Video: The Itty-Bitty Robot You Can Eat

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

What do you do when a child swallows a battery or another small and dangerous metal object? It's a medical problem that can have dire consequences.

Using the principles of origami, MIT researchers have developed a diminutive robot made to be swallowed by the patient as a potential solution.

The robot prototype is made up of dried pig intestine that can fold and unfold to maneuver around. A magnet in the middle of the bot would attach itself to the battery and guide it out of the digestive system. Theoretically, a doctor could use magnets to guide the bot around.

Until this technology becomes a reality at your local hospital, try to keep those small batteries out of small hands.

To see the bot in action, check out the video below from Wired: