Hooray for nanotechnology, as Israeli scientists have successfully worked on a medical robot that measures a mere 1mm in diameter. What does this mean? It is small enough to crawl into our nose and ears, in addition to making their way through veins and arteries. While the very idea of that might turn some people off (including me), rest assured that these scientists won’t be using it for nefarious purposes but instead targets the exploration of a real human being. It is also tipped that these medical robots will be equipped to fight certain cancers, while the idea of harnessing a group of them to fight metastases is enticing.
Also known as a submarine robot (for obvious reasons, especially when it makes its way through your blood stream), this tiny robot currently has no direction as it is still too early to know just what practical use there is for it. Initial suggestions point toward its use in brachytherapy – a process where cancer patients are exposed to short-distance radiotherapy from a source placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. For instance, brachytherapy is a common treatment method for localized prostate cancer as well as cancers in the head and neck. The idea of relying on strength in numbers is also expounded upon, since numerous robots will be able to deal with a fair number of malignant tumors located all over the body even when you’re sleeping.
This tiny robot is also strong enough to crawl against the bloodstream without any problem – something unachievable with other robots prior to it. This is made possible by tiny arms that stretch out, gripping onto vessel walls without causing any harm or injury to the patient. There is no word on when this robot will be approved by regulators, but hopefully the answer will be soon before more people fall to cancer.
Source: Primidi
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