Robot set loose to film your insides

January 26, 2006 | Source: NewScientist.com news service

A robot developed by researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center can move around inside the stomach or abdomen to give surgeons a new perspective on the area being operated on. It is also equipped with a retractable needle, allowing it to perform biopsies.

The remote-controlled robot is only 15 millimeters in diameter, allowing it to be inserted through the small incisions in the abdomen used for keyhole surgery.