AI co-pilot bronchoscope robot.

Journal: Nature communications
Published Date:

Abstract

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.

Authors

  • Jingyu Zhang
    Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China.
  • Lilu Liu
    State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control and Technology, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China.
  • Pingyu Xiang
    State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control and Technology, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China.
  • Qin Fang
    State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control and Technology, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China.
  • Xiuping Nie
    State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control and Technology, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China.
  • Honghai Ma
    Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310009, Hangzhou, China.
  • Jian Hu
    Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, MI, 48824, USA.
  • Rong Xiong
    State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control and Technology, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China. rxiong@zju.edu.cn.
  • Yue Wang
    Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
  • Haojian Lu
    State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control and Technology, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China. luhaojian@zju.edu.cn.