That uncomfortable tube-down-the-throat stomach exam? A California startup just made it optional. Endiatx’s tiny "PillBot" — no bigger than a multivitamin — is a swallowable robot camera that cruises through your stomach while beaming live video to doctors.

Here’s the twist: Physicians steer it using a regular video-game controller. No anesthesia. No gowns. No tubes. The company claims 80% of traditional scopes find nothing wrong anyway, meaning most people endure the procedure needlessly.

PillBot recently navigated real human stomachs live at TED and Amazon’s MARS conference. If cleared by U.S. regulators, it could hit clinics by 2026 — letting preliminary stomach checks start with a simple gulp.

Next up? Endiatx plans to add AI so future versions might spot diseases like stomach cancer before symptoms appear. Today, doctors drive the camera. Tomorrow, artificial intelligence could take the wheel.