Tech x Life
How NTU researchers are harnessing science and technology to unlock new possibilities and transform everyday life
by Lester Kok / Visuals by Vivian Lim + GPT Image 2
Tiny surgeon with big skills
It’s only 4.4mm long – about the size of a seed – but this miniature medic packs five tricks into one tiny body. Think of it as a Swiss Army knife for surgery: it can move around, cut tissue, deliver drugs, collect tissue samples and even generate heat.
Guided by magnetic fields, the microrobot can switch between tasks in less than a second and navigate hard-to-reach places inside the body. One day, it could help doctors perform biopsies, deliver targeted treatments or produce heat to kill tumour cells.
The NTU team behind the invention is now working with doctors to explore how the robot can be steered and controlled in real-world medical settings.
Cyborg rescuer in a diving suit
Remember NTU’s cyborg roaches? They’ve just received an upgrade.
The autonomously controlled insects, first developed to squeeze through spaces too tight for humans and conventional robots, can now venture underwater thanks to a new soft “diving suit”.
Equipped with a miniature oxygen-generating system, the suit allows the cockroaches to survive and move underwater and in low-oxygen environments for up to three hours.
The upgrade could help future search-and-rescue teams reach flooded areas that are inaccessible to humans and bigger robots.
Meet the undercover window
What if your windows could generate electricity without looking any different?
NTU scientists have developed ultrathin, near-transparent solar cells that could turn windows, vehicle glass and even wearable devices into quiet power generators.
Made from a next-generation solar material called perovskite, the cells are about 10,000 times thinner than a strand of human hair. Despite their near-invisible appearance, they can generate electricity from ambient sunlight, even on cloudy days.
In future, buildings and vehicles could harvest clean energy while keeping interiors bright and preserving outdoor views.
This story was published in the Jul-Aug 2026 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
