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New Robot Glides Through Intestines
TechFreep writes to mention a NewScientist article about a new mucus-riding robot, intended for use in medical examinations of the intestinal tract. The snail-like bot, it is hoped, will be easier on the internal organs of patients than similar robots which use small leg-like structures. From the article: "Dodou is testing a polymer material that clings to proteins found in the mucus that lines the gut. She measured the polymer's sticky properties in the lab using sections of pig gut, and also examined the way the polymer's stickiness can be 'switched off' by spraying it with water. This could allow a robot to move in a manner similar to a snail, which alternately makes itself sticky and slippery by exerting pressure with its body."
Someone doing intestinal research named Dodou. Come on at least make it a little bit more difficult for the peanut gallery than that
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 is the magic number.
New Scientist. The Weekly World News of science reporting...
We're all born with nothing.
If you die in debt, you're ahead.
They found a new application for olestra.
I've always wondered what it would feel like to have a worm-like creature up my ass.
... an embedded device that deserves to run Microsoft Windows!
To eliminate the worm infestation, the crew makes their way into Fry's bowel, and fights their way to the pelvic splanchnic ganglion, intending to cause a massive bowel movement:
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
right up there with "Giants trade Bonds, Snow for Carrot-Top" and "Heat-seeking flying lizards swarm city"
there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.
Tell Dodou, Things "glide through the intestines" pretty well on thier own already.
God Be Gone
Reminds me of when Ryan Dunn shoved a toy car up his ass in Jackass the movie.
In a world of acronyms, the words are the real victims.
I'm pretty sure I don't need robots crawling all through my ass, thanks.
...as the old man always says...
This too shall pass, in the end.
The problem with quotes on the internet, is that nobody bothers to check their veracity. -- Abraham Lincoln
Lucky robot :(
HI, MY NAME IS ISAAC.
"New Robot Glides Through Intestines" Lucky robot :(
Must be high in fibre... fibre optics that is.
Isn't this story a dupe?>
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
A new virus has been discoverd: W32.e-tapeworm.
Good. Cheap. Fast. Pick Two.
I'm trying to eat lunch here.
How we know is more important than what we know.
...don't let it get hold of your splanchnic ganglion!!
Wiiiii!
Sounds like an interesting concept for a game. Think of what kind of franchises this could... erm, spawn.
PooRaider
Ridged Racer
Intestine Coaster Tycoon
Metal Gear Solids
"Quake"
I'd agree with bringing on the micro robots, I only wish they'd come out faster. I'm 23 and I've been sick for the last 6 years with various gastro-intestinal problems. I've had 2 endoscopes before, and just 3 days ago I had my 2nd ultrasound and 2nd upper G.I test. I don't mind endoscopes since they drug me up first, ultrasounds aren't a problem either, but I hate upper G.I's since they involve drinking barium. Lower G.I's are even worse than upper G.I's, and I'm scheduled to go for my first lower G.I test in 2 weeks. Basically they give you a barium milkshake enema. To me that's pretty embarrassing, disgusting, degrading, I really wish they'd just shoot me instead...
An image captured by the new robot is available here.
I was just wondering what it would be like if a robot could smoothly penetrate my rectum to check for various maladies, and this pooped right up.
It's not every day that Slashdot knows exactly which articles I'll be most interested in, but once in a while I feel as if I'm in tune with the universe, and Slashdot is right there with me.
I for one welcome our new mucus-riding robot overlords.
Anybody who has ever had a doctor shove one of those 20-foot metal hose snakes up their ass to look around will welcome such robots. I for one welcome our ass-dwelling robotic overlords. Better than the snakes they replace.
Table-ized A.I.
If some disease or condition were to strike at the mucus lining, where would this robot go?
I wonder how much these cost? I'm guessing they aren't that cheap to produce, but I don't see them being very re-usable as one thing worse than having some robot go happily up your ass and then slip-sliding through your intestinal-tract is having one that's already been up somebody else's ass.
I mean, while some people might find this more convenient than other methods if it were a one shot-deal... but I'm also wondering on how the disinfect these suckers afterwords.
Cool tech, but... yuck!
1. In Soviet Russia, robot glides though YOU!
2. In Korea, robots only glide through old people's intestines.
3. How many Libraries of Congress can this robot hold in its internal memory?
4. So they can make mucus-gliding robots, but where's my flying car?
5. ???
6. Profit!
A legparnasom tele van angolnaval.
For my masters project, I worked on a snake-like robotic arm. You can imagine the proctology jokes, I am sure.
What, 45 comments and no gay/anal probe jokes? Where is the GNAA when you need them!?!
That thing is REAL!
one every day will keep you fit and regular.
Dr. Doo Doo's Snot Bot.
"No fear. No envy. No meanness." Liam Clancy
On the other hand, I'm working on a new robot that "swims" through blood vessels and "eats" bad cholesterol. So far I've designed a fin that "might" make the (nonexistantant) robot swim, but I'm still "working on" creating the robot and how to get it to eat only the bad cholesterol. Celebrate me.
a buffer overflow causing a core dump.
"Don't waste your time or time will waste you" -MUSE
White Castle Slider Bot! Goes through you almost as fast as our burgers do!
is a machine that can shrink people to pilot this machine.
and get the microreactor guys to switch methane and you might have something here!
C-3PO can live out his purpose!
It looks just like a Telefunken U-47.....
The Bigger The Headache The Bigger the Pill
With this kind of technology, there is one small fault:
When you fart, it's game over for the guy with the joystick (how else do you control these things?).
use a robot
...for metamucil.
You said, "Things "glide through the intestines" pretty well on their own already." That is under normal conditions. After surgery or if there is kinkor one has a hernia, etc. paralysis may set in. "There are two types of intestinal obstructions, mechanical and non-mechanical. Mechanical obstructions occur because the bowel is physically blocked and its contents can not pass the point of the obstruction. This happens when the bowel twists on itself (volvulus) or as the result of hernias, impacted feces, abnormal tissue growth, [[or the presence of foreign bodies in the intestines.]] That would be the robot, right? Unlike mechanical obstruction, non-mechanical obstruction, called ileus or paralytic ileus, occurs because peristalsis stops. Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction that moves material through the bowel. Ileus is most often associated with an infection of the peritoneum (the membrane lining the abdomen). It is one of the major causes of bowel obstruction in infants and children. Another common cause of ileus is a disruption or reduction of the blood supply to the abdomen. Handling the bowel during abdominal surgery can also cause peristalsis to stop, so people who have had abdominal surgery are more likely to experience ileus. When ileus results from abdominal surgery the condition is often temporary and usually lasts only 48-72 hours." Judi
A vehicle for ANTS????
..... 3x that big !!
It needs to be at least
That's no moon...
What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about?
"There's no part of that sentence I didn't like!"