Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), developed a soft robotic device called BIOSENTER that could improve how doctors examine and treat small intestine disorders. Inspired by snake movement, the device successfully navigated intestinal tissue during preclinical testing while performing real-time imaging, tissue biopsies, and localized fluid delivery without visible tissue damage. The technology could eventually help diagnose and treat conditions such as Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and small intestine tumors, although further testing is needed before human trials.
