Robot for examining the mammary glands

2024: Product Announcement

In mid-October 2024, researchers from the Chinese University of Science and Technology introduced a soft robotic finger with advanced tactile abilities to perform a number of routine medical examinations, including pulse measurement and detection of tumor seals in breast tissue. It is assumed that this technology will improve the early detection of breast cancer, increasing the effectiveness of treatment, as well as make the examination itself more comfortable and less invasive for patients.

The robotic finger is a relatively simple gadget with two components of a conductive fiber coil: a twisted liquid metal fiber placed on the tip of the finger and a coil wound around each air chamber of the device's bending drives that allow the finger to move.

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Hongbo Wang

The researchers showed that they can monitor in real time the force applied to the fingertip and the degree of bending of the finger upon contact with the object by monitoring the characteristics of the electrical current flowing through the device. According to the developers, this approach will allow the robotic finger to determine the characteristics of the object no less effectively than when touching a human hand.

To assess the finger's medical capabilities, the researchers placed it on a robotic arm and evaluated the recognition of three seals implanted in a large silicone sheet. The robotic finger successfully managed these tasks, and was also able to measure the participant's pulse by accurately identifying the artery on the wrist.

Researchers have shown that a robotic finger can mimic the movements of a human hand even when using a keyboard. They integrated additional sensors to increase finger joint flexibility, preparing the device for effective medical use.^[1]

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