A New Navigation Method for Intelligent Colonoscope

In this paper, a new navigation method for intelligent colonoscope robot is presented. The proposed navigation method is developed to facilitate colonoscope into a human colon. The navigation method is based on the sensory fusion utilizing the quantitative parameters from the captured images and the tactile sensors. In vision navigation method, dark region which is described as the direction of human colon can be segmented from colonoscope image after auto-thresholding algorithm. Auto-thresholding algorithm is based on Ostu's method and the method is optimized by analyzing the endoscope image. The tactile sensors used here is a bridge circuit of force sensitive resistors built on silicon base by MEMS technology. Four sensors are mounted symmetrically around the colonoscope's head, so they can measure the pressure force in almost all directions. The proposed navigation method was tested with animal colons and the experimental observations are discussed.