DARPA is working on an innovative robotic medical system that could revolutionize battlefield care by autonomously finding and treating internal wounds inside injured soldiers. The concept is designed to buy precious time for wounded troops, stabilizing them until they can be evacuated to hospitals for advanced treatment.
The project, called Medics Autonomously Stopping Hemorrhage (MASH), relies on artificial intelligence–guided sensors that navigate the human body to detect bleeding and apply clotting and healing agents. In practical use, medics would make a small incision, allowing the robotic system to move inside the torso and temporarily close life-threatening injuries in environments where traditional surgery is impossible.
Rather than inventing new machines from scratch, DARPA says MASH is about upgrading existing battlefield medical tools with smarter technology and autonomous functions. This strategy aims to speed up development and ensure the system can operate reliably under real combat conditions.
Development will take place across two phases over three years. Phase 1, launching in mid-2026, will focus on core technologies such as wound detection and autonomous clot formation. By the end of two years, researchers expect MASH to independently locate active hemorrhages. Phase 2 will fine-tune the system and prepare it for potential operational use within another year.





