Colonoscopy is a non-invasive key procedure to detect colorectal diseases, such as cancer, polyps, inflammation, etc. However, clinicians still use decade-old technology which utilises direct mechanical control, hence manipulation of the colonoscope remains difficult, and has significant physical demands on clinicians and causes patients discomfort as the device brushes and pushes against the delicate organ during operation. To address these issues, many research groups around the world, including RaM, aim to innovate and modernise this technology. The RaM group aims to develop a robotic colonoscopy platform capable of controlling the four main degrees of freedom used during the procedure. Robotic assistance has the potential to improve precision, reduce looping forces, shorten training time, and enhance patient comfort. This assignment supports that effort by focusing on modelling the kinematics and control of the colonoscope tip. A clear understanding of the tip’s motion is essential for creating intuitive and safe robotic control strategies, contributing to more reliable and patient-friendly colonoscopic procedures.
The goal of this project is to develop a kinematic model and control strategy for the tip of a robotic colonoscope, achieving the necessary distal tip poses in free space. This would mean mapping the joint space to the end effector space and controlling the motors of the roboticized platform to achieve the desired tip pose.