The Briefing Room

General Category => Science, Technology and Knowledge => Topic started by: rangerrebew on July 11, 2017, 11:52:18 am

Title: Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body. Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Post by: rangerrebew on July 11, 2017, 11:52:18 am

Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body
Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Lindsey Konkel
Jul 6, 2017 — 7:10 am EST
 

A computer model shows a robot called a microswimmer boring through plaque, a fatty material that can build up inside someone’s arteries. Too much plaque can block the arteries and lead to a heart attack. These microrobots are barely visible to the human eye — they’re about the size of a speck of dust.

Imagine a microscopic machine that could swim through a person’s blood vessels on its way to delivering medicine to a cancerous tumor. Or one that unclogs an artery to prevent a heart attack, or even performs delicate vision-saving surgery from inside the eye. These feats aren’t possible yet. But researchers are designing miniature robots, called microswimmers, that may soon do all of these things. And more.

https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/therapeutic-robots-may-soon-swim-within-body

Title: Re: Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body. Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Post by: Snarknado on July 12, 2017, 02:01:25 pm

The 2001 Michael Connelly novel Chasing the Dime involves a startup developing the technology needed to power medical nanobots...

Title: Re: Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body. Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Post by: Free Vulcan on July 12, 2017, 08:49:32 pm

(http://trekcore.com/gallery/albums/borgdrones/Drone_FC.jpg)

Nanobots in the body. What could go wrong?

Title: Re: Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body. Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Post by: roamer_1 on July 12, 2017, 09:05:27 pm

Not this body.

Title: Re: Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body. Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Post by: skeeter on July 12, 2017, 09:19:34 pm

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_uRE_dIEgLc/Vo1WTM8XrAI/AAAAAAAArC0/R4w9_pb_AYY/s1600/Fantastic%2BVoyage%2B06.jpg)

Title: Re: Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body. Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Post by: Smokin Joe on July 13, 2017, 05:59:49 am

Quote from: roamer_1 on July 12, 2017, 09:05:27 pm

Not this body.

Yeah. Get a load of those in you and go in for an MRI...

Title: Re: Therapeutic robots may soon swim within the body. Scientists look to nature for clues about how to build and power these microrobots
Post by: roamer_1 on July 13, 2017, 06:08:03 am

Quote from: Smokin Joe on July 13, 2017, 05:59:49 am

Yeah. Get a load of those in you and go in for an MRI...

Yeah, that's another thing that ain't gonna happen... At least not anymore.