Scientists have developed tiny robotic tentacles that travel into the lungs to detect and treat cancer. The device is just 2.4 mm in diameter and ultra-soft. It’s sent to the periphery of the lungs from the end of a bronchoscope — a thin tube with a light and camera. During the journey, magnets adapt the robot’s shape to the body’s anatomy. As it moves, both its form and position and form are fed back to a clinician. After reaching its destination, an embedded laser fibre can deliver localised treatment. The robot was developed at the University of Leeds’ STORM lab, which…
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