An Emerging Technology: Nanorobotics

Vinotha D October 13, 2021 | 05:10 PM Technology

Nanorobotics is an emerging technology field creating machines or robots whose components are at or near the scale of a nanometer (10−9 meters). More specifically, nanorobotics (as opposed to microrobotics) refers to the nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots, with devices ranging in size from 0.1 to 10 micrometres and constructed of nanoscale or molecular components.[1] The terms nanobot, nanoid, nanite, nanomachine, or nanomite have also been used to describe such devices currently under research and development.

Nanomachines are largely in the research and development phase, but some primitive molecular machines and nanomotors have been tested. An example is a sensor having a switch approximately 1.5 nanometers across, able to count specific molecules in the chemical sample. The first useful applications of nanomachines may be in nanomedicine. For example, biological machines could be used to identify and destroy cancer cells. Another potential application is the detection of toxic chemicals, and the measurement of their concentrations, in the environment. Rice University has demonstrated a single-molecule car developed by a chemical process and including Buckminsterfullerenes (buckyballs) for wheels. [2] It is actuated by controlling the environmental temperature and by positioning a scanning tunneling microscope tip. The figure 1 shows the nanorobotics.

Figure 1: Nanorobotics

The field of nanorobotics

Let's start with some basics: Robotics can be defined as the theory and application of robots, a completely self-contained electronic, electric, or mechanical device, to such activities as manufacturing.

Scale that robot down to a few billionth of a meter and you are talking nanotechnology robotics; nanorobotics in short. The field of nanorobotics brings together several disciplines, including nanofabrication processes used for producing nanomotors, nanoactuators, nanosensors, and physical modeling at nanoscales.

Nanorobotic manipulation technologies, including the assembly of nanometer-sized parts, the manipulation of biological cells or molecules, and the types of robots used to perform these tasks also form a component of nanorobotics.

For instance, researchers have translated the autonomous movement trajectories of nanomotors into controlled surface features that brings a twist to conventional static optical fabrication systems, which establishes an early-stage approach for a nanorobotics platform for nanomanufacturing.

One intended target is to assist with all aspects of potential medical procedures: to assist with diagnosis, treatment, surgery etc. [3] For instance, if one is considering surgery, then the particle may be heated by a laser or an AC magnetic field and then used to destroy tissue. In the case of diagnostics it could be a particle that is made to deliver a contrast agent that can help with imaging. In the case of treatment, the particles might be loaded with a drug and steered to a location of interest (or actively move there by themselves). All three are subject of ongoing research and can already in part be achieved with passive nanoparticles.

However, one exciting prospect is that with a nanorobotic system one can potentially more effectively cross barriers in the body (the blood-brain barrier or mucus linings), which are difficult to overcome with passive particles. The aim is to reach areas in the body where passive nanoparticles cannot go. The advantage is that with nanorobotic systems one could use highly potent drugs – drugs that one cannot administer systemically – and bring them to a small targeted region. However, I want to stress that at present there is no system that has already made it to the clinic. Nevertheless, passive particles have been and are medically tested, and the active particles are thought of as an extension of this work.

If we consider a nanorobot as a particle that is controlled by an external system, as in a nanorobotic system, then the materials depend on how this particle is controlled. The idea is that potentially you can use many materials. Of course, if you want to interact with a particle via an external field, it must respond to the field, so if you want to control it with the magnetic field you must have a magnetic material, if you want to control it with light it must respond to light, and if you want it to interact with the acoustic fields then it has to show enough acoustic contrast to do so. The nanorobotic system may also contain chemically-active particles, enzymes, or be coupled to a micro-organisms.

References:
  1. https://www.nanowerk.com/what-are-nanobots.php
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanorobotics
  3. http://serious-science.org/nanorobots-in-medicine-9686
Cite this article:

Vinotha D (2021) An Emerging Technology: Nanorobotics, Anatechmaz, pp. 21

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