“Scientists have built a tiny gut explorer robot to detect and potentially treat a lethal common cancer, in the latest advance in the fast-evolving field of medical robotics,” reports the Financial Times. “The machine makes 3D scans of the colon that were previously impossible, using its mussel shell-like shape to roll through the digestive system when guided by a magnet outside the body. The innovation could boost detection of bowel cancer, which is treatable in its early stages but is the second-biggest cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Developers at Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh universities hope to launch human trials of the coin-sized robot next year, after successful testing on pigs. The machine is 3D-printed from resin in a shape known as the oloid, which allows a wide range of movement and contact with surfaces.”
“This minimally invasive robotic approach could significantly improve early diagnosis and, in future, allow targeted ultrasound-triggered medicine delivery,” said Nikita Greenidge, President of the Robotics at Leeds PGR Network.
MIT scientists have developed a robot insect to pollinate crops.
Robot taxis are transporting thousands of passengers every day in the United States.
Scientists have also developed tiny robots made of human cells to repair damaged cells. Nanorobots are also being used to fight cancer. They have been programmed “to shrink tumors by cutting off their blood supply.”
Japan is turning to robots to care for its elderly as its birth rate shrinks. Robots with artificial intelligence are spreading on Japanese farms and robots are being used as waiters in restaurants in Korea.
In California, the minimum wage for fast-food workers was raised last year to $20 per hour, which led to a loss of at least 10,000 jobs and the planned elimination of another 1,300 jobs. “El Pollo Loco and Jack in the Box announced that they will speed up the use of robotics, including robots that make salsa and cook fried foods,” reported the Hoover Institution.
Chick-fil-A is using lemon-squeezing robots. Sweetgreen has salad-making robots. Chipotle has guacamole-making robots.
