Robotic System for Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery

The R-NOTES platform serves as an innovative and unifying system architecture for Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) to be used in both the civilian and military sectors. While NOTES has recently emerged as a logical step beyond laparoscopic methods in minimally invasive surgery, several technological hurdles, largely associated with flexible instruments, remain before widespread application. However, the continuing increase in computing power as well as technological developments in miniaturization, medical devices, wireless communications, robotics, and related technologies have now made it possible to realize a new breakthrough NOTES platform where, rather than resorting to flexible tools, small robotic modules can be inserted into the abdominal space to carry out surgical procedures. A modular architecture serves as a platform for these novel robotic modules while also enabling coordination with other researchers in the field and seamless integration of their respective technologies. Such an architecture consists of a delivery device (overtube), input controllers, a gross positioning robot capable of magnetic anchoring and guidance (MAGS), visualization screens with user-friendly interface software, and processing within a master control station.