According to the Swiss scientists, small robots that can deliver drug and assist doctors during medical operations can make a reality very soon. The researchers from EPFL, a Research institution in Lausanne, Switzerland, say that have a solid proof of microbots mimicking bacterium.
A Swiss Scientist Selman Sakar from EPFL in collaboration with colleague Hen-Wei Huang from Swiss Institute at Zurich published their joint article in the Nature Communications, which reveals secrets of microbots and its perspectives in the medicine.
According to the article, small robots — microbots — are able to deliver medicines and assist doctors during invasive operations. Sound like a fantastic, but recent researchers prove that.
The Swiss bioengineers found a way to create tiny robots (so called microbots), which can be equipped with needed and advanced features. In other words, microbots that act like a bacterium, can be a transport for drugs or be of some assistance during invasive medical operations.
Microbots, their features and abilities
According to Sakar, microbots consists of biocompatible hydrogel and magnetic nanoparticles with two functions: i) the nanoparticles give the tiny robots their shape during the manufacturing process; ii) nanoparticles make the robots swim and move when an electromagnetic field is applied.
Selman Sakar from EPFL underlines that the microbots are still examining a bunch of factors, including the possible side-effects of the hydrogel creatures in patients.
