AI co-pilot bronchoscope robot

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 241 - 13
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jingyu, Liu, Lilu, Xiang, Pingyu, Fang, Qin, Nie, Xiuping, Ma, Honghai, Hu, Jian, Xiong, Rong, Wang, Yue, Lu, Haojian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 04.01.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/166/985; 639/166/988; 692/700/139/1735; Adult; Algorithms; Artificial Intelligence; Bronchi; Bronchoscopes; Bronchoscopy; Bronchoscopy - methods; Bronchus; Catheters; Control algorithms; Control theory; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Lungs; Medical instruments; multidisciplinary; Physicians; Pilots; Plugs; Robotic surgery; Robotics; Robots; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Steering
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44385-7

The unequal distribution of medical resources and scarcity of experienced practitioners confine access to bronchoscopy primarily to well-equipped hospitals in developed regions, contributing to the unavailability of bronchoscopic services in underdeveloped areas. Here, we present an artificial intelligence (AI) co-pilot bronchoscope robot that empowers novice doctors to conduct lung examinations as safely and adeptly as experienced colleagues. The system features a user-friendly, plug-and-play catheter, devised for robot-assisted steering, facilitating access to bronchi beyond the fifth generation in average adult patients. Drawing upon historical bronchoscopic videos and expert imitation, our AI–human shared control algorithm enables novice doctors to achieve safe steering in the lung, mitigating misoperations. Both in vitro and in vivo results underscore that our system equips novice doctors with the skills to perform lung examinations as expertly as seasoned practitioners. This study offers innovative strategies to address the pressing issue of medical resource disparities through AI assistance. The unequal distribution of medical resources means that bronchoscopic services are often unavailable in underdeveloped areas. Here, the authors present an AI co-pilot bronchoscope robot that features a user-friendly plug-and-play catheter and an AI-human shared control algorithm, to enable novice doctors to conduct lung examinations safely.