Endotracheal intubation is vital for airway management but is technically challenging, especially in emergency settings, where nearly 35% of first attempts fail due to limited visibility and the need for specialized training. To address this, Haggerty et al. developed a soft robotic device that autonomously guides a breathing tube into the trachea, minimizing reliance on anatomical visualization and user expertise.
In initial tests with expert users on mannequins and cadavers, the device achieved a 100% success rate with an average intubation time of under 8 seconds. In a follow-up study, prehospital medical providers received just 5 minutes of training before using the device on cadavers. They achieved an 87% first-pass success rate and 96% overall success, averaging 21 seconds per successful intubation—significantly faster than with standard video laryngoscopy, which had a 63% first-pass and 92% overall success rate, taking 44 seconds on average.
The study suggests that this device could broaden access to safe, effective intubation, especially in emergency and prehospital environments, and supports further clinical evaluation.
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