Bacteria Harnessed As Micro-Robot Motors

ElectricBrian writes "Researchers have found a way to propel micro-capsules by attaching bacteria (S. marcescens, the type that makes your shower curtain moldy). Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University fixed the bacteria to the micro-capsules and then used chemicals to turn on and off their motion-producing flagella. Quoting: 'In the future, such hybrid swimming micro-robots could even be used to deliver drugs inside the liquid environments of the human body, such as the urinary tract, eyeball cavity, ear, and cerebrospinal fluid...'"

Comments

Mold in the eye of the beholder...

[flyingfsck]

Deliver drugs to the inside of the eye using mold? They don't think there would be a minor complication with getting rid of the mold afterwards?

Unlikely

[juushin]

Two points.

First. Who on earth is going to introduce a potentially pathogenic strain of bacteria into their bodily fluids--for example cerebral spinal fluids. I have no problem with science fiction, but let's keep the distinction between science/science fiction obvious.

Second. This idea of harnessing bacteria to move things around has already been done several times over now. The first demonstration was by Hiratsuka with Mycoplasma. Then Berg (Harvard) had a different approach with Serratia. Then Whitesides (Harvard) used Chlamydomonas. In fact, Wired magazine had a short summary of much of this work in the December 2006 issue.

Correct me if I am wrong but I don't see why this article has been slashdotted. Whoever checked off on this article needs to read up on science a little more closely.

Re:the eyes have it

[Eccles]

If it could get rid of those stupid floaters, I would be *so* happy...