Abstract

It isn’t uncommon for scientists to be inspired by science fiction, and good science fiction has a strong basis in real science. Modern science fiction is well populated with “nanobots” and “microbots,” tiny robots that are injected into the bloodstream where they perform tasks ranging from repairing damage and curing diseases to controlling human thoughts and actions. The miniature robot concept may seem far-fetched today, yet technological advances in the area of micromachine research are bringing the possibility of devices like this much closer to reality.

© 2002 Optical Society of America