Microrobot for guidewire steering

Microrobot for Guidewire Steering

This technology features a mechanism where one or more magnetic elements are placed inside a flexible body, which is connected to a guidewire via an elastic component. When an external magnetic field is applied, the microrobot bends, thereby improving the steerability of the guidewire.

Conventional guidewires have fixed shapes and angles, requiring high levels of skill for navigation through complex blood vessels. This leads to longer procedure times, increasing radiation exposure for both physicians and patients.

This technology utilizes a flexible body and an elastic connection, with at least one magnetic element embedded within the body to allow it to bend in response to an external magnetic field. Specifically, by placing a primary magnetic element at the distal end and setting the body length to at least three times the length of the magnetic element, the steering angle is maximized. Applicable to industrial robots and automated systems, this technology reduces surgical time and minimizes radiation exposure for patients and medical professionals, ultimately improving the precision and efficiency of vascular treatments.

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Key Features:

• A microrobot mounted on a guidewire, comprising a body portion that extends along the longitudinal direction of the guidewire and includes a flexible material to allow for lateral bending.
• An elastic portion connecting the guidewire to one end of the body portion, such that the distal end of the guidewire is positioned toward one end of the body portion.
• A body portion including a flexible material to allow for lateral bending of the guidewire.
• An elastic portion connecting the guidewire to one end of the body portion.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of a micro-medical robot system for the treatment of chronic total occlusion in myocardial infarction.