cientists at Northwestern University have developed the world's smallest remote-controlled robots, measuring less than a millimeter wide, that could potentially navigate through arteries to remove cholesterol blockages without invasive surgery.
Engineers Prof. John Rogers and Prof. Yonggang Huang created these crab-shaped microbots using shape-memory metal alloys that respond to heat, allowing them to walk and move their tiny pincers through precise laser beam control.
The revolutionary robots are constructed from flat plastic polymer sheets with metal alloy joints that remember their original shape, enabling coordinated movement when heated and returning to position when cooled.
While current prototypes operate on solid surfaces rather than in fluid environments like blood vessels, researchers envision future swimming versions that could clear arterial plaques and even target cancerous tumors from within the body.
These microscopic medical robots represent a significant breakthrough in minimally invasive treatment, though further development is needed to create fluid-compatible versions small enough to navigate the body's smallest capillaries and blood vessels effectively.
