Peculiar Pangolin Bot Is a Pill-Sized Prototype

A tiny robot version of the scaly mammal known as the
pangolin may one day perform medical procedures inside the body, a new study finds.

Scientists are increasingly exploring how
miniature robots might find use in medicine—for instance, to carry drugs, genes or cells into the body. Soft robots especially hold the promise of accessing hard-to-reach areas in a safe, minimally invasive way.

Instead of powering these machines using bulky cables or batteries, researchers are investigating untethered versions of these robots that receive their energy
remotely, such as via light or…