Microscopic robots have been created which can be injected into the human body to carry drugs or conduct analyses without the need for invasive surgery.

The tiny mechanoids measure just 100 microns wide – about the size of a human cell – are magnetised by a thin coating of nickel which allows them to communicate and be controlled via an electromagnetic field.

The amazing innovation is the work of mechanical engineering researchers at the University of Hong Kong. Lead author of the latest progress report, assistant Professor Zhang Li, says previous microbots were the equivalent of cars; capable of carrying a minimal payload - but new designs are like the trucks for the human body’s highway to deliver useful amounts of drugs or other ordnance.

The possibilities are astounding: “If we can inject thousands of these microbots carrying drugs into the human body in between vertebral columns and direct them to the affected area in the brain, we may be able to cure strokes without an operation,” Zhang said in the South China Morning Post report.

The bots can be controlled with a great degree of accuracy by a magnetic field. The current stage of research is slightly more mind-boggling; the team is now working to create a method of growing human cells onboard the robots, which could then be used for microscopic repairs on organs and tissue.

The Chinese newspaper report on the latest developments is available here.