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Almost 2 million human beings are newly diagnosed every year with colorectal cancer. Although easy to prevent by screening colonoscopy, this is often hampered by the perception of invasiveness of the technique. We aimed to develop a new painless colonoscopy platform consisting of an active locomotion soft-tethered capsule, offering both diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. Capsule navigation is achieved via closed-loop interaction between two permanent magnets, enhanced by accurate localization. Ex-vivo tests showed a 100% success rate in operating channel and target approach tests. Progression of the endoscopic capsule was feasible and repeatable, and interaction forces were lower if compared to conventional colonoscopy (e.g., 1.17N vs. 4.12N). The polyp detection rates were comparable between groups (91% vs. 87%, colonoscopy and Endoo respectively). The Endoo capsule allows smoother navigation than conventional colonoscopy providing comparable features. If confirmed in clinical trials, it may represent a valuable and novel screening tool for colorectal cancer.

Background and Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite offering a prime paradigm for screening, CRC screening is often hampered by invasiveness. Endoo is a potentially painless colonoscopy method with an active locomotion tethered capsule offering diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. Materials and Methods: The Endoo system comprises a soft-tethered capsule, which embeds a permanent magnet controlled by an external robot …