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Italian Scientists Put Robot Spiders In Your Colon

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.

14 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 sakdoctor · · Score: 5, Funny

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

      User-agent: *
      Disallow: /

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

      I, for one, welcome our...

      Wait, no. Ew.

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

    The goatse guy would almost be ontopic.

  3. 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
  4. Oh boy! by DurendalMac · · Score: 4, Funny

    Do they bark?

  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. This article.. by GrBear · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  8. 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.

  9. Umm... no. by fredjh · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Italian Scientists Put Robot Spiders In Your Colon"

    Oh no they don't.

    --
    Stupid, sexy Flanders.
  10. 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".

  11. 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.)

    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!"