A nature-inspired gripper works particularly well on uneven surfaces.
Endoscopic surgery, in which suspicious tissue is removed for safety reasons, relies on doctors’ ‘touch’. But touch is a precarious thing. Enter a US research team and its soft sensors that can measure force during minimally invasive procedures.
The sensors are 3D-printed, moulded and made from silicone. Each contains tiny, triangular channels filled with non-toxic, liquid metal. One sensor was placed on the surgeon’s thumb handle and another on the upper jaw of the forceps.
Deformation caused by both the handle’s manipulation and the jaw’s interaction with tissue resulted in a force reading. Helping to avoid injury.
Mini-robots could remove blood clots, while peppermint provides protection for medical devices against pathogens.
