(March 26, 2023 / JNS) Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a “hybrid micro-robot” the size of a biological cell that is capable of capturing damaged cells, the institution announced on Sunday.

The tiny robot (10 microns, or 0.000393701 of an inch, across) can navigate between cells in a biological sample, carrying a targeted cell for study such as genetic analysis, the university said.

It can be controlled using two types of mechanisms—electric and magnetic.

The technology was developed by Prof. Gilad Yossifon from the School of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Biomedical Engineering and his research team.