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back to article Autonomous robots that can be injected? Not as far off as it sounds, say boffins, thanks to new ion-powered silicon legs

US electronics engineers and physicists have built micrometre-scale swimming robots that use a new type of actuator, forming the basis for a tiny automaton that could be injected into humans to perform minor medical procedures. Powered by onboard silicon photovoltaics, the robots, which are less than 0.1mm in size, wriggle …

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  1. Pascal Monett Silver badge
    Coat

    The artist's rendition is all wrong

    Where's the frikkin' laser ?

    4 0 Reply
    1. Little Mouse
      Reply Icon

      Re: The artist's rendition is all wrong

      Laser or not - I just assumed that the robot would look like Raquel Welch.

      5 0 Reply

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

  2. Chris G
    Trollface

    Just wondering

    Could they be administered along with a vaccine?

    2 0 Reply
    1. Dr_N
      Reply Icon
      Black Helicopters

      Re: Just wondering

      Only if you are bitten by a bat, whilst standing next to a 5G tower.

      12 0 Reply
      1. DS999 Silver badge
        Reply Icon
        Trollface

        Re: Just wondering

        And only if Bill Gates is administering the vaccine.

        2 0 Reply
    2. Zuagroasta
      Reply Icon

      Re: Just wondering

      Exactly. It's hard enough to restrain the conspiridiots as it is...

      2 0 Reply
  3. Zola

    Cheap?

    > The group of researchers estimated a production cost of one US penny ($0.01) per device.

    Maybe so, but the end user will still have to pay tens of thousands of dollars per treatment because... US healthcare system.

    9 1 Reply
  4. spold Silver badge

    Doctor! Doctor! the patient is turning a strange colour!

    I'm afraid it is the blue screen of death....

    8 0 Reply
    1. Psmo
      Reply Icon

      Re: Doctor! Doctor! the patient is turning a strange colour!

      Doctor! Doctor! The patient is swelling up!

      They should do, the price they paid for those rounded corners...

      3 0 Reply
    2. Psmo
      Reply Icon
      Coat

      Re: Doctor! Doctor! the patient is turning a strange colour!

      Just need to get these out:

      Doctor, Doctor! Is it meant to do this?

      No, you're holding it wrong.

      Doctor, Doctor! This swelling has gotten really big and angry-looking. What should I do?

      You'd better get a licence before the next Big Red audit.

      0 0 Reply
  5. JCitizen
    Go

    Star Trek..

    Used to love watching 7 of 9 injecting her "nano-bots" into people to aid in whatever mission they were in. Well, let's face it - I liked watching 7 of 9 no matter what.

    2 0 Reply

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