DARPA is developing an innovative robotic medical system capable of navigating within the human body to detect traumatic injuries and provide immediate treatment, giving wounded soldiers a greater chance of survival prior to evacuation for hospital care.
The initiative—Medics Autonomously Stopping Hemorrhage (MASH)—leverages artificial intelligence to steer advanced sensing systems to wound locations and autonomously deliver clotting agents and tissue-regeneration materials.
In operational scenarios, combat medics would create a small torso incision, through which MASH would insert robotic components to stabilise and temporarily repair critical internal injuries.
DARPA stresses that the programme is centred on augmenting existing, battle-tested medical devices rather than building entirely new robotic systems, integrating autonomy and intelligence into proven technologies.
The effort is planned as a two-phase programme over a three-year timeline.
Phase 1, commencing in mid-2026, will focus on overcoming key technical hurdles, including accurate wound localisation and autonomous clot generation. Within the first 24 months, the system is expected to autonomously detect active hemorrhage and identify internal injury sites.
Phase 2 will optimise and mature the technology, with the aim of preparing it for possible battlefield application within an additional 12 months.
