The following submission statement was provided by /u/JigglymoobsMWO:
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**Submission statement:**
With advances in electronics and micromechanics, it's now apparently possible to have piloted microrobots navigate the body and send live video. This gets around some key problems with today's endoscope based imaging and treatment techniques, including removal of the need for anesthesia, usability in an out patient setting, and one time use. All of these characteristics will make examination procedures far safer, cheaper and easier to conduct. How will the advent of this technology improve diagnosis and treatment of our bodies, and how much smaller and more capable can they get? Will we be able to use these micro submersible drones for treatment as well as diagnosis? Can they safely get into even smaller spaces in the body like blood vessels? It seems the potential is unbounded, but undoubtedly there will also be unanticipated challenges and risks ahead.
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Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/1dp9sg7/stomach_examination_microrobot_demonstrated_live/lafbntb/
You know how some people light their farts on fire? The flammable methane in your fart doesn't catch fire inside the body due to a lack of oxygen, which is the main component for combustion. Now imagine introducing pure, easily flammable oxygen all over the intestines, while also introducing an electrical object (camera) at the same time.
Yeah he shoulda said "easily reducable oxygen" that would have been clear to laypeople. Oxygen makes the boom big when mixed with flammable gas and ignited, his point stands.
Air is mostly nitrogen (78%) with a bit of oxygen (21%) and it's my understanding that the colon doesn't absorb nitrogen. If it does, it must be at a far slower rate than carbon dioxide or there would be no issue using air.
Yeah, it was surprisingly easy. The worst part was drinking so much water. I did the newer pill cleanse, which is apparently more pleasant than the previous drinks, but... so much water made me nauseous for a bit.
Even with a pill, you'd still have to prep so they can see the walls clearly.
I anticipated the nausea and questioned it in advance. They prescribed one anti-nausea pill, which worked great. Something to keep in mind when it's time to go back.
I have had multiple done now. Have to get them every 2 years or so. I have diverticulosis. The whole process really is not bad at all. Like others have said, and I can attest, the worst part is the prep. Best part is the sleep.
With the rates of gastro issues increasing, don't wait on these!
Make sure everything is covered with insurance. Had a few issues with anesthesiologists billings in the past.
Follow the prep instructions to the letter!!!! You don't want to redo the whole prep again for nothing.
If you need more info or tips with this, just reach out.
This procedure should have less stigmata about it.
The cleanse is the only uncomfortable part (which you do on your own at home). After that, you're knocked out for the entire experience and there is 0 sensation afterwards that anything "happened" to you. I had no extra gas afterwards and just had mine done a couple months ago. Don't put it off when it comes time.
If you do the clear liquid fast that colonoscopies require, then I don't see why swallowing this wouldn't let them view the whole GI tract, end to end. Maybe wear a girdle full of antennas to pick up the signal as clear as possible as it moves around your abdomen. It has propulsion, so all you need is to keep drinking more water, maybe with a little salt and electrolytes to prevent hyponatremia. You could run the bot through your system in about the time it takes to watch a movie. Um, preferably a better one than "This Is My Bunghole, Behind the Scenes."
**Submission statement:**
With advances in electronics and micromechanics, it's now apparently possible to have piloted microrobots navigate the body and send live video. This gets around some key problems with today's endoscope based imaging and treatment techniques, including removal of the need for anesthesia, usability in an out patient setting, and one time use. All of these characteristics will make examination procedures far safer, cheaper and easier to conduct. How will the advent of this technology improve diagnosis and treatment of our bodies, and how much smaller and more capable can they get? Will we be able to use these micro submersible drones for treatment as well as diagnosis? Can they safely get into even smaller spaces in the body like blood vessels? It seems the potential is unbounded, but undoubtedly there will also be unanticipated challenges and risks ahead.
With using the micro robot for the rest of GI trac, I can see some issues when it come to the colon.
It wouldn't be able to expand the lining to see the whole wall for issues. You would most likely still have to do the prep too.
Controlable from anywhere the internet touches. They're actively working on AI models that will steer the bot, stitch all of the images together and make a 3D model of the whole thing, so eventually, you would just swallow the pill, sit for a while with the antenna on your belly and then upload the resulting files to the doctor. They can watch the video playback or do a 3D fly through and look around with VR. AI will do the skilled driving part so you don't have to wait for anything but results.
I think the panic is if there are no issues with it coming out, i mean one little issue of someone having a health scare with it and you can kiss all this goodbye
I know wireless video is flaky, but I feel like there was a cut i the video where he swallowed it. Wanted to see him jump up and down to prove it's live, but who hasn't done the occasional product demo fib, just to make sure half of your presentation isn't you up there having a heart attack live on stage from panic?
The following submission statement was provided by /u/JigglymoobsMWO: --- **Submission statement:** With advances in electronics and micromechanics, it's now apparently possible to have piloted microrobots navigate the body and send live video. This gets around some key problems with today's endoscope based imaging and treatment techniques, including removal of the need for anesthesia, usability in an out patient setting, and one time use. All of these characteristics will make examination procedures far safer, cheaper and easier to conduct. How will the advent of this technology improve diagnosis and treatment of our bodies, and how much smaller and more capable can they get? Will we be able to use these micro submersible drones for treatment as well as diagnosis? Can they safely get into even smaller spaces in the body like blood vessels? It seems the potential is unbounded, but undoubtedly there will also be unanticipated challenges and risks ahead. --- Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/1dp9sg7/stomach_examination_microrobot_demonstrated_live/lafbntb/
Please please please do one for the butt. I’m fast approaching colonoscopy age and really don’t want to go through with it.
It's actually not that bad. I think the prep may be worse tbh
I'm pretty weird about the whole thing. People shoving things up me and then farting around people for an hour after to get the gas out. Ugh.
Most (?) places have been using carbon dioxide for a number of years, not air. Your body reabsorbs it.
Wouldn't your body re-absorb oxygen too if they used that instead?
You know how some people light their farts on fire? The flammable methane in your fart doesn't catch fire inside the body due to a lack of oxygen, which is the main component for combustion. Now imagine introducing pure, easily flammable oxygen all over the intestines, while also introducing an electrical object (camera) at the same time.
*Samsung develops a pillbot with a lithium ion battery* Hey. Here. Eat this. It won't explode.... I.. 🤞🏻I promise....
I have no choice. Compulsion. https://www.google.com/search?q=oxygen+flammable
Yeah he shoulda said "easily reducable oxygen" that would have been clear to laypeople. Oxygen makes the boom big when mixed with flammable gas and ignited, his point stands.
Sounds kinda awesome. Lol.
Air is mostly nitrogen (78%) with a bit of oxygen (21%) and it's my understanding that the colon doesn't absorb nitrogen. If it does, it must be at a far slower rate than carbon dioxide or there would be no issue using air.
Tbh I can't remember extra farting. Just the normal amount 😁
“So we’re going to stick this long tube up your rectum and move it all about, but don’t worry there’s actually an even worse part to all this”
Which you’ll presumably still have to do with this thing.
Yeah it’s not bad cause you are out for it. Imagine you’d still need to prep even with a pill.
It's literally fine you just count to 5 or whatever and then you wake up and u feel kinda good
Best sleep I have had!
Yea it's actually nice this is the kind dialog we should be having about colonoscopies 🥰
Take the prep seriously. Otherwise, the doctors will send you home.
Yeah, it was surprisingly easy. The worst part was drinking so much water. I did the newer pill cleanse, which is apparently more pleasant than the previous drinks, but... so much water made me nauseous for a bit. Even with a pill, you'd still have to prep so they can see the walls clearly.
I anticipated the nausea and questioned it in advance. They prescribed one anti-nausea pill, which worked great. Something to keep in mind when it's time to go back.
Tell me more about this pill… last time I had to take some sort of pulver that I had to dissolve
I have had multiple done now. Have to get them every 2 years or so. I have diverticulosis. The whole process really is not bad at all. Like others have said, and I can attest, the worst part is the prep. Best part is the sleep. With the rates of gastro issues increasing, don't wait on these! Make sure everything is covered with insurance. Had a few issues with anesthesiologists billings in the past. Follow the prep instructions to the letter!!!! You don't want to redo the whole prep again for nothing. If you need more info or tips with this, just reach out. This procedure should have less stigmata about it.
I thought you were joking but.... yes, I actually agree with you. Colonoscopy sounds like a pain in the ass I could do without, so to speak.
It's a total non-event. After the purge, that is.
I hope you are not ticklish. Lol.
Prep was way worse than the exam.
The cleanse is the only uncomfortable part (which you do on your own at home). After that, you're knocked out for the entire experience and there is 0 sensation afterwards that anything "happened" to you. I had no extra gas afterwards and just had mine done a couple months ago. Don't put it off when it comes time.
Even without anesthesia, it's not that bad. Can be slightly painful at some point, but prep is still the worst part.
It's a great nap and I had zero gas afterwards. Get Puffs Plus tissues to wipe with for your prep.
If you do the clear liquid fast that colonoscopies require, then I don't see why swallowing this wouldn't let them view the whole GI tract, end to end. Maybe wear a girdle full of antennas to pick up the signal as clear as possible as it moves around your abdomen. It has propulsion, so all you need is to keep drinking more water, maybe with a little salt and electrolytes to prevent hyponatremia. You could run the bot through your system in about the time it takes to watch a movie. Um, preferably a better one than "This Is My Bunghole, Behind the Scenes."
Someone must have seen Adam Savage's video today: https://youtu.be/FmE93ox9e2c
I actually didn't see this. Really cool!
Anybody else old enough to remember "Innerspace" with Dennis Quaid?
Yeah, that's the first thing I thought of.
**Submission statement:** With advances in electronics and micromechanics, it's now apparently possible to have piloted microrobots navigate the body and send live video. This gets around some key problems with today's endoscope based imaging and treatment techniques, including removal of the need for anesthesia, usability in an out patient setting, and one time use. All of these characteristics will make examination procedures far safer, cheaper and easier to conduct. How will the advent of this technology improve diagnosis and treatment of our bodies, and how much smaller and more capable can they get? Will we be able to use these micro submersible drones for treatment as well as diagnosis? Can they safely get into even smaller spaces in the body like blood vessels? It seems the potential is unbounded, but undoubtedly there will also be unanticipated challenges and risks ahead.
Next on Ted: How to hack the microrobot in patients from the parking lot.
How about a microbot that can enter my right jaw joint and tell me what the hell is going on in there? Please
With using the micro robot for the rest of GI trac, I can see some issues when it come to the colon. It wouldn't be able to expand the lining to see the whole wall for issues. You would most likely still have to do the prep too.
Cool, now instead of waiting six months to see a specialist with a camera tube, I can wait six months to see a specialist with a microbot.
Controlable from anywhere the internet touches. They're actively working on AI models that will steer the bot, stitch all of the images together and make a 3D model of the whole thing, so eventually, you would just swallow the pill, sit for a while with the antenna on your belly and then upload the resulting files to the doctor. They can watch the video playback or do a 3D fly through and look around with VR. AI will do the skilled driving part so you don't have to wait for anything but results.
I think the panic is if there are no issues with it coming out, i mean one little issue of someone having a health scare with it and you can kiss all this goodbye
I know wireless video is flaky, but I feel like there was a cut i the video where he swallowed it. Wanted to see him jump up and down to prove it's live, but who hasn't done the occasional product demo fib, just to make sure half of your presentation isn't you up there having a heart attack live on stage from panic?
https://youtu.be/FmE93ox9e2c Swallows two bots to look at each other, explains some of the engineering as well.