World's Smallest Medical Robot — 120 nanometres
Principal Investigator
Prof. Soutik Betal
Associate Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Research spanning nanorobotics, biomedical devices, bioelectrical implants, brain-signal sensing, terahertz devices, MEMS, and multifunctional materials, with an emphasis on advanced technologies for biomedical and healthcare applications.
Profile
Biography
Prof. Soutik Betal is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Delhi. His research focuses on nanorobotics, biomedical devices, bioelectrical implants, brain-signal sensing, terahertz devices, MEMS, and multifunctional materials, with an emphasis on developing advanced technologies for biomedical and healthcare applications.
During his doctoral research at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Dr. Betal developed nanocomposite particles that can be controlled remotely by a magnetic field. These nanorobots are listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's smallest medical robot. They interact directly with biological cells, and the technology has been proposed for the treatment of cancer. The nanorobots have completed in vitro validation and are in mammalian testing. Human trials remain ahead of any clinical use.
His work is published in Nature-family and Royal Society of Chemistry journals and protected by United States patents, and his research on nanorobotics has been covered by news organisations and scientific bulletins worldwide. Prof. Betal's research is also supported by interdisciplinary collaborations with medical and research institutions, including AIIMS New Delhi and the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, enabling the translation of advanced device technologies toward practical biomedical applications.
Experience
- Feb 2026 — Present Associate Professor Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
- Jan 2021 — Feb 2026 Assistant Professor Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
- Jan 2020 — Jan 2021 Scientist Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- May 2019 — Jan 2020 Postdoctoral research University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA
- Jan 2018 — May 2019 Postdoctoral research Fellow Alfred University, New York, USA
Education
- 2017 PhD, Electrical Engineering University of Texas at San Antonio, USA
- 2010 B.Tech, Electrical Engineering Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College, West Bengal, India