This Mermaid Swims Through Your Digestive Tract

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]