Snake-like robots are under development at Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity for use in throat surgery.
The tiny robotic "snakes" have tools at the ends and are fabri-
cated from non-magnetic materials.

During surgical procedures, a physician would sit at a worksta-
tion showing a three-dimensional view of the site of the
operation.
Software would control the movement of the robot, following the
direction of the doctor.

The snakelike robots are highly maneuverable - they can form
tight S-curves and have six degrees of freedom.
They will help surgeons make incisions and even tie sutures with
greater precision.
They will require another five years of development and experi-
mentation before use with human patients.


SOURCE:
TechNovelgy.com