‘Snakebots’ crawl in bodies for surgery

Scientists and doctors are using snake-like mini-robots to perform surgery on hearts, tumors and other diseased organs, the Associated Press reports.

The metallic “snakebots,” which wield cameras, scissors and forceps, are small and precise enough to leave certain nerves intact. For instance, a design being developed at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University has a head that is smaller than a dime, allowing surgeons to operate with less damage to the body.

As the variety of sensors available for surgical robots expands, robots may be able to test chemicals or blood in the body, scientists project.

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