It is swallowed like a pill, and can carry drugs in the human body, remove foreign bodies and repair the stomach.
It is very small, but inside it contains a concentrate of nanotechnology. It is the latest ingenious invention of the scientists of Massachusetts institute of technology (Mit) of Boston: a robot origami which opens up inside the stomach and which can serve many purposes.
The project was developed by the team of Daniela Rus, director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT, together with scholars from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the University of Sheffield. “Our robot is capable, for example, of remove objects strangers accidentally ingested, treat an injury, or transporting drugs - explained Daniela Rus in a video from MIT - One of the biggest challenges in its development was to find biocompatible and easy to control materials ”.
The material chosen is made up of pig intestine tissues, similar to human ones. The robot moves in jerks, with a accordion course, thanks to microscopic suction cups. Piloted by a surgeon, it can repair minor injuries, or remove foreign objects. "We are thinking of improving the functionality of origami,equipping it with sensors, so that he can control himself. It is really exciting - continues Daniela Rus - to see our little robot in action, carrying out a task with such important applications for human health ”.
