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Italian Scientists Put Robot Spiders In Your Colon

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the wait-'til-it-lays-eggs dept.

Sockatume writes "Scientists in Italy have developed a robot which will move around the lower digestive tract using legs. The 'Spider-Pill' is fitted with a camera and will stow its legs until it reaches the lower intestine. Once there it can crawl around and take pictures under direction from surgeons. Its USP is that it's more appealing than an endoscopy." The BBC also has video.

25 of 203 comments (clear)

  1. Google's spiders crawling by sopssa · · Score: 4, Funny

    In other news, Google is working on it's own version to integrate Googlebot to crawl more data into Google Maps. Soon you can zoom into a person you saw on the street and navigate inside her.

    1. Re:Google's spiders crawling by clickclickdrone · · Score: 2, Funny

      >Googlebot
      Googlebutt, surely?

      --
      I want a list of atrocities done in your name - Recoil
    2. Re:Google's spiders crawling by Enleth · · Score: 2, Funny

      They already have Google Moon, the rest of the solar system is just an obvious extension of the service. I'm not sure however why exactly they started with Uranus...

      --
      This is Slashdot. Common sense is futile. You will be modded down.
    3. Re:Google's spiders crawling by sakdoctor · · Score: 5, Funny

      I knew that robots.txt I had tattooed on my ass would come in handy.

      User-agent: *
      Disallow: /

    4. Re:Google's spiders crawling by machine321 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I, for one, welcome our...

      Wait, no. Ew.

  2. Yea but by weirdcrashingnoises · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Soviet Russia, robot spiders put your colon in scientists!

    --
    sigs... don't talk to me about sigs....
    1. Re:Yea but by b4dc0d3r · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wrecked 'im? Damn near killed 'im.

  3. Call it Ziggy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    - as in Mr Z Stardust and the spiders from arse

  4. Just Sayin... by jacks0n · · Score: 4, Funny

    The goatse guy would almost be ontopic.

  5. Obligatory Matrix reference by Brewmeister_Z · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why do I get visions of doctors that look like FBI agents inserting this device into me via my belly button?

    --
    I Cater to the Needs of Stupid People. - from a coffee mug Christmas gift
  6. Oh boy! by DurendalMac · · Score: 4, Funny

    Do they bark?

  7. and in related news.... by NiteShaed · · Score: 4, Funny

    Italy has leapfrogged ahead of both Germany and Japan in the quest for making the weirdest adult films.....

    --
    Some bring out the best in others, some the worst. Some bring out far more.
  8. Inspired by the meme! by snarfies · · Score: 1, Funny

    Robot spiders? In MY colon?
    It's more likely than you think.

  9. There was an old woman who swallowed.... by davidwr · · Score: 4, Funny

    She swallowed the robo-spider to swallow the robo-fly, I don't know why, she swallowed the robo-fly, maybe she'll die.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  10. This article.. by GrBear · · Score: 4, Funny

    This article is worthless without pictu... er, nevermind. *shudder*

  11. I hope the legs retract by OglinTatas · · Score: 4, Funny

    before "exiting the body naturally."

    Speaking of which, what is the natural way colon spiders exit the body? Don't they lay their eggs in there and the spiderlings eat their way out through the abdominal wall? I guess leg retraction isn't high on the agenda in that case.

    --
    More music, fewer hits
    1. Re:I hope the legs retract by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      They don't. FTFA:

      "When PoopBot has finished its tasks, it then begins spinning its legs at 20,000 rpm and exits the anus at a velocity of 200 feet per second. The patient is then issued a week's supply of official Obama Tuck's medicated wipes and sent home."

  12. Re:Will it the entire digestive tract? by Sockatume · · Score: 3, Funny

    Don't me, I my sentences have subjects. I don't verbs though.

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    No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
  13. Umm... no. by fredjh · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Italian Scientists Put Robot Spiders In Your Colon"

    Oh no they don't.

    --
    Stupid, sexy Flanders.
  14. Re:USP? by Nerdfest · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can see it now: "SIr, the exploratory spider we put in you has gone rogue. We now need to release this larger hunter/killer spider to take it out (shows golf ball sized robot spider). God help us if this one goes nuts".

  15. "You're going to help us, Mr Anderson... by petrus4 · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...whether you want to, or not."

  16. Transcript of first excursion by RevWaldo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Doctor: ROBOSPIDER YOU SHOULD BE IN THE COLON NOW. WHAT DO YOU SEE?
    Robospider: IT'S SO DAMN DARK IN HERE I CAN'T SEE MY CLAW BEFORE MY FACE. HANG ON A SEC. LET ME GET MY LIGHTER.
    Doctor: OK. WHAT? LIGHTER? NO DON'T
    (SIGNAL LOST.)

    --
    Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
    1. Re:Transcript of first excursion by Desiderius · · Score: 5, Funny

      I wrote one like that in high school:

      A team of tiny tapeworms were trekking through a tract
      As was their creed and calling, the purpose of their pact
      When one among their numbers, who's eyes were not as strong
      Decided he would light a match, not knowing this was wrong.
      But the others saw the danger and screamed with tiny howls:
      "He will ignite the methane gas! EVACUATE THE BOWELS!"

  17. Reuse by DomNF15 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Are these things cheap enough to throw away? Cause I really don't want to swallow something that just came out of...well, you get the idea.

  18. Re:USP? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Nah. "Release the raisin bran!"