Design and Control of a Miniaturized Magnetic-Driven Deformable Capsule Robot for Targeted Drug Delivery
Zhuocong Cai, Yanding Qin, Jianda Han
Abstract
In this article, we propose a magnetic-driven deformable capsule robot to deliver targeted drugs to the constantly peristalsis human intestine. An embedded radially magnetized permanent magnet ring and an external permanent magnet operated by a robot arm are used to remotely control the robot. This design is unique in that it is equipped with a deformation mechanism easily controllable by the external permanent magnet. The robot can switch its mode between motion mode and drug delivery mode when it moves in the human intestine, making it safer and less invasive. The proposed robot can actively deform in the radial direction, making it hopeful in realizing various advanced functions, such as flexible motion, anchoring, and drug delivery. The design and fabrication of the robot are presented. Analytical modeling of its motion under the external magnetic torque is built. The feasibility of the proposed design is computationally investigated and then experimentally tested and verified on a prototype.