Fortune magazine reports on some exciting research related to male infertility. As the headline says, “This Robot Is Like a Chauffeur for Slow Sperm”. Basically, researchers have developed tiny metal helices that wrap around the tail of a sperm cell. The helix effectively turns the sperm into a micromotor that can be directed a magnetic field. They are calling the invention a “spermbot”.

The video above lets you see how spermbots can propel once immobile sperm toward an egg.  So far scientists haven’t been able to actually fertilize an egg using the spermbot, but they are optimistic that with further study and development, this might someday improve success of in vitro fertilizations.

Take a look at the original research paper here in Nano Letters.  Caged Oligo explains some of the science behind the machine.