Microrobots may become an effective tool in breaking down the dangerous blood vessel blockages that cause strokes. Current treatments for stroke patients often involve injectable drugs that dissolve a blockage in the blood vessel called a thrombus. To test their invention, Landers and Nelson first used a catheter to inject the microrobot into artificial silicone models of both human and animal blood vessels. “The speed of blood flow in the human arterial system varies a lot depending on location. “It’s remarkable how much blood flows through our vessels and at such high speed,” said Landers.