Engineers have created ultrasound powered nanobots that can remove harmful bacteria and the toxins they produce. The nanobots provide an easy and more efficient way to remove harmful substances from biological fluids. The engineers made the nanobots by coating gold nanowire with platelet and red blood cell membranes. This gives the nanobot two functions: platelets bind bacteria together like the MRSA bacteria and red blood cells that absorb and neutralize the toxins produced by bacteria. The gold wire in the nanobots respond to ultrasound which gives them easy mobility through blood without needing chemical fuel. The fast mobility lets the nanobots detoxify blood faster and easily. The idea was to produce many nanobots that could preform a variety of tasks. The goal is to use nanobots not just for MRSA infections but to use nanobots to decontaminate biological fluids.
This relates to engineering because the engineers had to look at possible solutions to come up with how they would treat infections in the blood. They are also still researching to make the nanobots more biodegradable by researching on ways they can replace the gold wires with biodegradable material. They have also made successful prototypes and are continuing to look through ways to improve the nanobots.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180531102807.htm
