British scientists have innovatively developed a robot that could transform how women assess their breast health by granting them secure access to electronic clinical breast examinations (CBE).

The team from the University of Bristol created a tool that can apply very precise forces within a range resembling that of human examiners. Moreover, it uses sensor technology to find lumps at deeper levels. There are divergent views on the value of clinical breast examinations (CBE) for enhancing population health, according to lead author George Jenkinson from the University of Bristol in the UK. However, it is generally acknowledged that when done correctly, it can be a very reliable and safe diagnostic method.

In these tactile medical examinations, precision, repeatability, and accuracy take precedence to ensure positive patient outcomes. Various automatic and semi-automatic devices have been proposed to assist in optimizing this task, especially in challenging scenarios like minimally invasive surgery.

Breast Examination Device

The team used 3D printing and other computerized numerical control techniques to craft their manipulator. They conducted a series of laboratory experiments and simulated experiments on a simulated breast made of silicone, along with its digital counterpart, which were both modeled after a volunteer at the Simulation and Modelling in Medicine and Surgery Research Group at Imperial College London. These simulations enabled the team to conduct thousands of palpations and assess numerous hypothetical scenarios, including the efficiency variations when employing two, three, or four sensors simultaneously.

To verify the accuracy of the simulations and determine the forces necessary for the actual equipment, they carried out experiments on a silicone breast in the lab. The ultimate goal is to have the device and sensors be able to detect lumps more precisely and at greater depths than can be done with manual palpation alone. Additionally, it might be combined with other tried-and-true methods, like ultrasound tests.

"We have shown that our robotic system has the dexterity necessary to carry out a clinical breast examination - we hope that in the future this could be a real help in diagnosing cancers early," Jenkinson said.