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Microgrippers could perform surgery with no incisions necessary
In the future, surgery might be a lot less invasive thanks to some downright-amazing new medical technologies. New devices, called microgrippers, could be swallowed by a patient and then activated via chemicals and magnets to do surgical work inside the body with no incisions necessary.
Microgrippers could be programmed to react to chemicals it finds in the body. For example, a group of microgrippers could seek out and find a tumor based on its chemical makeup, surrounding it and removing it automatically. The microgrippers require no electricity to run, and they're powered by chemicals that are harmless to the human body. We'll see how big an impact these have on future medical procedures, but it's certainly an exciting development.
MIT Technology Review, via MedGadget
By zigfried at 8:56 PM ON 09/01/08
While I'm excited for the medical advance towards nano-technologies and such... that picture looks absolutely freakish. More like pincers and not grippers if you ask me. I can just imagine a horror flick with a surgery gone-wrong with these things eating a patient from the inside. I certainly hope they have a plan for how to deactivate them :P
By Brass_Orchid at 1:37 AM ON 09/02/08
Apparently, they are not autonomous in any sense. They need to be manipulated. The gripping action is achieved by introducing a chemical or changing the temperature to soften a polymer that holds the gripper open. They apply 2 grams of pressure when closing. Changing the chemical will cause the gripper to open as the polymer stiffens. Simple, neat and effective.
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Brass_Orchid:
Apparently, they are not autonomous in any sense. They need to be manipulated. The gripping action is achieved by i...More »