MRI Powered Pill-Sized Robot Swims Through Intestines 98
kkleiner writes "Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel and Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston have collaborated to create a robot that can swim through the intestines. The size of a large pill, the 'microswimmer' is powered by the strong magnetic fields generated by an MRI machine. A tail measuring 20mm x 5mm made of copper and flexible polymer vibrates due to the magnets and propels the little microrobot through the gut."
Bugged (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Crohns Disease (Score:2, Informative)
ditto, nothing worse than an inconclusive endoscopy. As this thing can probably get places semi-flexible tubes can't, I'll call it a win.
Re:The matrix has me (Score:5, Informative)
Having had to design surgical instruments to operate in in MRI imaging field (not just the magnetic field, but in the patient during a scan), I can answer this.
The warning on the machine is overly cautious. Almost any material can be put in in MRI, but should be tested. 99% would probably fail (and 99% of those can be predicted to fail). And who wants to test every friggin' thing someone wants to bring into an MRI room. Best just to say "NONE!"
But for stuff designed for the MRI, it's a different story.
There are 2 levels of compatibility: MRI safe and MRI compatible.
MRI safe means it won't hurt anyone. Don't use large pieces of ferro or paramagnetic materials, or the magnet will apply significant force. In other words, just don't use steel (plus a few other exotic alloys). And don't use long, thing wires, or you can create some induction heating from the radio waves (the R stands for resonance ... radio frequency resonance).
MRI compatible means that the material won't disrupt the imaging field. Either by warping the magnetic field, messing with the radio waves, or creating discontinuities (the FFT algorithms create artifacts from abrupt hydrogen density changes. Air/interface is enough sometimes).
Turns out polymers are ideal, followed by ceramics. But a small group of diamagnetic metals work pretty well too (but still have dimension and geometry constraints). Gold, silver, lead, and copper work great. BeCu alloys can be used and replace steel.
A small item (20 mm x 5 mm dia) made of copper should be MRI safe. MRI compatible is something that has to be tested, but copper/polymer objects might not screw with the image too badly if designed well. And it makes great sense to tap the radio field for a little bit of power.
Re:The matrix has me (Score:4, Informative)
I think that is already a solved problem for colonoscopies - 24 hours of nothing but clear liquids and jello plus aggressive laxatives, clears you right out.
Re:The matrix has me (Score:5, Informative)
According to my butt doctor, I was "squeaky clean" when I had my colonoscopy. The previous day and a half was unpleasant, but I am grateful I went through with it.
The weirdest part of having 100% empty intestines was my lack of hunger. I had zero food or "processed food" in my guts, but I felt content like I had just eaten a decent meal but was not stuffed. Then, when I ate my first meal, I was extremely hungry despite having just eaten.