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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."

1 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.