BBC Science Focus - 10.2019

Flexible robot slides through blood

vessels in the brain

A thread-like robot steered by magnets could treat blood clots in stroke patients VQRTGXGPVDTCKPFCOCIG6JGGZKDNG robot was designed by researchers at MIT to slide through the brain’s blood vessels without getting stuck. The team hopes that the bot will replace the traditional method of treating blockages and lesions, which currently involves a surgeon inserting a thin wire into a major blood vessel in the patient’s leg or groin and directing it into the brain by hand. Not only is this process FKHEWNVDWVCP[YTQPIOQXGUECPECWUG further damage. It is also potentially harmful to the surgeon, because a real- VKOG:TC[MPQYPCUWQTQUEQR[KU used to pinpoint the wire’s location in VJGDNQQFXGUUGNVJGTGHQTGGZRQUKPIVJGO to repeated doses of radiation. p5VTQMGKUVJGPWODGTXGECWUGQH death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. If acute stroke can DGVTGCVGFYKVJKPVJGTUVOKPWVGUQT

so, patients’ survival rates could increase UKIPKECPVN[qGZRNCKPGFCUUQEKCVG professor Xuanhe Zhao, who took part in the research. “If we could design a device to reverse blood vessel blockage within this ‘golden hour’, we could potentially avoid permanent brain damage. That’s QWTJQRGq The robot thread has a thin wire core made of a springy nickel-titanium alloy, coated in a rubbery ‘ink’ that’s embedded with magnetic particles. Around the core KUCNC[GTQHCnJ[FTQIGNoCUQHVPQPVQZKE water-based material that gives the robot a smooth surface to reduce the chance of it damaging blood vessels or getting stuck. Currently, the robot is controlled by hand: the team have tested it in a silicone model of a stroke patient’s brain, directing the robot thread by moving a magnet around the outside of the model. However, in the future, the surgeon could control the magnets from outside the operating room, or even from a different location.

The robot was guided through replicas of blood vessels without causing damage

NEUROSCIENCE

GET T Y IMAGES, TOBIAS MACHTS, MIT ILLUSTRATIONS: GABRIEL SILVERA

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ATHLETES Though they may go to great lengths to keep themselves in tip top condition, there is one area of athlete’s bodies that are oen in poor shape: their teeth. A study carried out at UCL has found that almost half of athletes have untreated tooth decay. Sugary sports drinks, energy bars and gels are most likely to blame, they say.

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Bad month

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DISCOVERIES

Flexible robot slides through blood

vessels in the brain

A thread-like robot steered by magnets could treat blood clots in stroke patients VQ RTGXGPV DTCKP FCOCIG6JGGZKDNG robot was designed by researchers at MIT to slide through the brain’s blood vessels without getting stuck. The team hopes that the bot will replace the traditional method of treating blockages and lesions, which currently involves a surgeon inserting a thin wire into a major blood vessel in the patient’s leg or groin and directing it into the brain by hand. Not only is this process FKHEWNVDWV CP[ YTQPI OQXGU ECP ECWUG further damage. It is also potentially harmful to the surgeon, because a real- VKOG :TC[MPQYP CUWQTQUEQR[KU used to pinpoint the wire’s location in VJG DNQQF XGUUGNVJGTGHQTG GZRQUKPI VJGO to repeated doses of radiation. p5VTQMG KU VJG PWODGTXG ECWUG QH death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. If acute stroke can DGVTGCVGFYKVJKPVJGTUVOKPWVGUQT

so, patients’ survival rates could increase UKIPKECPVN[q GZRNCKPGF CUUQEKCVG professor Xuanhe Zhao, who took part in the research. “If we could design a device to reverse blood vessel blockage within this ‘golden hour’, we could potentially avoid permanent brain damage. That’s QWT JQRGq The robot thread has a thin wire core made of a springy nickel-titanium alloy, coated in a rubbery ‘ink’ that’s embedded with magnetic particles. Around the core KU C NC[GT QH C nJ[FTQIGNoC UQHVPQPVQZKE water-based material that gives the robot a smooth surface to reduce the chance of it damaging blood vessels or getting stuck. Currently, the robot is controlled by hand: the team have tested it in a silicone model of a stroke patient’s brain, directing the robot thread by moving a magnet around the outside of the model. However, in the future, the surgeon could control the magnets from outside the operating room, or even from a different location.

The robot was guided through replicas of blood vessels without causing damage

NEUROSCIENCE

GET T Y IMAGES, TOBIAS MACHTS, MIT ILLUSTRATIONS: GABRIEL SILVERA

EMOJI USERS Perhaps it’s time to whack a few smileys in your dating profile. Daters that make heavy use of emojis hook up more oen and have sex more regularly, a study at the Kinsey Institute has found. It may be because they are beer at communicating desire.

CAT LOVERS The stereotypical ‘crazy cat lady’ is a myth, a study carried out at the University of California has found. Their survey of 561 Californians found that those with cats were no more likely to be lonely, anxious, or have diiculty forming relationships than owners of other pets or those without pets.

ATHLETES Though they may go to great lengths to keep themselves in tip top condition, there is one area of athlete’s bodies that are oen in poor shape: their teeth. A study carried out at UCL has found that almost half of athletes have untreated tooth decay. Sugary sports drinks, energy bars and gels are most likely to blame, they say.

ARACHNOPHOBES If the mere mention of the word ‘spider’ sends you into hysterics, it’s probably best that you avoid storm-prone regions. Spiders born in areas with high incidence of hurricanes are more aggressive than those born in calmer environments, researchers at McMaster University have found.

Bad month

Good month

DISCOVERIES

BBC Science Focus - 10.2019

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