According to researchers, swarms of microscopic robots, each little bigger than a dust particle, might be used to treat recalcitrantly infected sinuses before being expelled into a tissue through the nose.
Researchers from Chinese and Hong Kong institutions have successfully implanted the micro-robots, which are only a hair’s diameter, into the sinuses of animals in pre-clinical studies.
In order to eradicate bacterial infections, swarms are introduced into the sinus cavity through a channel that is passed through the nostril. They are then directed to their destination by electromagnetic, where they can be heated and used to catalyze chemical processes. The technology’s precise targeting raises the possibility that it will eventually lessen the need for antibiotics and other generalized medications.
The tiny gadgets are a part of the growing field of medical micro- and nano-robots. They have also been created to remove microorganisms from medical implants such hernia meshes and stents and to distribute medications.
In five to ten years, experts predict they could be used in clinical settings to treat infections of the sinuses, intestines, and bladder. More advanced forms that can pass into the bloodstream are being developed by scientists in China, Switzerland, the US, and the UK.
Technology experts point to public skepticism about allowing robots into the human body and conspiracy theories about the possibility that the robots might be activated against their will as other possible issues.
Based on experiments on animals rather than humans, the most recent development uses magnetic particles “doped” with copper atoms that doctors implant using a catheter before directing them to their target in a magnetic field.
As part of the therapy, an optical fiber is also placed into the body, and the swarms can react to light by heating up. This makes it possible for the micro-robots to break through the viscous pus that surrounds the infection location. Additionally, the light source causes the micro-robots to break down the cell walls of bacteria and generate reactive oxygen species, which kill the germs.
According to the study, which was published in Science Robotics, the robots could eradicate illnesses in live rabbits with “no obvious tissue damage” and eradicate bacteria from pig sinuses.
By deploying the robot swarms in operating room settings, the researchers have created a model of how the technology might operate on a human, enabling medical professionals to monitor their progress through X-rays. They proposed that future uses might involve treating bacterial infections of the gut, bladder, urethra, stomach, and respiratory tract.
