We are pleased to announce Professor Pietro Valdastri, Chair in Robotics and Autonomous Systems at the University of Leeds, is one of the featured speakers of the Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics 2021 (#HSMR21). Professor Valdastri gave a talk on ‘Medical Capsule Robots: A Fantastic Voyage’ followed by a Q&A session.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzJy4GVxh08 The keynote can be viewed here:
Abstract
At the beginning of the new millennia, wireless capsule endoscopy was introduced as a minimally invasive method of inspecting the digestive tract. The possibility of collecting images deep inside the human body just by swallowing a “pill” revolutionized the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy and sparked a brand-new field of research in robotics: medical capsule robots. These are self-contained robots that leverage extreme miniaturization to access and operate in environments that are out of reach for larger devices. In medicine, capsule robots can enter the human body through natural orifices or small incisions, and detect and cure life-threatening diseases in a non-invasive manner. This talk will provide a perspective on how this field has evolved in the last ten year. We will explore what was accomplished, what has failed, and what were the lessons learned. We will also discuss enabling technologies, intelligent control, possible levels of computer assistance, and highlight future challenges in this ongoing Fantastic Voyage.