i-Snake: yet another flexible surgical robot

A robot that crawls through your innards? Yeah, we've been there, done that on a number of occasions, but a new alternative being developed by a team at Imperial College London could reportedly "revolutionize keyhole surgery." The aforementioned crew has been granted some £2.1 million ($4.19 million) in order to further develop the i-Snake, which is a "long tube housing special motors, sensors and imaging tools." Apparently, the creation would be used in heart bypass surgeries, to "diagnose problems in the gut and bowel" and to generally act as a surgeon's hands / eyes in hard to reach locales within the body. Per usual, we've no idea when it'll be ready for mainstream use, but hopefully the i-Snake will be slithering through citizens sooner rather than later.

[Flashpoint @ Dec 30th 2007 5:01PM]

T800 " I have detailed files on human anatomy"
Sarah " that makes you a better killer...right?"
T800 "YES"

[Anthony @ Dec 30th 2007 5:03PM]

Anything that makes surgery easier for the body to handle and recover from is a welcome addition. Ideally no one reading this article will never need it though.

[cheesewheel @ Dec 30th 2007 6:00PM]

you think apple will sue them over the name?

[sheng @ Dec 30th 2007 6:01PM]

ipots and ipans
imicrowave
isofa
ibed
icomputer
ibear
iball

[sam @ Dec 30th 2007 7:05PM]

you know the i-monkers have jumped the shark when they start using them for medical supplies

[hexoDAT64 @ Dec 30th 2007 6:04PM]

Maybe apple will sue the middle east over i-rack and i-ran

[cheesewheel @ Dec 30th 2007 6:10PM]

whoops, it has to have pod in it for them to come after you
http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/no-pod-for-you-apple-keeps-close-tabs-on-brand-name/
I was thinking of this, my bad

[scabies @ Dec 30th 2007 6:57PM]

iBypass?
iDont!

[Imithohtar @ Dec 30th 2007 7:02PM]

Definitely a usefull product. Can someone tell me what is causing this 'i-' product naming? Is it some sort of i-syndrome that afflicts only ad-weasels (as an acquaintance of mine calls them)? Would Issac Asimov approve? Would.... Never mind. It's time for my meds.

[J-Rad @ Dec 30th 2007 7:07PM]

"diagnose problems in the gut and bowel"
So its an ass snake? Why don't they just call it that and avoid being sued from apple?

[Wwhat @ Dec 30th 2007 11:53PM]

i-snake eh, they should have called it intelsnake to avoid being sued.

Oh wait..

[Ghen @ Dec 31st 2007 8:41AM]

hovering over the links in this blurb to read the previous article names made me smile.