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Comments: 203 +- Science: Italian Scientists Put Robot Spiders In Your Colon on Monday October 12, @08:46AM
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Sockatume writes "Scientists in Italy have developed a robot which will move around the lower digestive tract using legs. The 'Spider-Pill' is fitted with a camera and will stow its legs until it reaches the lower intestine. Once there it can crawl around and take pictures under direction from surgeons. Its USP is that it's more appealing than an endoscopy." The BBC also has video.
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Google's spiders crawling (Score:5, Funny)
In other news, Google is working on it's own version to integrate Googlebot to crawl more data into Google Maps. Soon you can zoom into a person you saw on the street and navigate inside her.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Googlebutt, surely?
Re:Google's spiders crawling (Score:5, Funny)
I knew that robots.txt I had tattooed on my ass would come in handy.
User-agent: *
Disallow: /
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Re: (Score:2)
Re:Google's spiders crawling (Score:5, Funny)
I, for one, welcome our...
Wait, no. Ew.
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Re: (Score:3, Funny)
They already have Google Moon, the rest of the solar system is just an obvious extension of the service. I'm not sure however why exactly they started with Uranus...
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Read "Guns Germs and Steel". It's not the answer you're hoping for.
Yea but (Score:2, Funny)
In Soviet Russia, robot spiders put your colon in scientists!
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Wrecked 'im? Damn near killed 'im.
Call it Ziggy (Score:3, Funny)
- as in Mr Z Stardust and the spiders from arse
Re: (Score:2)
Just Sayin... (Score:5, Funny)
The goatse guy would almost be ontopic.
Obligatory Matrix reference (Score:4, Funny)
Why do I get visions of doctors that look like FBI agents inserting this device into me via my belly button?
What exactly? (Score:3, Informative)
Have developed what? Developed which?
Re: (Score:2)
Indeed, and Italian will never be the same. Hooray for language!
Oh boy! (Score:5, Funny)
and in related news.... (Score:5, Funny)
Italy has leapfrogged ahead of both Germany and Japan in the quest for making the weirdest adult films.....
Re:and in related news.... (Score:5, Informative)
Ever seen "Wild, Wild Planet", a.k.a. "I criminali della gallassia"? The Italians have had this distinction since at least 1965.
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USP? (Score:5, Insightful)
Given a choice between a cable that's tethered to the outside world and a robot spider scuttling around inside my butt, I'd say the former was a win.
Re:USP? (Score:5, Funny)
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Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
More "God help you" I think.
Re:USP? (Score:5, Interesting)
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Inspired by the meme! (Score:2, Funny)
Robot spiders? In MY colon?
It's more likely than you think.
There was an old woman who swallowed.... (Score:4, Funny)
She swallowed the robo-spider to swallow the robo-fly, I don't know why, she swallowed the robo-fly, maybe she'll die.
Re: (Score:2)
This article.. (Score:4, Funny)
This article is worthless without pictu... er, nevermind. *shudder*
OMG! (Score:2)
Scientists...will move around the lower digestive tract using legs
That sounds quite painful!
They Crawled from Uranus (Score:2)
Erm... (Score:2)
From the video page: "The 'spider pill', which is fitted with a camera, is swallowed by the patient and once within the colon or intestine the legs are opened."
The spider's legs or the patient's legs?
I'm hoping the former, otherwise there is a whole new door just opened in the practical joke market...
I hope the legs retract (Score:5, Funny)
before "exiting the body naturally."
Speaking of which, what is the natural way colon spiders exit the body? Don't they lay their eggs in there and the spiderlings eat their way out through the abdominal wall? I guess leg retraction isn't high on the agenda in that case.
Umm... no. (Score:5, Funny)
"Italian Scientists Put Robot Spiders In Your Colon"
Oh no they don't.
I cannot be the only one... (Score:2)
I'm pretty sure I've had that nightmare before.
What's wrong with a regular camera pill? (Score:2, Interesting)
There already exists a camera pill you can swallow that remotely sends information to a belt you wear for the day. You don't have to stay in the office, and the doctors don't have to waste their time controlling anything. They just watch the movie later in fast forward with some popcorn.
Is there *any* reason that a doctor would need control over this thing? It can't even get biopsies. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the only directions forward and back? Why don't they just just improve the camera t
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Awesome Mental Image (Score:2)
it crawls around for a while (Score:2)
Missing post? (Score:2)
I, for one, (Score:5, Informative)
welco... Aaaah! Aaaah! GET IT OUT!
Mod parent up (Score:2)
If I had points, I'd give you +1, Funny. ;)
Re:Mod parent up (Score:5, Informative)
"If I had points, I'd give you +1, Funny. ;)"
I was hoping for +1 Informative.
Parent
"You're going to help us, Mr Anderson... (Score:3, Funny)
...whether you want to, or not."
No big thing... (Score:2)
In the absence of any further evidence, think of it as an innuendo... :)
Transcript of first excursion (Score:5, Funny)
Robospider: IT'S SO DAMN DARK IN HERE I CAN'T SEE MY CLAW BEFORE MY FACE. HANG ON A SEC. LET ME GET MY LIGHTER.
Doctor: OK. WHAT? LIGHTER? NO DON'T
(SIGNAL LOST.)
Re:Transcript of first excursion (Score:5, Funny)
A team of tiny tapeworms were trekking through a tract
As was their creed and calling, the purpose of their pact
When one among their numbers, who's eyes were not as strong
Decided he would light a match, not knowing this was wrong.
But the others saw the danger and screamed with tiny howls:
"He will ignite the methane gas! EVACUATE THE BOWELS!"
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When?!? (Score:2)
Reuse (Score:4, Funny)
Re:So before we start getting nano-robotic overlor (Score:5, Informative)
It stands for unique selling proposition. I would like to point out that "more appealing that an endoscopy" is not unique at all.
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Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Will it the entire digestive tract? (Score:4, Funny)
Don't me, I my sentences have subjects. I don't verbs though.
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The worst part (Score:5, Interesting)
Yeah, I think you'd still have to fast and purge with whatever unpleasant substance the colorectal surgeon chooses to torture you with. The actual colonoscopy isn't painful or anything since you're sedated, it's just a hassle needing a ride home and a break from mental responsibilities.
But wouldn't you also have to stick around a doctor's office while you wait for the robot to get into position? Or would the robot be controlled really remotely, like by a technician in India while you're walking around the grocery store? And wouldn't you have to restrict your diet while you waited for the robot to pass? And wouldn't you have to collect the robot for return/disposal after you've both done your business?
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