While the phrase “robotic rectum” is probably something you thought you’d never read, researchers in England are busily working on developing just that. The device uses a combination of robotics and virtual reality to give trainee doctors the closest thing to the “real deal” when practicing a rectal exam. And, although it may sound comical, in reality this robot may help to save your life one day.

No one enjoys getting a rectal exam when they actually need one, nevermind volunteering for the procedure without a doctor’s recommendation. Like all things in life, practice makes perfect, and without rectal volunteers to train on, young doctors don’t get enough experience and are more likely to make a mistake. During a rectal exam, doctors or nurses will place their index finger into the rectum to feel the prostate, a gland in males located below the bladder, for abnormalities associated with cancer. If they feel abnormalities in the prostate’s shape or size, they may then send a patient for further testing.

Usually, a cancerous prostate will feel hard and knobbly, but it is often difficult for training doctors to understand this difference without experience. Enter the robotic rectum. According to a recent statement, the device consists of a prosthetic buttock and rectum, and contains small robotic arms that apply pressure to the silicone rectum. This helps to recreate the shape and feel of the back passage. In addition, there is a computer screen behind the device that displays a 3D model of the rectum and prostate. This allows the doctor, with the aid of 3D glasses, to see the anatomy while they perform the examination.