Imagine a microscopic robot propelled by undulating hairs moving through your stomach to deliver medication to diseased cells.
That’s the kind of future researchers at ETH Zurich hope to manifest with their latest creation.
The rapid beating of the cilia creates a minuscule vortex in front of and behind the robot.
The research was led by Daniel Ahmed, a professor of acoustic robotics for life sciences and healthcare.
“Our vision is to use ultrasound for propulsion, imaging and drug delivery,” Ahmed said.
Steering the robot inside the human body, however, will require sharp imaging in real time.
This will provide the next big challenge for the team.
