With all this RFID implant business going on, the Magic School Bus days are getting closer and closer. We already have a pill that’ll show you your insides, so what’s next? How about a robot you can swallow that attaches to your intestinal wall which can then perform biopsies, deliver drugs, or administer localized treatment to your gut? Metin Sitti, a professor at NanoRobotics Lab at Carnegie Mellon, and his team were looking for an appropriate adhesive to adorn the robot’s feet with so it would be able to attach itself to the intestinal wall easily.

With no luck, the team looked to insects like beetles, directly drawing inspiration from the oil-like liquids they secrete along their foot hairs in order to stick securely to surfaces. With their homemade “beetle juice”, the team was successful in having the robot attach to an animal intestines as well as on an animal esophagus. I’d hate to be the poor animal that gets to shit that robot out.

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Mophie must be ecstatic. As the first iPod/iPhone accessories manufacturer to nab the coveted “Works With iPhone” seal-of-approval, Mophie’s Juice Pack Battery Extender is likely to be the first sold in Apple stores and such. With an LED battery indicator on the back, similar to that found on Apple laptops, combined with long-ass battery life (24 hours of additional audio playback, 250 hours of standby time), Mophie could easily see increased sales thanks to a single badge on the front of its box.

Non-slip finish, fits your iPhone like a glove and goes for $100. If you use your iPhone as your primary PMP, this is probably an invaluable addition to your daily tech arsenal.

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