A shapeshifting robotic microswarm may one day act as a toothbrush, rinse, and dental floss in one:
The technology, developed by a multidisciplinary team at the University of Pennsylvania, is poised to offer a new and automated way to perform the mundane but critical daily tasks of brushing and flossing. It's a system that could be particularly valuable for those who lack the manual dexterity to clean their teeth effectively themselves.
The building blocks of these microrobots are iron oxide nanoparticles that have both catalytic and magnetic activity. Using a magnetic field, researchers could direct their motion and configuration to form either bristlelike structures that sweep away dental plaque from the broad surfaces of teeth, or elongated strings that can slip between teeth like a length of floss. In both instances, a catalytic reaction drives the nanoparticles to produce antimicrobials that kill harmful oral bacteria on site.
[...] "Nanoparticles can be shaped and controlled with magnetic fields in surprising ways," says Edward Steager, a senior research investigator in Penn's School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-corresponding author. "We form bristles that can extend, sweep, and even transfer back and forth across a space, much like flossing. The way it works is similar to how a robotic arm might reach out and clean a surface. The system can be programmed to do the nanoparticle assembly and motion control automatically."
[...] "It doesn't matter if you have straight teeth or misaligned teeth, it will adapt to different surfaces," says Koo. "The system can adjust to all the nooks and crannies in the oral cavity."
[...] Indeed, the system is fully programmable; the team's roboticists and engineers used variations in the magnetic field to precisely tune the motions of the microrobots as well as control bristle stiffness and length. The researchers found that the tips of the bristles could be made firm enough to remove biofilms but soft enough to avoid damage to the gums.
Would you consider an iron oxide nanoparticle moving in an external magnetic field a "microrobot"?
Journal Reference:
Min Jun Oh, Alaa Babeer, Yuan Liu, et al., Surface Topography-Adaptive Robotic Superstructures for Biofilm Removal and Pathogen Detection on Human Teeth [open], ACS Nano, 2022. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c01950
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @11:18AM (1 child)
Or to the millions of lazy fucks who drink soda every day?
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday July 11 2022, @04:29PM
With your comment at -1 Troll, I like how people who don't view at -1 will have to guess what demographic you're referring to, given my response. Guess before unfolding the comment, boys and girls...
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Monday July 11 2022, @12:46PM (2 children)
But, maybe it's not such a bad idea. How many have perfectly straight teeth? Who has spots where floss hangs up, and toothbrush bristles never get between the teeth? Water piks seemed to be an answer for that when they first appeared, but we still take our kids (grandkids) to the dentist to address cavities in those troublesome spots.
Personally, I can't imagine myself stuffing some nano thing in my mouth every morning and every evening. But, the younger generations will probably go for it. If it prevents that crooked tooth and it's neighbor from rotting, I'd be willing to invest in it for the grandkids.
I want to see it work though. There's no point investing in empty promises!
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by looorg on Monday July 11 2022, @03:15PM
I assume from the article that you are to drink some liquid containing nano-particles and then use some device to induce a magnetic field around your entire head to make them go about changing shapes or whatnot. So will it be dangerous to swallow it? If they get swallowed and then start to change shape all the way thru the system to the exit?
I don't even like the electric toothbrushes so I don't think I would like this thing either. But you never know. It might be great to reach those hard to reach places or in between the teeth, certainly those hard to reach teeth and gaps in the back. But I still don't think I would get this.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday July 11 2022, @05:38PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves