Micro-robotics in Medicine
Micro-robotic medicine may happen sooner than we all think. Over the past few years’ scientists around the world have been studying and developing miniature robots that could be used to more effectively treat a variety of illnesses in the body. These incredibly small robots are designed to function like bacterium. They are soft, flexible and contain no motors or mechanics. Instead they are comprised almost entirely of hydrogel and magnetic nanoparticles.
Using these nanoparticles scientists have been able to develop prototypes that appear to “swim” when a magnetic field is applied. Though the construction of these micro robots is complex to say the least, the benefits that we could experience far out way the difficulty of manufacturing.
Imagine a procedure to clear a blocked artery where there needs to be little to no incision, or perhaps when a medicine can be dispersed in specific areas of they body without having to be spread throughout. There has even been some talk of being able to replace major invasive procedures with the implementation of this new and exciting scientific technology.
One thing is for certain though. A world with microscopic robots swimming throughout our bodies, combating all that ails us, may not be a thing of science fiction for much longer.
Check out this YouTube Video of these robotic “organisms” in motion and just think what they might be used for!
Original Article and Video Credits go to EPFL
