
Say hello to the Mermaid, a self-propelled endoscopy device used to photograph your digestive tract.
The Mermaid was created by a team of researchers from Ryukoku University and Osaka Medical College in Japan. Not only is it kinda cute in a medical device sort of way, the Mermaid is a testament to Japanese engineering.
It's less than a half-inch in diameter, two inches long and has a magnetic propulsion system. Once it enters your stomach or colon, the Mermaid snaps two photos each second and is controlled remotely with a joystick.
The entry point for the Mermaid is either your mouth or your—well, you know. The whole trip from stem to stern takes only a few hours and is minimally invasive when compared to the traditional colonoscopy. [Mainichi Daily News Via PopSci and MedGadget]
DISCUSSION
Magnetic propulsion, eh? I guess it might be troublesome to this Mermaid if my 2-year-old niece swallows a magnet before going in for this test.
"A little left...good, now go forward. I said go forward." "I can't! It's stuck! This toddler has strange powers!"
xD
-IMP ;) :)