MechE Seminar Series: Bruno Siciliano

Speaker:Bruno Siciliano

Title:A Revolutionary Theranostics Approach for Robotized Colonoscopy

Abstract:This talk will present the underlying concepts of EndoTheranostics, a novel ERC Synergy Grant project aiming at revolutionizing the diagnosis and therapy (theranostics) of colorectal cancer (CRC), impacting the quality of life of millions of individuals. Current approaches are often associated with unsafe oncological margins and high complication rates, requiring life-changing surgery. EndoTheranostics will usher in a new era for screening colonoscopy, advancing the frontiers of medical imaging and robotics. A tip-growing or eversion robot with a sleeve-like structure will be created to extend deep into hollow spaces while perceiving the environment through multimodal imaging and sensing. It will also act as a conduit to transfer miniaturized instruments to the remote site within the colon for theranostics. With these capabilities, the system will be able to offer: (i) painless colon cleansing in preparation for endoscopy, (ii) real-time polyp detection and tissue characterization through AI-assisted multimodal imaging, (iii) effective removal of polyps by conveying a “miniature mobile operating chamber” equipped with microsurgical tools to the target through the lumen of the eversion robot.

About the Speaker:Bruno Siciliano is professor of robotics and control at the University of Naples Federico II. His research interests include manipulation and control, human–robot cooperation, and service robotics. Fellow of the scientific societies IEEE, ASME, IFAC, AAIA, AIIA, he received numerous international prizes and awards. He has delivered more than 150 keynotes and has published more than 300 papers and 7 books. His team has received more than 25 million Euro funding in the last 15 years from competitive European research projects, including two ERC grants. Further details available at http://wpage.unina.it/sicilian/