Patent ID: 7052473

Claim:
A device adapted for insertion in an interior channel of an elongated, flexible body insert having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, for stiffening said insert and for bending said distal end portion thereof, said device comprising: a wire arrangement adapted for insertion in said channel, having a tip end adapted to reside at said distal end section when said wire arrangement is inserted in said channel; said tip section comprising a bendable, insulating polymer element and a sequence of bending actuators formed by a plurality of silicon sections interconnected by polyimide-filled V-groove joints, and a heating element in thermal communication with said polyimide-filled V-groove joints, said heating element causing bending of said joints and configuring of said tip section by thermal expansion of said polyimide; and a manipulable regulation unit adapted to be accessible at said proximal end of said insert, connected to said wire arrangement.