Small robots have been touted for a long time as the future of healthcare and medicine, with their amazingly low dimensions allowing them to sneak deep within the human body, far beyond the reach of conventional endoscopes and other probes. But one of the main obstacles that experts met in their endeavor to create such machines was control. The small sizes do not exactly allow for fitting onboard power sources, sensors or propulsion on the structures. Now, Swiss researchers present a new robot that responds accurately to controls, potentially solving the problem, Technology Review reports.

Experts at the ETH Zurich announce that the new robot, also known as MagMite, can be accurately controlled in its actions. Previous control methods have attempted to use live bacteria for propulsion, or even g magnetic and electrostatic forces to achieve steering capabilities. The latest achievement, which may very well be the real deal, is detailed in the latest issue of the International Journal of Robotics Research. The new robot is only 300 micrometers by 300 micrometers in size, with a thickness of about 70 micrometers. It is shown in this image compared to the head of a fruit fly.

Its only components are two magnetized pieces of materials, which are connected to each other via a very small spring. As an external magnetic field is turned on, the two components tend to get closer to each other, but they cannot do this. Instead, they store this energy inside the small spring. When the field is turned off, the spring naturally releases all of this tension, and propels the object forward. By making the magnetic fields open and close extremely fast, the researchers can make the small machine travel at a decent speed through a medium. The robot can also be turned by simply changing the direction of the magnetic fields that are controlling it.

This amazing ability has won the MagMite the 2009 Nanogram RoboCup competition first prize. In the challenge, it had to push a very small particle into a target while avoiding obstacles, much in the same way a soccer player needed to put the ball into the net. The trick is that the machine had to do this autonomously. The only limitation that this technology has right now is the fact that it only works in two dimensions. But experts at ETH say that future innovations will definitely allow for it to be controlled in the 3D environment of the human body as well.