This tadpole swim in the digestive tract

Gastrointestinal cancer is one type of cancer that is prevalent throughout the world. The cancer can attack the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. In the past, the examination of the state of the digestive tract using endoscopic methods. The device consists of a flexible tube with a light source and a self-contained set of lenses which then sends the image to the doctor.

An innovative capsule endoscopy called the Tadpole Endoscope (TE), a wireless micro robot fish for examining the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1FeC9UY)

Although extremely important, its use is not that easy, because the price is quite expensive. This procedure requires high skills to reach difficult places in the digestive tract.

Tadpole Endoscope (TE) prototype has body size is quite small; its diameter is 13 mm, thickness 1 mm and total length is 38 mm, of which the length of the tail is 9 mm. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1FeC9UY)

Recently, a group of engineers from the Institute of Precision Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong created an electronic 'tadpole' to replace the previous endoscopy device.

As reported in the Taylor & Francis Online, a device called 'Tadpole Endoscope (TE)' was similar to the big pill which is controlled by a doctor using a tool similar to a video game controller.

Tadpole Endoscope (TE) in a stomach model. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1FeC9UY)

The 'tadpole' outer shell is fabricated by 3D printing, the material is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic and its thickness is 1 mm. The fin of the tail is made of a latex plate and fixed onto a small rod. The body size is quite small; its diameter is 13 mm and its total length is 38 mm, of which the length of the tail is 9 mm. The total weight is only 6 g. One button battery of 1.5 V is used to drive the circuit board and the magnetic coil. Motion instructions are sent to the circuit board via infrared communication. Results of this study have been reported in the journal HKIE Transactions.

Tadpole Endoscope (TE) testing in a pig stomach. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1FeC9UY)

Until the news was made, TE has been tested on an artificial gastric model and pig stomach. The imaging system has not been installed, but the researchers believe that the feasibility of the propulsion system allows the 'tadpole' is undergoing advanced stages of trials and eventually used in the real medicine applications. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TAYLOR & FRANCIS ONLINE]

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