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Robot Invented To Crawl Through Veins

Posted by timothy on from the oh-no-not-creepy dept.

Slatterz writes "Scientists from Israel's Technion University have unveiled a tiny robot, made using Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, purportedly able to crawl through a person's veins in order to diagnose and potentially treat artery blockage and cancer. The little robot — with a diameter of just one millimeter — has neither engine nor onboard controls, instead being propelled forward by a magnetic field wielded on it from outside the patient's body."

5 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Arteries and Veins by PleaseFearMe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The summary confused me, so I looked it up, and it is true. Veins bring blood towards the heart. Arteries bring blood away from the heart. I always thought blood flows pretty fast, so the robot would need quite a bit of magnetic force to go against the blood friction. If it finds a clot, can it ram its way through like a battering ram? That would be cool.

  2. Re:Robotic aneurysm by JordanL · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Anyone remember "Inner Space"?

    Heh... couldn't help but think of that movie while reading.

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    FanFictionRecs.net
  3. Re:Robotic aneurysm by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Fantastic Voyage
    Both of them.

  4. Re:And the first test subject will be... by Nutria · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Palestinians to do inhuman test on, it goes with the inhuman concentration camps they're in.

    These "camps" you speak of look a hell of a lot like cities.

    http://community.webshots.com/photo/fullsize/2892931020089791706gjXfOM

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    "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
  5. Anyone ever heard of Sterotaxis? by vrmlguy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So how is this different from this? Oh, yeah, there's no way to retrieve the robot if it gets stuck.

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