These are very interesting questions! Let me try to answer as much as I can.

As I mentioned in a previous question about “how close we are to using these medical tiny robots in clinics”, currently this technology is not there yet. There are many, many promising studies with animal models, for example, showing the localization of microrobots on tumor tissues for targeted drug release. Nevertheless, we still need extensive research on other aspects including safety, imaging, tracking, and controlling of these robots. Therefore, I cannot exactly give you numbers, since they are currently not commercialized.

As for the second question, the biggest concern would be safety. If the material(s) used in the robotic design is immunogenic, there is already the risk of an immune reaction. This could not only eliminate your tiny robot before it can do its job but also generate a health risk. Additionally, let’s say you plan to administer your robot through the circulatory system, then the size and shape of the robot are crucial since you wouldn’t want the clogging of the vasculature.

And for the last question, I haven’t played the game or seen the show (yet), but I am currently reading a book on fungi (it’s called Entangled Life: How fungi make our worlds, change our minds and shape our futures, by Merlin Sheldrake, it’s a super cool book, 100% recommend) and just recently found out about Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, aka zombie ant fungi. The mechanism of taking control over an ant compared to a human is drastically different. Turning people into “zombies” is rather sci-fi than science, but many organisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc.) do have an enormous impact on human life that we cannot disregard.

All the best,

/birgül