Solar-Powered Micro-Robot Revolutionizes Medicine

A team of engineers has created a robot no bigger than a grain of salt. This tiny machine runs on solar power and could change medicine forever.

The device, developed at the University of Pennsylvania, measures just 250 microns across. That's smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. It uses flexible solar cells to power itself inside the body. No batteries needed.

Imagine sending these micro-robots through blood vessels. They could repair damaged nerves, deliver drugs right where needed, or scan cells for diseases without cutting open the patient. The robot folds like origami to travel, then unfolds to work.

The University of Pennsylvania's lab focuses on soft robotics and bioengineering. They've pushed boundaries in making machines that mimic living things. This breakthrough builds on years of work in micro-scale tech.

Tests show the robot swimming in liquids that mimic body fluids. It moves with light pulses, avoiding the dark spots deep inside us. Challenges remain, like steering precisely and ensuring safety. But the potential is huge.

Medicine might soon see swarms of these helpers fixing us from the inside out. Robotics enters a new era, one grain at a time.