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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.
... 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. . . .
Just you wait, sonny. When you turn 55 or so, your other choice is to have the doc stick a fat periscope up there to take a look, screen you for bowel cancer. Bring on the robots, I say.
That only serves to prove that you've never been subjected to a colonoscopy gone wrong.
Which, from the patient's point of view, always happens.
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.