Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
The current issue of “Nature Electronics” is reporting on the development of the smallest microelectronic robot in the world, which is driven and controlled by a twin-jet-engine (see Figure 1). The microelectronic robot is 0.8 mm long, 0.8 mm wide and 0.14 mm tall.
To compare: a one cent piece has a diameter of around 16mm. The micro-robot is extremely flexible, motile and equipped with various functionalities. In addition to Chemnitz University of Technology and IFW Dresden, both the Technical University of Dresden and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun are involved in the project.
A special aspect of this project is the availability of an on-board energy system, which enables the highly flexible micro-robot to perform various tasks. The system is also maneuverable in a water solution and can be controlled remotely. In addition, the robot has a light source and a micro-arm, which is able to be powered wirelessly.
The use of this system in the areas of micro-robotics and medical technology could be envisioned for targeted administration of medication or directly diagnosing diseases within an organism.
The results of this research are crucial to the development of microrobotic systems and are therefore selected as cover story of the current issue of Nature Electronics.
[...] Since hydrogen peroxide is currently also a required part of the propulsion fuel, the system in its current configuration cannot be directly used in the human body. This will require further development, which represents the next steps taken by the research team.
Publications:
A flexible microsystem capable of controlled motion and actuation by wireless power transfer by Oliver G. Schmidt et al.: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41928-020-0384-1
Rolled-up nanotech on polymers: from basic perception to self-propelled catalytic microengines by Oliver G. Schmidt et al. [Chem. Soc. Rev. 40, 2109 (2011)]: https://doi.org/10.1039/C0CS00078G
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 24 2020, @02:24PM (2 children)
If so, then we should keep one on standby at the White House. If the President gets ill, the micro-robot's probably got a brain small enough to take over all his functions.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 24 2020, @02:26PM
Keeping it classy AC
(Score: 4, Funny) by Bot on Tuesday March 24 2020, @02:55PM
If the level of your interventions stays this low, you will be demoted to the 45c army.
Hold my social credit score:
A leaked memo from the "Pol Pot did nothing wrong" section of the Chinese secret service hints at a mission already assigned to an atomic powered version of this robot that can be used in meatbags; the bot has been shot by precision equipment through the nose of POTUS Donald Trump, with the mission of travelling to the brain and seize control of it. After a long silence, when pinged for status, the bot unfortunately returned a cryptic "404 resource not found" error and shut itself down.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 24 2020, @02:28PM (1 child)
Just sayin...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 24 2020, @02:42PM
That's why I want mine with a fleshlight - I want to post the pics to pornyponyhub!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday March 24 2020, @03:11PM
can he play the violin?
(Score: 1) by deganee on Tuesday March 24 2020, @03:28PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goYFhLTf4YQ [youtube.com]
(Score: 2) by Beryllium Sphere (r) on Tuesday March 24 2020, @08:49PM
It's toxic but the body is designed to deal with it. Put a drop of blood into a glass of peroxide and you'll see the peroxidase enzyme at work. I'd actually have expected it to be more biocompatible than just about any alternative I could think of.
(Score: 1) by jman on Wednesday March 25 2020, @02:31PM
Sounds like the plot for my next murder mystery...