# Battery-Removing Ingestible Robots This Micro-Sized Robot Can Remove Harmful Objects From Stomachs By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2016-05-17 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-ingestible-robot References: [gizmag](http://www.gizmag.com/origami-robot-retrieves-button/43304/) & [news.mit.edu](http://news.mit.edu/2016/ingestible-origami-robot-0512) A group of researchers and engineers working out of [MIT](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electrovoxel), the [University of Sheffield](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swimming-robots-1) and the [Tokyo University of Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soundfun-mirai-speaker) have joined forces to develop an exceptionally advanced and high-tech ingestible robot that could be capable of removing harmful foreign objects from your body. This high-tech robot comprises a special heat-sensitive material that is located between two layers. When heated up, the middle layer contracts, causing the robot to fold according to a split pattern. The robot is compressible enough to be fit inside a capsule that can easily be ingested. Incredible as it may sound, Americans swallow 3,500 button batteries every year, which is why this ingestible robot could prove to be a life-saving invention. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.1/10 - Popularity: 41% | Activity: 43% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [AI](https://www.trendhunter.com/ai) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Ingestible Robotics:** Developing highly advanced robots capable of performing tasks within the body, such as removing foreign objects, presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the medical field. - **Heat-sensitive Materials:** Advancements in heat-sensitive materials enable the development of compact and flexible robots that can be ingested, opening up opportunities for new applications in various industries. - **Medical Device Innovation:** The creation of innovative medical devices like ingestible robots can revolutionize healthcare by providing safer and more efficient solutions for diagnostics and treatments. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Medical:** The medical industry can leverage ingestible robots to enhance patient care, improve diagnostic accuracy, and enable non-invasive procedures for foreign object removal. - **Materials Science:** Advancements in heat-sensitive materials have potential applications not only in robotics but also in areas like electronics, aerospace, and consumer products. - **Consumer Electronics:** Ingestible robotics technology opens up opportunities for creating novel consumer products that provide personalized health monitoring and treatment capabilities. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Joystick-Controlled Photographic Pills](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pill-camera.md) - [Microscale Swimming Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swimming-robots-1.md) - [Self-Folding Surgical Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surgical-tools.md) - [Sea Urchin-Sucking Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marine-robot.md) - [Zero-Gravity Robotic Cubes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electrovoxel.md) - [Appetite-Curbing Vibrating Pills](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vibrating-pills.md) - [Multidirectional Miniature Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/multidirectional-miniature-robots.md) - [Robotic AI Surgeons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woxsen-university.md) - [Sea Mine-Destroying Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/minedestroying-underwater-robots.md)