Microrobot used to administer drugs in eyes

Some scientists at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems in Switzerland are developing tiny, electromagnetically controlled microrobots that can swim on the surface of a patient’s eye. These robots then stay there for months, releasing drugs. The drugs come in the form of biodegradable capsules that dissolve in the patient’s eye. As an alternative treatment to macular degeneration (a condition that leads to legal blindness), use of the microrobots mean that folks won’t have to deal with injections to their eyeballs in the future. When the robots have done their jobs, they can be easily removed with the use of a magnetic needle. Commercialization of the technology is still being explored, so don’t expect to see it soon. But knowing such a technology exists gives us hope that in the future we’ll have microrobots battling viruses in our bodies. What an epic battle that would be. Hit the break to watch a demonstration of the microrobot being tested on a dead pig’s eyeball: