California-based Bionaut Labs is a startup that wants to send a tiny robot in to humans brains to fix disorders. Currently, they are planning their first clinical trials for its injectable robots by 2024. How do they work? Each one uses magnetic energy to propel themselves instead of optical or ultrasonic techniques, which means they will not harm the human body. Magnetic coils are first placed outside the patient’s skull are then linked to a computer that allow a surgeon to remotely and delicately maneuver the tiny robot into the affected part of the brain.
The entire system can easily be transported, unlike a typical MRI machine, and utilizes between 10 to 100 times less electricity. Practitioners envision that the tiny robot will be used to pierce fluid-filled cysts within the brain when clinical trials begin in 2-years. If this is a success, they could eventually be used to treat Dandy-Walker Syndrome, a rare brain malformation that affects children. However, these tiny robots won’t be able to play Pong, like these brain cells.
- Eye-catching black design, compact at 28 lbs, 220 lbs max load. Age: 16-50. Height: 3.11-6.6".
- High-performance battery: Dual 400W motors, 10 mph max speed, 13.7 miles per charge, 15° slope.
- Illuminating LED lights for visibility.
Today, most brain surgery and brain intervention is limited to straight lines—if you don’t have a straight line to the target, you’re stuck, you’re not going to get there. To the best of my knowledge, we are the first commercial effort to design a product of this type with a clear path to the clinic trials. But I don’t think that we will be the only one… This area is heating up,” said Michael Shpigelmacher, Bionaut Labs CEO and Co-Founder.