This work introduces a modular robotic platform designed to assist in nasotracheal intubation, a critical yet challenging procedure in clinical settings. While orotracheal intubation robots have seen significant development, nasotracheal intubation remains underdeveloped, particularly in terms of safety mechanisms. Our robot features a variable-stiffness fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) control module, enabling both low-stiffness mode for safe navigation through the nasal cavity and high-stiffness mode for enhanced load-bearing near the glottis. Additionally, a compact FOB feeding module with passive failure protection ensures controlled force application, minimizing risks during the procedure.
Weโre grateful to our team (Ruoyi Hao, Sam, Jiewen Lai, Wenqi Zhong, Dihong Xie, Yu Tian, Tao Zhang, Zhang Yang, Catherine P. L. Chan, Jason Y. K. Chan, and Hongliang Ren) for their dedication and to #ICRA for this opportunity to share our work.
Looking forward to discussing this with the robotics and medical communities!
