Microscopic robots may soon invade your body whether you like it or not

Advancements in robotics has been changing our lives and this pace seems set to accelerate. 

Most of the time advancements in robotics is invisible to consumers, as a lot of the application has been in automating manufacturing, streamlining operations or speeding up internal processes.

But slowly robots are moving into the home, with robotic vacuum cleaners and robot lawn mowers becoming more mainstream.

Now scientists and engineers have started to think bigger, by going smaller. The most recent breakthrough is in tiny microscopic robots that one day could invade your body.

According to Cornell University:

"The new robots are about 5 microns thick (a micron is one-millionth of a meter), 40 microns wide and range from 40 to 70 microns in length. Each bot consists of a simple circuit made from silicon photovoltaics – which essentially functions as the torso and brain – and four electrochemical actuators that function as legs."

While the applications today are limited, due to their limited speed and computational power, one day robots inside the body could be used to spot disease or deliver super targeted medical treatments.