A team of scientists based in the University of Twente and the Radboud University Medical Center, both of which are located over in the Netherlands, have devised high-tech millirobots that are designed to be able to navigate through blood vessels in order to help remove dangerous and potentially life-threatening blood clots.
Presently still in experimental mode, these millirobots have 3D-printed bodies and are equipped with miniature magnets. It is hoped that the millirobots can be inserted into blood vessels through bodily cannula and then steered to the clot of concern. Movement is achieved through rotation of a magnet that enables the millirobot to swim either with or against the direction in which blood is flowing.
With laboratory experiments underway, the idea is to continue developing this millirobot technology so that they can one day be used by surgeons in order to relieve blood clots.
Image Credit: University of Twente
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Millirobot Navigation
- Scientists have developed high-tech millirobots that can navigate through blood vessels to remove blood clots.
- 3d-printed Millirobots
- Researchers have created millirobots with 3D-printed bodies and miniature magnets for blood clot removal in blood vessels.
- Magnetic Steered Millirobots
- The use of magnets allows these millirobots to swim against or with the blood flow, making them effective tools for clot removal.
Sectors Adopting This
- Healthcare
- The development of millirobots for blood clot removal in blood vessels has the potential to disrupt the healthcare industry.
- Robotics
- The creation of high-tech, 3D-printed millirobots with magnetic navigation capabilities opens up new possibilities for the robotics industry.
- Medical Devices
- These experimental millirobots have the potential to revolutionize the medical devices industry by providing a minimally invasive solution for blood clot removal.
