Swiss Scientists Develop Edible Robots for Humans and Animals

While it is evident robots come in many different types and shapes, the edible variety is not all that popular right now. That may soon come to change, though, thanks to some new edible gelatin robots capable of healing the body. Being able to eat a robot sounds a lot creepier than it really is, though.

Edible Robots could have Many Benefits

The world of science is always evolving and heading in completely new directions. There are plenty of opportunities waiting to be explored in this regard. One of the more recent projects to gain significant attention revolves around edible robots. Do not be concerned whatsoever about swallowing metal bits, though, as these are robots of a very different variety. That is a good thing, mind you, as no one wants to eat metal for any reason.

What makes these edible robots so intriguing is how they can be ingested without any negative effect on the human body. In fact, these new “tools” could prove to be pretty useful in the long run, depending on what tasks they are programmed to accomplish. Whether it be providing nutrients to the human body or even healing injuries, things are sure to get pretty interesting moving forward.

A prototype of a gelatin-based actuator was presented by the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne last week. An actuator is a component which allows mechanisms to physically move. It is not uncommon for doctors to insert machines into the human body. Pacemakers are an obvious example in this regard, as they are robots as well. A different kind of robot which doesn’t require you to swallow anything, but a robot nonetheless.

These gelatin robots will not come in different flavors right away, although that situation may change given enough time. Their main selling point is their ability to provide proper “services” to the human body. There is plenty of room for mixing edible robots with pharmaceutical components. Additionally, these robots can be used for exploration, medical purposes, and even food transportation.

One thing to keep in mind is how these new robots will not necessarily be limited to use by humans. The same concept could prove to be beneficial when it comes to animals as well, although some more research is needed in this regard. A fully edible robot could have many use cases, especially when it comes to studying wild animals and analyzing their collective behavior. It is certainly a concept that shouldn’t be dismissed all that easily.

For the time being, it remains to be seen when and how these edible robots will be deployed. They certainly give scientists something new to experiment with, although commercial production will not happen overnight by any means. Coming up with new ways to make our lives a bit easier can only be considered a good thing; that much is certain. While most of us aren’t looking forward to swallowing a robot right away, it may certainly become the new normal sooner or later.