title: Development of a colon endoscope robot that adjusts its locomotion through the use of reinforcement learning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fibre optic colonoscopy is usually performed with manual introduction and advancement of the endoscope, but there is potential for a robot capable of locomoting autonomously from the rectum to the caecum. A prototype robot was designed and tested.
  
  
  METHODS
  The robot colonic endoscope consists in a front body with clockwise helical fin and a rear body with anticlockwise one, both connected via a DC motor. Input voltage is adjusted automatically by the robot, through the use of reinforcement learning, determining speed and direction (forward or backward).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Experiments were performed both in-vitro and in-vivo, showing the feasibility of the robot. The device is capable of moving in a slippery environment, and reinforcement learning algorithms such as Q-learning and SARSA can obtain better results than simply applying full tension to the robot.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This self-propelled robotic endoscope has potential as an alternative to current fibre optic colonoscopy examination methods, especially with the addition of new sensors under development.
authors.affiliation: Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. gabrit20@yahoo.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trovato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shikanai
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ukawa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takanishi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanoue
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ieiri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashizume
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D020685:Colonoscopes; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D018583:Pliability; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012984:Software; D013552:Swine; D019415:Torque