According to its developers, the tiny, tube-shaped biomedical robot, which is just 0.95 millimeters — making it 60% smaller than any existing biomedical robot models — is capable of navigating the pathways of the human body without requiring bulky instruments.

Source: HKUST

The robot is expected to pave the way for significant advancements in minimally invasive surgery with its ultra-small size and ability to navigate tight spaces and access hard-to-reach areas within the human body such as the lung’s end bronchi and the oviducts.

Other functions of the tiny robot include offering doctors unrivaled views of the body, drug delivery, tissue sampling and laser ablation, among others.

The team explained that small-scale continuum robots show great potential for interventional diagnosis and treatment. Yet, existing models often face challenges in achieving compactness, precise navigation and integrated functional treatment, all rolled into one system.

As such, this biomedical robot reportedly excels in providing imaging and high-precision movement. Combining imaging, precise motion and multifunctional capabilities — what the researchers call an "impossible trinity" — in such a compact design signals a new era in minimally invasive surgery, the researchers suggest.

Going forward, the team is now focused on further optimizing the design and control of the biomedical robot, with an emphasis on safety and reliability during interventional procedures. Plans are underway to conduct in vivo trials to validate the robot's performance in clinical settings.

An article detailing the robot, “Sub-millimeter fiberscopic robot with integrated maneuvering, imaging, and biomedical operation abilities,” appears in the journal, Nature Communications.

For more on the tiny robot, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of HKUST.