Like many menial tasks, there may soon be a way to outsource brushing your teeth to robots. Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a system of microrobots that can change shape to form bristles or floss. They don’t just brush plaque away, but release antimicrobials to kill bad bacteria.
Brushing and flossing every day can be annoying, and even people who stick to the routine can miss areas and wind up with trouble. Part of the problem is that toothbrushes don’t account for differences in the shape or spacing of different people’s teeth.
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The new system solves that issue by effectively shapeshifting. It’s made up of iron oxide nanoparticles, which can be assembled into different formations and controlled using magnetic fields. This way, the particles can be arranged into the shape of bristles to brush plaque from tooth surfaces, or thinner floss-like strands to scrub between teeth.
Read more: New Atlas
