Wuhan: A team of Chinese scientists has managed to combine sensing and steering functions in one grain-sized machine, creating potential for more accurate drug dosing and in-situ physiological monitoring. The researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in central China’s Hubei Province and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in south China have developed a 1.3-mm-wide magneto-ultrasonic tiny robot that can wirelessly detect and regulate environmental parameters such as force, vibration, viscosity, and temperature.
According to Oman News Agency, with the ability to detect stimuli and translate them into ultrasonic signals, this 4.6-milligram robot can also manipulate delicate objects such as salmon eggs, as shown during an animal model test. The researchers further demonstrated that a thermometer version of this bot is able to sense temperature changes in a pig model.
Additionally, a capsule variety of this robot confirmed its ability to deliver precise doses of liquids wirelessly in a live rabbit’s stomach and could measure the dosage level over time. These tests, notably, have paved the way for real-world applications of this intelligent miniature machine.