Microbots used in medicine are being made of plant materials by researchers at the University of Waterloo.
The microscopic robots’ shapes can be changed to suit the task at hand, said chemical professor Dr. Hsmed Shahsavan. They can also be cut apart and stuck together to achieve the desired shape.
Magnets can guide them through the body to a destination.
One of the tasks they can perform is gathering material for biopsies.
They are made of hydrogel composites that include cellulose nanoparticles from plants.
That means they are biodegradable and non-toxic.
