Surgical snakebots crawl down your throat

The Johns Hopkins University must employ some seriously bright folks, as researchers at the school are unveiling yet another marvel to benefit mankind, and this time their creation is headed for the nooks and crannies within your body that surgeons have difficulty reaching unassisted. Sure, the diminutive locales within your guts have been explored by robotic creatures before, but these "snake-like robots" could enable surgeons, operating in the narrow throat region in particular, to make "incisions and tie sutures with greater dexterity and precision." The invention consists of two thin rods tipped with "tentaclelike tools" capable of moving with six degrees of freedom; during surgery, the doctor would utilize a 3D visualization system to watch, control, and dictate the robotic tubes. Moreover, the snakes are crafted from nonferrous metals so it can be used around magnetic imaging equipment, and considering its ability to "make up 100 adjustments per second," nimbleness is in its nature. But if you're not exactly fond of such slithering creatures, you've still got time to escape, as researchers estimate that there's still about "five more years" of lab testing before we see Snakes on a Hospital Bed.

[Via Physorg]

[TAREK @ Dec 21st 2006 12:24PM]

What if they form a mind of their own and become uncontrollable? Spiderman anyone? lol

[mnugghuhx @ Dec 21st 2006 12:27PM]

Nonmetallic metals? You mean non ferrous metals, as in metals that are not magnetic? I have never heard of calling it non metallic metals.
These could probably be made extremely light and with extreme accuracy using magnesium injection molding, or "thixotropic molding". Milling down tiny parts like this gets expensive. Also, magnesium is lighter than aluminum and stronger, and can be coated to make it very resistive to corrosion and exploding when touching water. I wonder what non metallic metal they used? Probably Titanium, that stuff is bas ass, but hard as all hell to mill, and outrageously expensive.
BTW a quick google search of "non metallic metals" shows that it is actually a painting technique, where a painter tries to create a metallic to an object w/ out using and metallic colored paints. Interesting
Holla!

[Chad @ Dec 21st 2006 12:38PM]

You have too much time on your hands.
Hehe, just kidding....sortof

[Manuel @ Dec 21st 2006 12:58PM]

The Matrix has began ...
Next Step : use of humans as power source .

[Matt Brydon @ Dec 21st 2006 12:59PM]

anyone else think these look a bit too much like the sentinals from the matrix? for the love of god please tell me they aren't gonna fit them with lasers!

[Farris @ Dec 21st 2006 1:05PM]

I didn't read the article (at work right now, shhhh...) so I don't know how the movement is actually controlled. BUT as far as the actual movement goes, if it is done electronically, wouldn't a magnetic field cause it to freak out? I remember in physics class moving a copper wire through a magnetic field and generating electricity, and I'm pretty sure copper is non-ferrous. My question is this: would having these snake-bots in an MRI machine make them go crazy?

(BTW, I for one... oh, nevermind)

[russdogg @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:03AM]

just could resist, huh? had to get in the SOAP reference...

[JON BLAST @ Dec 21st 2006 5:51PM]

I think i speak for everyone when i say:

HUGLAGHALGHALGHAL

[Nelg @ Dec 22nd 2006 1:25AM]

Mmm.. Tentacles..