Design, Analysis, and Kinematic Framework of a Long-Range Magnetic Anchored and Guided Endoscope

Magnetic anchored and guided systems (MAGS), such as endoscopes, have attracted significant research interest for their potential in minimally invasive surgeries (MIS). However, their widespread adoption is hindered by challenges, including magnetic interference, safe anchoring distance, and intuitive control. This article presents a novel magnetic coupling method using two cylindrical magnets and one semicylindrical magnet in both the external and internal magnetic modules. Magnetic field distribution and force interactions were modeled by combining magnetic dipole models and coordinate transformations. A kinematic framework was proposed, treating magnetic couplings as unique joints and links, thereby enabling the MAGS endoscope to execute a multitude of tasks. To validate the proposed design, a MAGS endoscope prototype was developed and evaluated through simulations and experiments. Results demonstrated improvements over conventional designs, including an average magnetic field asymmetry ratio of 2.09, reducing magnetic interference. The anchoring force is increased by 97%, with a safe anchoring distance of up to 95 mm for a 25-g endoscope. A mock-up lung surgery with automatic visual guidance confirmed the effectiveness of the kinematic modeling framework. This research contributes to overcoming MAGS implementation challenges, offering a promising approach to enhance MAGS endoscope performance in MIS procedures.