Tiny Hairy Robot Could Help Treat Blood Clots and Detect Cancer
In the News
I think we have all seen those sci fi movies where they have nono robots travelling through the bloodstream , for example inner space with Dennis Quaid from 1987
Now it could become a reality, Chinese scientists have developed similar , but these are mini robots with ''fur coats''
The fur coats being hair like structures that can manipulate blood flow and help deliver drugs directly to vessel walls and capture cancer cells whilst speedily dissolving blood clots
Ok they haven't been able to shrink humans yet to fit in the vessel , that would be expecting too much, but just being able to direct these magic bullets to their targets and avoid major surgery is amazing
We always have a go at the Chinese for producing shoddy products, but when it comes down to the important things in science they always seem to deliver
And what else could it do? It could contain a tracker. Could it emit frequencies that damage cells? I don't trust tech nowadays, I really don't. Tech has gone too far in my opinion.
Sherrifffroggy I suppose you have to be careful using Chinese technology S, hopefully we can develop similar , although that does not guarantee privacy either
telmel I'm not fussed what country produces it, I don't trust tech any more. Even my tv was sending screen shots which I didn't know about. It's too invasive nowadays. I don't feel the tech benefits us so much as it benefits the makers and what data they are farming. Who knows what data these tiny robots inside a person could be sending?
Sherrifffroggy I do agree with you S, but if you had a serious illness or blockage and this was the only option would you not consider it if it saved your life ?
I've had 5 different blood clots in 10 years, the last one was 6 inches long in my thigh, despite a high dose of blood thinners it remained there for nearly 2 years, blood thinners just stop it from moving or getting bigger, the body naturally dissolved them, it finally did go but has left me with a damaged leg, beyond repair, so I'd welcome this technology, but I doubt we are any way near this type of technology
martinlufc5637 Sorry to hear about that M, i know how damaging they can be, my sister had one a few years back
They have tested this on animals up to now so i expect human trials will be next, fingers crossed
Here is the last bit of the article
The tiny robot can also be used for cancer monitoring, according to the study. By coating the robot with antibodies, researchers captured circulating tumour cells, rare cancer cells released into the bloodstream, in samples from all 23 liver cancer patients tested at the Chinese PLA General Hospital in China.
The team also tested the robot inside living rabbits with liver tumours, where it was inserted into a major vein through a catheter and operated magnetically for 20 minutes with no reported signs of inflammation or tissue damage in the examined vessel sections.
The technology has not yet been tested as a treatment or diagnostic tool inside human patients. But researchers say it could eventually offer a way to manipulate drugs and cells directly inside specific parts of the bloodstream, rather than relying on blood flow alone to carry them to their destination.
It’s amazing what tech can do these days & I know the Chinese aren’t shy with using their resources - with a population of over a billion people, healthcare is important to them & from the people I know who’ve had treatment over there, they’ve been more than satisfied; I only want an exoskeleton when I’m older, so nothing fancy
All these new innovations are great and hopeful of cures and improvements for many people. However, when waiting times for treatment are so long now it will be a miracle if you get the treatment before becoming a lot worse or even dying.
Medical science is always moving forward and yet again you have found a great article. Ok, it’s not ready yet but hopefully won’t be long. I recently had a cardiac CT Angiography which now a days is a very easy test to do but obviously years ago this never existed and people would have become ill and even died without the test. So with each day we are getting nearer to better treatments and most importantly early diagnosis.
Thats great. I hope it can be used practically soon.
Was a great film too.
Science fiction can think of things before Science. I wonder if scientists watch them and think what really is possible from them
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