above.
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- MIT — RoboticsSignalA soft robot could help doctors diagnose and treat disorders of the small intestine
MIT engineers have developed a soft robotic enteroscope that can navigate the small intestine, perform imaging, deliver drugs, and remove tissue samples. Inspired by snake locomotion and kirigami, the robot uses inflatable actuators and textured coatings to enhance traction and maneuverability, offering a potential alternative to traditional endoscopic procedures.
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