Bronchoscopy Robot with Enhanced Flexibility and Stability via Multi‐Segment Variable Stiffness Catheter

Bronchoscopy robots are pivotal for improving the accuracy and efficiency of early lung cancer diagnosis. However, the stiffness of existing systems is fixed, which limits the robot from accurately navigating and performing stable operations on distant peripheral nodules. This paper introduces a novel bronchoscopy robot equipped with a magnetic multi‐segment variable stiffness catheter, whose stiffness can be precisely adjusted in real time. The soft state of the catheter can enhance the flexibility of movement, while the rigid state can provide stable support. The catheter's slender profile and wirelessly magnetic steerability facilitate access to the distal terminal bronchi for examination. The catheter achieved a maximum bending angle of 49.07° in soft state and 1.11° in rigid state. By independently controlling the stiffness of each segment, the catheter could conform to various complex shapes. In vitro experiments showed that the bronchoscopy robot could reach deep branches of the lung and operate in conjunction with tools such as lasers. The results of the live pig experiment confirmed that the bronchoscopy robot could navigate to the bronchial target location for detection. By accessing distal bronchi unreachable by commercial systems, our robot offers a superior solution for early‐stage lung cancer bronchoscopy.