China designs robot that handles tiny objects like salmon eggs

Sand-grain-sized robot to perform tasks inside the body

Chinese team designs sand-grain-sized robot to perform tasks inside the body

A team of Chinese scientists has successfully combined sensing and steering functions in a single sand-grain-sized machine, enabling more accurate drug dosing and physiological monitoring inside the body.

A report published this week in the journal Science Robotics stated that researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in central China's Hubei Province and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in southern China have developed a microrobot that uses magnetic and ultrasound waves, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The report stated that the robot, which is 1.3 mm wide and weighs 4.6 mg, can wirelessly monitor and regulate environmental parameters such as force, vibration, viscosity, and temperature. By sensing stimuli and converting them into ultrasonic signals, the robot can also manipulate tiny objects such as salmon eggs, a feat demonstrated during tests on animal models.

The researchers also demonstrated that a version of the robot acts as a thermometer capable of sensing temperature changes in a pig model. Another capsule-shaped version of the robot demonstrated its ability to wirelessly deliver precise doses of fluids into the stomach of a live rabbit and track the dose level over time. These tests pave the way for practical applications of this miniature smart device in the medical field.