Design of a Navigational Aid for Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is currently the gold standard for diagnosing colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. During a colonoscopy, a flexible endoscope is inserted into the patient’s colon to inspect the inner wall of the large intestine, from the rectum to the caecum. This procedure is very important for cancer screening and can yield early diagnosis. Colon cancer is 85–95% successfully treated if detected early; however, there is only a 30% compliance rate for the procedure in the United States. This low compliance rate for the examination is largely due to its uncomfortable nature, caused by difficulties in blind scope manipulation, and “looping” of the endoscope which can lead to stretching and perforation of the bowel [1] (Figure 1).