September 2, 2025
Tiny Robot Inspired by Leeches Could Replace Kidney Stone Surgery
Scientists Create a Rice-Grain-Sized Magnetic Micro-Robot That Mimics a Leech to Break Down Kidney Stones Without Surgery Imagine a future where treating kidney stones doesn’t involve painful surgeries, invasive tools, or even the dreaded shock waves of lithotripsy. Instead, a robot smaller than a grain of rice could swim through your urinary tract, guided carefully by doctors using magnets, and gently break down the stones that cause so much agony. That future isn’t science fiction—it’s already being built in research labs in China. Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Xi’an Jiaotong University have developed a remarkable soft
