Perpustakaan Digital ITB

Diagnosing patients with internal organ-related symptoms can often be difficult due to the lack of visible external clues. Medical professionals must perform procedures such as colonoscopy with the help of instruments like the endoscope. Conventional endoscope is made up of an insertion tube that is flexible with a camera attached to the tip. While it is a very useful tool, traditional methods of insertion can be uncomfortable to some degree or even cause damage. This is because endoscopes are made from materials that are not sufficiently flexible to handle the complexity of the human body, resulting in limited manoeuvrability during medical procedures. In robotics, there is a field of study known as soft robotics that is suitable for use in the health sector. It focuses on the use of soft and extremely flexible material that enhance the adaptability of robots. Moreover, these robots move independently through utilising various actuators and locomotion mechanisms that helps it navigate throughout the human body. Previously, a peristaltic pneumatic-powered soft robot has been designed and manufactured by the soft robotics lab in ITB, but it has been unreliable due to the poor build quality and unsatisfactory deformation results during testing. To address this issue, this project will focus on the use of alternative materials and geometric redesign to improve the performance of the soft robot.