Vibration-Induced Frictional Reduction in Miniature Intracorporeal Robots.

The locomotion of miniature medical robots in the interior of the human body, possibly in contact with the tissue of organs and vessels, is a challenging problem in robotics, which, if properly addressed, might favorably impact several significant applications. This paper investigates the potential of employing relatively low-frequency vibrations, generated by an on-board eccentric motor, to reduc...