Initial design and results of an untethered insertable laparoscopic robotic surgical camera system

Abstract

This paper introduces a most frontier solution for minimally invasive laparoscopic vision, an untethered insertable robotic surgical camera (sCAM) system. Several key technologies toward this fully insertable laparoscopic robotic camera characterized by no tethering wires or mechanical actuation linkages have been addressed. Non-contact transabdominal camera actuation is designed and operated in a stator-rotor manner borrowing the principle of spherical motors. Wireless video transmission and control communication running on onboard power have helped eliminate cumbersome tethering wires pertaining to most state-of-the-art designs and thus facilitated flexible camera in vivo mobility. Moreover, a proprietary Bluetooth low energy (BLE) application profile has been developed specifically for this camera, providing functional services in an energy-efficient reliable manner for wireless camera control. Finally, experimental results have verified basic functions of this untethered robotic laparoscopic camera and justified feasibility of the design.