Having your nose clogged is one of the most annoying feelings ever. People would go to great lengths to be able to breathe normally again. But would you have a team of microrobots get up there and fix the job?
A team of researchers from China and Hong Kong are betting you would. They’ve developed a swarm of robots that can be injected up the sinus cavity, through the nostril. They’re guided by electromagnetism and can create chemical reactions that wipe out bacterial infections and clear the sinuses. But would people do it?
Breathe in the robots
Nasal congestion, or a blocked nose, is a very common ailment. It’s typically caused by inflammation and swelling of the nasal passages. It can be triggered by a bunch of different things, from infections (like the common cold or flu) to allergies and pollution. Some people can have structural problems in the nose or nasal polyps as well.
But not all nasal congestion is alike. Sinus and other deep-mucosal infections often form dense, glue-like pus and biofilms that neither sprays nor systemic antibiotics can easily penetrate. Researchers from the Chinese University in Hong Kong, and universities in Guangxi, Shenzhen, Jiangsu, Yangzhou and Macau, want to address that.
Previous research teams have created microbots that go up the nose, and even further. But existing microbots usually carry antibiotics. In this case, the team opted for a drug-free, catalytic approach instead.
This means the material they’re made from acts as a catalyst: when you shine light on it, it triggers chemical reactions right on the robot’s surface that create bacteria-killing molecules (reactive oxygen species) and heat. So, the weapon is generated on-site by the robot itself, not packed inside it as a drug payload.
Think of it less like chemical warfare and more like mini flamethrowers that destroy the bacteria.
“Our proposed micro-robotic therapeutic platform offers the advantages of non-invasiveness, minimal resistance, and drug-free intervention,” the researchers note.
So far, the technology has only been tested in animals, clearing out sinuses in pigs and rabbits. No people have received the treatment yet. That’s the next stage of the research.
Can this really work?
The main advantage of microbots is that you can target things. When you take a drug, it goes into your bloodstream, and a small part of it reaches the destination. With microbots, you can concentrate on the desired target. The main disadvantage is, well, that you’re putting robots up your nose.
Firstly, you need to ensure that the robots do what’s intended and nothing else. Then, you have to ensure that you don’t leave anything behind and don’t cause any damage. Lastly, you need to deal with public opinion.
We’re seeing just how conspiracy theories are booming from vaccines, a technology that’s over 200 years old. Injecting robots in cavities would, presumably, trigger a lot of suspicions. However, Prof Sylvain Martel, director of the Nano Robotics Laboratory at the Polytechnique de Montréal in Canada, who was not involved in the research, told The Guardian that the public usually gets over such fears pretty quickly, adding that people will get “used to it pretty quickly.”
Even if this is the case, it will take a few more years before the technology passes safety and clearance. The researchers need to guarantee that every robot leaves the body or biodegrades, and refine the magnets that control the robots to ensure proper behavior inside humans. This usually takes 5 to 10 years.
But the technology is promising, and it’s not just for noses. The same approach could be used to target bladder, intestinal, or other infections where pus is a barrier.
The study was published in the journal Science Robotics.
