The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is investigating a novel robotic medical concept designed to move inside the human body, identify internal wounds, and deliver life-saving treatment, improving the chances of survival for wounded frontline troops until they can reach advanced medical care.
Known as Medics Autonomously Stopping Hemorrhage (MASH), the system uses artificial intelligence to guide sophisticated sensors to the site of an injury and autonomously apply clotting and healing agents.
In operational use, medics would make a small incision in a casualty’s torso, allowing MASH to deploy miniature robotic elements capable of temporarily sealing or stitching critical injuries.
According to DARPA, the programme is not intended to create entirely new robotic platforms. Instead, it aims to enhance existing, combat-proven medical tools with advanced autonomy and intelligent sensing.
The MASH programme is structured in two phases spanning three years.
Phase 1, scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026, will concentrate on core technology development, including improved wound localisation and artificial clot formation.
Within 24 months, researchers aim to demonstrate the system’s ability to autonomously detect active bleeding and precisely locate internal wounds.
Phase 2 will focus on system optimisation and preparation for potential operational deployment, with completion targeted within a further 12 months.
