Thin Probe Research Articles

The effect of arm muscle discrete relaxation training and fine-coordination training on proprioceptive control

Proprioception makes an important contribution to the regulation of speed, strength and spatial parameters of movements, determining the level of proficiency in motor skills. However, the effectiveness of various training approaches in relation to voluntary proprioceptive control of target muscles has not been sufficiently studied. In this paper, we investigated the effectiveness of three types of manipulative training: 1) fine coordination, 2) discrete muscle relaxation and 3) their combinations in relation to the accuracy of reproducing:а) the angular deviation of the joystick from the vertical and b) static muscle efforts during the pronation and supination of the joystick. The study involved 40 young (18-35 years old), physically active volunteers who randomly made up 4 groups of 10 people: “Control” (lack of training), “Coordination” (training of passing an analog of a slit maze with a thin probe), “Discrete relaxation” (training of discrete muscle relaxation of pronators and supinators of the forearm), “Combined” (combined training of maze passing and discrete relaxation). Before and after training (n = 10) we evaluated: 1) the accuracy of reproduction of the deviation of the wrist joystick from the vertical by 20, 50, 80 degrees and 2) the accuracy of reproduction of isometric contraction (0, 20, 50 and 80% of the maximum effort) in the descending, ascending directions as well as discrete achievement of any effort level by pronation /supination of the wrist joystick. It was found that coordination training increased the length of the traversed path in 3 minutes with a reduced number of errors, and increased the proprioceptive accuracy of reproducing the angle of deviation of the joystick by 20 degrees also. In the “Discrete Relaxation” group the average modulus of errors in reproducing descending, ascending and discrete forces during supination, as well as the average modulus of errors in reproducing descending, ascending and discrete forces during forearm pronation decreased after course training. At the same time, no changes in the accuracy of reproducing the angular positions of the joystick were found in this group. In the “Combined” group, training led to an increase in the accuracy of reproducing ascending and descending efforts during pronation, as well as the accuracy of descending efforts during supination of the forearm. In addition, in this group, a decrease in the error modulus during reproducing the tilt of the joystick by 50 degrees by supination was revealed. Correlation analysis did not reveal positive links between training changes in proprioceptive control of different modality. Thus, the training effects used on the target muscles of the forearm have a specific effect on the proprioceptive control of muscle effort and spatial position in the hand joints. The high efficiency of discrete relaxation training regarding the accuracy of voluntary efforts allows us to recommend its use in order to increase the level of mastery of the motor skills of the hand.

P-234 The internal temperature of the catheter during the transfer: potential effects on the embryonic microenvironment

Abstract Study question Do the external environment and the different loading procedures affect temperature in the transfer catheter and embryo development during embryo transfer? Summary answer The inner temperature of transfer catheter dropped during the embryo transfer. Mouse 2-cell-embryos exposed to the transfer showed lower blastocyst and hatching rates. What is known already Embryo transfer is a crucial process composed of complex phases, which start from embryo loading into the catheter, and culminate in the transfer room in an open environment at room temperature. Although the transfer technique has been refined over time and several adjustments have been proposed towards its standardization (ASRM, 2017, D’Angelo et al., 2022), there is still great variability (Cirillo et al 2020). Few literature data are available regarding possible influences of the external environment on inner catheter conditions. Only recently, temperature drop during transfer has been described (Macklon et al 2021). Study design, size, duration We addressed possible temperature variations to which the embryo is exposed during transfer, by using a thin temperature probe placed inside a catheter. We simulated a total of 120 transfers (60 transfers with “fluid only” methodology and 60 with “air-fluid”). Additionally, we performed Mouse Embryo Assay (MEA) during transfer simulations and then cultured up to blastocyst to assess any impact of temperature drop exposure during transfer Participants/materials, setting, methods 120 mock transfers were performed, recording the temperature in the inner catheter were the embryos are loaded. In our setting, the procedure lasts 60-100 seconds. The internal temperature of the catheter was recorded after 15 min of preheating, at the loading and in the following 60 seconds. Environmental temperature and humidity values were recorded. A total of 73 mouse embryo were used for MEA (39 exposed to catheter, 34 controls) and cultured in time-lapse Main results and the role of chance The 120 simulations took place at an average environmental temperature of 22.43 °C± 0.85, and a relative humidity of 57.4%± 5.1. After 15 min of preheating the empty catheter reached an average temperature of 33.04 °C ±2.08. Upon loading, the average temperature inside the catheter was 31.22 °C± 1.67 and after 60 seconds, it dropped to 29.15 °C ±1.88. The comparison between the “fluid only” and “air-fluid” shows the following results: internal temperature at “fluid only” loading 31.97 °C ± 1.87, “air-fluid” 30.11 °C ± 1.48 (p < 0.001); Average temperature after 60 seconds “fluid only” 29.98 °C ± 1.71, “air-fluid” 27.91 °C ± 1.38 (p < 0.001). Seventy-three 2-cells mouse embryos were thawed and used to perform MEA tests. 39 of them were exposed to 5 transfer simulations of 200 seconds, and then put in culture in time-lapse incubator (single step medium, 6% CO2, 5%O2). The blastocyst rate was 82% in the control group and 74% in the exposed group (X2 (1, N = 73) = 0.6783, p >0.05). Hatching rate significantly differed (61% in controls vs. 34% in the exposed (X2 (1, N = 57) = 3.9, p = 0.04). Morphokinetics were not different among groups Limitations, reasons for caution The monocentric nature of this pilot study can represent the limitation of the single environmental conditions at which the catheters are exposed during the embryo transfer Wider implications of the findings The transfer procedure exposes embryos to a drastic decrease in temperature, directly proportional to the execution time. Mouse embryos showed an impaired development after being exposed to transfer simulations. Novel strategies to stabilize temperature during embryo transfer are needed. Trial registration number non-clinical trial

Application of diffusive gradient in thin films probes to monitor trace levels of labile methylmercury in freshwaters.

This study aimed to optimize the methods for sampling and analyzing methylmercury (MeHg) concentrated within diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) and its application to different water bodies. We explored the elution solution for MeHg, comprised of 1.13 mM thiourea and 0.1M HCl, optimizing its volume to 50 mL. In addition, we found that it is necessary to analyze the entire extraction solution after adjusting its pH, to ensure completion of the ethylation reaction. The DGT samplers were deployed in two distinct aquatic environments (i.e., Okjeong Lake and Nakdong River) for up to 6 weeks, and this study demonstrated to predict the time-weighted average concentration with a diffusion coefficient of 7.65 × 10-6 cm2 s-1 for MeHg in the diffusive gel. To assess the diffusive boundary layer (DBL) effects, the DGT samplers with different agarose diffusive gel thickness were deployed. The mass of MeHg accumulated in the DGT resin at a given time decreased with increasing diffusive gel thickness, because of creating longer diffusion pathways within thicker gels. The labile MeHg concentration estimated by the DGT in Okjeong Lake and Nakdong River are found in the range of 61-111 and 55-105 pg L-1, respectively, which were found to be similar to the grab sampling data. Additionally, this study evaluated depth-dependent MeHg in Okjeong Lake. The vertical profile results showed that the concentration of MeHg at the depth of 2.3 and 15.7 m are about 1.5 and 4.6 times of the DGT installed at 0.3 m of the surface layer, respectively, suggesting potential mercury methylation in deep waters. These findings have practical implications for predicting bioavailability, assessing risks, and formulating strategies for water body management and contamination remediation.

Thin flexible photoacoustic endoscopic probe with a distal-driven micro-step motor for pump-probe-based high-specific molecular imaging.

Conventional photoacoustic endoscopy (PAE) is mostly for structural imaging, and its molecular imaging ability is quite limited. In this work, we address this issue and present the development of a flexible acoustic-resolution-based photoacoustic endoscopic (AR-PAE) probe with an outer diameter of 8 mm. This probe is driven by a micro-step motor at the distal end, enabling flexible and precise angular step control to synchronize with the optical parametric oscillator (OPO) lasers. This probe retains the high spatial resolution, high penetration depth, and spectroscopic imaging ability of conventional AR-PAE. Moreover, it is capable for background-free high-specific photoacoustic molecular imaging with a novel pump-probe detection technique, as demonstrated by the distribution visualizing of the FDA approved contrast agent methylene blue (MB) in an ex-vivo pig ileum. This proposed method represents an important technical advancement in multimodal PAE, and can potentially make considerable contributions across various biomedical fields.

Shell thickness-induced thermal dependence: highly sensitive core-shell CdSe/ZnS/POSS-based temperature probes.

Fluorescence nanothermometry based on quantum dots is a current research hotspot for novel non-contact temperature monitoring, and is of vital significance for the modulation and design of the sensing properties of sensors. Herein, a design strategy to modulate the temperature-sensing characteristics of quantum dots based on the thickness of a shell is proposed. In this study, CdSe/ZnS quantum dot/POSS-based temperature probe films with varying fluorescence characteristics were developed, and the influence of the ZnS shell on temperature sensing was examined by varying the thickness of the ZnS shell. The temperature dependency, linearity, range of applications, and reversibility of quantum dot thin film probes were all considerably regulated by the ZnS shell, according to research on quantum dot/POSS-based films coated with various shell thicknesses. The CdSe/ZnS temperature probe with 4 monolayers (MLs) stood out among the rest due to its strong thermal stability (at least 5 cycles), large usable temperature range (20-80 °C), and excellent temperature sensitivity (R2 > 0.994). The results demonstrated that the temperature sensing performance of quantum dots was the consequence of the combined effect of multiple temperature response properties induced by the thickness of the shell, and the shell control of quantum dots to optimize the temperature sensing performance was an essential approach for the design of temperature probes. This work demonstrates the great potential of the shell in tuning the temperature sensing performance of quantum dots and provides a viable approach for the design of quantum dot temperature probes.

Feasibility Study of Numerical Calculation and Machine Learning Hybrid Approach for Renal Denervation Temperature Prediction

Transcatheter renal denervation (RDN) is a novel treatment to reduce blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension using an energy-based catheter, mostly radio frequency (RF) current, by eliminating renal sympathetic nerve. However, several inconsistent RDN treatments were reported, mainly due to RF current narrow heating area, and the inability to confirm a successful nerve ablation in a deep area. We proposed microwave energy as an alternative for creating a wider ablation area. However, confirming a successful ablation is still a problem. In this paper, we designed a prediction method for deep renal nerve ablation sites using hybrid numerical calculation-driven machine learning (ML) in combination with a microwave catheter. This work is a first-step investigation to check the hybrid ML prediction capability in a real-world situation. A catheter with a single-slot coaxial antenna at 2.45 GHz with a balloon catheter, combined with a thin thermometer probe on the balloon surface, is proposed. Lumen temperature measured by the probe is used as an ML input to predict the temperature rise at the ablation site. Heating experiments using 6 and 8 mm hole phantom with a 41.3 W excited power, and 8 mm with 36.4 W excited power, were done eight times each to check the feasibility and accuracy of the ML algorithm. In addition, the temperature on the ablation site is measured for reference. Prediction by ML algorithm agrees well with the reference, with a maximum difference of 6 °C and 3 °C in 6 and 8 mm (both power), respectively. Overall, the proposed ML algorithm is capable of predicting the ablation site temperature rise with high accuracy.

Functional Enhancement and Characterization of an Electrophysiological Mapping Electrode Probe with Carbonic, Directional Macrocontacts.

Electrophysiological mapping (EM) using acute electrode probes is a common procedure performed during functional neurosurgery. Due to their constructive specificities, the EM probes are lagging in innovative enhancements. This work addressed complementing a clinically employed EM probe with carbonic and circumferentially segmented macrocontacts that are operable both for neurophysiological sensing ("recording") of local field potentials (LFP) and for test stimulation. This paper illustrates in-depth the development that is based on the direct writing of functional materials. The unconventional fabrication processes were optimized on planar geometry and then transferred to the cylindrically thin probe body. We report and discuss the constructive concept and architecture of the probe, characteristics of the electrochemical interface deduced from voltammetry and chronopotentiometry, and the results of in vitro and in vivo recording and pulse stimulation tests. Two- and three-directional macrocontacts were added on probes having shanks of 550 and 770 μm diameters and 10-23 cm lengths. The graphitic material presents a ~2.7 V wide, almost symmetric water electrolysis window, and an ultra-capacitive charge transfer. When tested with clinically relevant 150 μs biphasic current pulses, the interfacial polarization stayed safely away from the water window for pulse amplitudes up to 9 mA (135 μC/cm2). The in vivo experiments on adult rat models confirmed the high-quality sensing of LFPs. Additionally, the in vivo-prevailing increase in the electrode impedance and overpotential are discussed and modeled by an ionic mobility-reducing spongiform structure; this restricted diffusion model gives new applicative insight into the in vivo-uprisen stimulation overpotential.

Localized Average Voltage Distribution on the Surface of NMC622 Electrode Measured Using Integrated Al-Voltage Probes during the Cell Cycling at Different C-Rates

Studying localized voltage distribution of electrode surfaces in Li-ion batteries (LIBs) during cell cycling at constant current enables better understanding of the cell degradation phenomenon and prediction of the state of the health. In many studies, individual electrode potentials are analyzed during cell cycling at different C-rates using a reference electrode integrated into the cell, studying the electrochemical reaction mechanism of single electrodes [1,2]. However, for long length electrodes in pouch cells, nonuniform voltage distributions are developed on the electrode surfaces due to inhomogeneous lithiation and de-lithiation during cell cycling. This voltage distribution can cause a variety of issues including loss of energy, accelerated cell degradation, and overcharge or over-discharge of the cell at specific points on the electrodes. For example, recent literature shows that the region of the electrode closest to the current collector tab in pouch cells has the highest state of charge [3].Usually, pouch cells are constructed with different dimensions, depending on the application. However, there is a lack of information on the local voltages at electrode surfaces during charge and discharge at different C-rates. To understand the degradation mechanisms of active electrode materials in the pouch cell application, it is therefore important to spatially quantify the voltage distribution on the electrode surfaces at different C-rates.In this study, two pairs of thin film Al voltage probes were placed carefully onto the surface of NMC622 rectangular cathode to monitor the voltage distribution between equidistant points parallel and perpendicular to the tab direction along the electrode. Following this, a pouch cell was constructed with the cathode (2 mAhcm-2) sandwiched between two graphite-based anodes with an areal charge density of 2.4 mAhcm-2. The surface electrode potentials were measured individually against a standard reference Li/Li+ electrode in-operando during the formation cycle as well as during charge and discharge at rates of C/10, C/5, and C/3.The results show that the electrochemical potential close to the tab is always higher than that further away. A potential gradient exists perpendicular to the tab direction, which increases and decreases continuously during charging and discharging respectively. The potential difference between two lateral points parallel to the tab direction is significantly lower than the difference between two points perpendicular to the tab direction. This voltage distribution across the electrode usually manifests due to the inhomogeneous lithium diffusion along the plane of the electrode. This can be influenced by the electronic and ionic conductivity of the electrode along its plane. Therefore, in addition, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were performed, both perpendicular and parallel to the tab directions at different states of charge (SOC) of the cell. The EIS measurements confirm that the resistance perpendicular to the tab directions is higher than that parallel to the tab direction. Therefore, our results show that it is highly recommended to place voltage and temperature sensors closer to the tabs to monitor the state of health of the cell.[1] Sols L and Engineering A 1995 Current and Potential Distribution in Parallel Electrodes 244 236–44[2] Raccichini R, Amores M and Hinds G 2019 Critical review of the use of reference electrodes in li-ion batteries: A diagnostic perspective Batteries 5 1–24[3] Liu J, Kunz M, Chen K, Tamura N and Richardson T J 2010 Visualization of charge distribution in a lithium battery electrode J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 1 2120–3

An evaluation of gingival phenotype and thickness as determined by indirect and direct methods.

To evaluate gingival phenotype (GP) and thickness (GT) using visual, probing, and ultrasound (US) methods and to assess the accuracy and consistency of clinicians to visually identify GP. The GP and GT of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth in 29 orthodontic patients (mean age 25 ± 7.5 years) were assessed using probing and US by a single examiner. General dentist and dental specialist assessors (n = 104) were shown intraoral photographs of the patients, including six repeated images, and asked to identify the GP via a questionnaire. An increasing trend in GT values of thin, medium, and thick biotype probe categories was found, though this was not statistically significant (P = .188). Comparison of probing method to determinations of GT made by US yielded slight agreement (κ = 0.12). Using the visual method, assessors' identification of the second GP determination ranged from poor to moderate agreement (κ = 0.29 to κ = 0.53). The probe method is sufficient in differentiating between different categories of GP. However, further research is required to assess the sensitivity of the probe method in recognizing phenotypes in the most marginal of cases. Assessors using the visual method lack the ability to identify GP accurately and consistently among themselves.

Wearable ultrasound bioelectronics for healthcare monitoring

Wearable ultrasound bioelectronics for healthcare monitoring

Transmission-Based Vertebrae Strength Probe Development: Far Field Probe Property Extraction and Integrated Machine Vision Distance Validation Experiments

We are developing a transmission-based probe for point-of-care assessment of vertebrae strength needed for fabricating the instrumentation used in supporting the spinal column during spinal fusion surgery. The device is based on a transmission probe whereby thin coaxial probes are inserted into the small canals through the pedicles and into the vertebrae, and a broad band signal is transmitted from one probe to the other across the bone tissue. Simultaneously, a machine vision scheme has been developed to measure the separation distance between the probe tips while they are inserted into the vertebrae. The latter technique includes a small camera mounted to the handle of one probe and associated fiducials printed on the other. Machine vision techniques make it possible to track the location of the fiducial-based probe tip and compare it to the fixed coordinate location of the camera-based probe tip. The combination of the two methods allows for straightforward calculation of tissue characteristics by exploiting the antenna far field approximation. Validation tests of the two concepts are presented as a precursor to clinical prototype development.

Interaction of the mechanosensitive microswimmer Paramecium with obstacles.

In this work, we report investigations of the swimming behaviour of Paramecium tetraurelia, a unicellular microorganism, in micro-engineered pools that are decorated with thousands of cylindrical pillars. Two types of contact interactions are measured, either passive scattering of Paramecium along the obstacle or avoiding reactions (ARs), characterized by an initial backward swimming upon contact, followed by a reorientation before resuming forward motion. We find that ARs are only mechanically triggered approximately 10% of the time. In addition, we observe that only a third of all ARs triggered by contact are instantaneous while two-thirds are delayed by approximately 150 ms. These measurements are consistent with a simple electrophysiological model of mechanotransduction composed of a strong transient current followed by a persistent one upon prolonged contact. This is in apparent contrast with previous electrophysiological measurements where immobilized cells were stimulated with thin probes, which showed instantaneous behavioural responses and no persistent current. Our findings highlight the importance of ecologically relevant approaches to unravel the motility of mechanosensitive microorganisms in complex environments.

Portable and non-invasive fluorescent thin films from photocatalytically active carbon dots for selective and trace-level detection of picric acid

Multifunctional N, S and P-doped CDs derived from C. thevetia flowers are used in a PVDF-based portable recyclable thin film fluorescent probe for selective trace level detection of picric acid and for the environmental remediation of azo dyes, acting as a potential solar photocatalytic material.

A novel ultrasonic inspection method of the heat exchangers based on circumferential waves and deep neural networks.

The heat exchanger (HE) is an important component of almost every energy generation system. Periodic inspection of the HEs is particularly important to keep high efficiency of the entire system. In this paper, a novel ultrasonic water immersion inspection method is presented based on circumferential wave (CW) propagation to detect defective HE. Thin patch-type piezoelectric elements with multiple resonance frequencies were adopted for the ultrasonic inspection of narrow-spaced HE in an immersion test. Water-filled HE was used to simulate defective HE because water is the most reliable indicator of the defect. The HE will leak water no matter what the defect pattern is. Furthermore, continuous wavelet transform (CWT) was used to investigate the received CW, and inverse CWT was applied to separate frequency bands corresponding to the thickness and lateral resonance modes of the piezoelectric element. Different arrangements of intact and leaky HE were tested with several pairs of thin piezoelectric patch probes in various instrumental setups. Also, direct waveforms in the water without HE were used as reference signals, to indicate instrumental gain and probe sensitivity. Moreover, all filtered CW corresponding to resonance modes together with the direct waveforms in the water were used to train the deep neural networks (DNNs). As a result, an automatic HE state classification method was obtained, and the accuracy of the applied DNN was estimated as 99.99%.

Intraoperative assessment of resection margins by Raman spectroscopy to guide oral cancer surgery.

Patients with oral cavity cancer are almost always treated with surgery. The goal is to remove the tumor with a margin of more than 5 mm of surrounding healthy tissue. Unfortunately, this is only achieved in about 15% to 26% of cases. Intraoperative assessment of tumor resection margins (IOARM) can dramatically improve surgical results. However, current methods are laborious, subjective, and logistically demanding. This hinders broad adoption of IOARM, to the detriment of patients. Here we present the development and validation of a high-wavenumber Raman spectroscopic technology, for quick and objective intraoperative measurement of resection margins on fresh specimens. It employs a thin fiber-optic needle probe, which is inserted into the tissue, to measure the distance between a resection surface and the tumor. A tissue classification model was developed to discriminate oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) from healthy oral tissue, with a sensitivity of 0.85 and a specificity of 0.92. The tissue classification model was then used to develop a margin length prediction model, showing a mean difference between margin length predicted by Raman spectroscopy and histopathology of -0.17 mm.

Potential of copper oxide thin film-based sensor probe for carbon dioxide gas monitoring

Potential of copper oxide thin film-based sensor probe for carbon dioxide gas monitoring

Multimode polymer chirped fiber Bragg grating for shock and detonation velocity.

Shock and detonation velocities are today measured continuously using long silica chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs). These thin probes can be directly inserted into high-explosive samples. The use of a polymer fiber increases the sensitivity at low pressure levels when studying, for instance, shock-to-detonation transitions in wedge tests. The 22-mm-long multimode polymer CFBGs have, therefore, been manufactured and characterized. A first detonation experiment was realized on a narrow Formex strip using such a sensor. The feasibility is demonstrated, and the associated uncertainties, mostly coming from the use of a multimode fiber, are discussed.

Generative Adversarial Network for Superresolution Imaging through a Fiber

A multimode fiber represents the ultimate limit in miniaturization of imaging endoscopes. Here we propose a fiber imaging approach employing compressive sensing with a data-driven machine learning framework. We implement a generative adversarial network for image reconstruction without relying on a sample sparsity constraint. The proposed method outperforms the conventional compressive imaging algorithms in terms of image quality and noise robustness. We experimentally demonstrate speckle-based imaging below the diffraction limit at a sub-Nyquist speed through a multimode fiber.

Geochemical transformation of tuffaceous materials in tight sandstone and its significance for reservoir reconstruction: A case study from the Taiyuan and Shihezi Formation in Dingbei area, Ordos Basin

Combined with thin sections and electronic probe microanalyzer (EPMA) analysis, we studied the effect of the chemical composition of tuffaceous materials on the quality of sandstone reservoir in the Dingbei area. Analysis of 100 thin sections from five drilled wells indicates that the tuffaceous materials in sandstones from the Taiyuan and Shihezi Formation are common due to the volcanic eruptions. There are three types of tuffaceous materials in the sandstone: intermediate-basic type, intermediate-acid type, and mixed type. Seven thin sections were selected to analyze the chemical elements of tuffaceous materials by EPMA, with 3–8 test points on each thin section. The results indicate a clear decline in most major elements except for SiO2 and Al2O3. The elemental differentiation of tuffaceous sandstone is largely controlled by the activity of the diagenetic system. Under the slow-moving fluid, the active elements such as K, Na, Ca, Mg, and Fe are lost, and Si and Al are enriched. The SiO2 contents of EPMA results are up to 42%. Under the strong-flow fluid, Si and Al can be transferred to precipitate the kaolinites. In the closed diagenetic system, the contents of active elements such as Na and K are high. Dissolution or alteration of tuffaceous materials with different types under the acid fluid is one of the reasons for the generation of heterogeneous reservoirs. The intermediate-acid tuffaceous materials with high SiO2 content experience transformation without dissolution. The mixed tuffaceous materials are mainly transformed into kaolinite to form intercrystalline pores. Due to a large number of soluble components in the intermediate-basic tuffaceous materials, a large number of secondary pores are developed.

A cable‐driven soft robotic end‐effector actuator for probe‐based confocal laser endomicroscopy: Development and preclinical validation

AbstractSoft robotics is becoming a popular choice for end‐effectors. An end‐effector was designed that has various advantages including ease of manufacturing, simplicity and control. This device may have the advantage of enabling probe‐based devices to intraoperatively measure cancer histology, because it can flexibly and gently position a probe perpendicularly over an area of delicate tissue. This is demonstrated in a neurosurgical setting where accurate cancer resection has been limited by lack of accurate visualisation and impaired tumour margin delineation with the need for in‐situ histology. Conventional surgical robotic end‐effectors are unsuitable to accommodate a probe‐based confocal laser endomicroscopy (p‐CLE) probe because of their rigid and non‐deformable properties, which can damage the thin probe. We have therefore designed a new soft robotic platform, which is advantageous by conforming to the probe's shape to avoid damage and to facilitate precision scanning.