Stroke-Fighting Robots

Scientists in Zürich have created a tiny medical robot—smaller than two millimeters—that can swim through blood vessels and deliver stroke treatment directly to the brain. The robot is built from a soft gel sphere filled with medication and tiny iron-oxide particles. Using external magnets, doctors can steer it through the bloodstream and even against fast-flowing blood. When it reaches the problem area, a different magnetic signal gently heats the capsule, causing it to dissolve and release the drug exactly where it’s needed. In lab tests and trials on large animals like pigs and sheep, the robot successfully navigated brain arteries and delivered its therapeutic payload. While human trials are still ahead, the technology could one day allow doctors to treat strokes with pinpoint accuracy, reducing the need for high-dose medications and minimizing side effects.

Image via Swiss Info 

Read other stories from the 11/24/25 newsletter:

World War I Message in a Bottle

Baking to Cover Adoption Fees

UK’s Hedgehog Hospital