01-03-2010, 10:45 PM
TITLE : NANOROBOTICS
ABSTRACT
Nanorobotics is an emerging field that deals with the controlled manipulation of objects with nanometer-scale dimensions. Typically, an atom has a diameter of a few Ã…ngstroms (1 Ã… = 0.1 nm = 10-10 m), a molecule's size is a few nm, and clusters or nanoparticles formed by hundreds or thousands of atoms have sizes of tens of nm. Therefore, Nanorobotics is concerned with interactions with atomic- and molecular-sized objects-and is sometimes called Molecular Robotics. We use these two expressions, plus Nanomanipulation, as synonyms in this article.
Another definition sometimes used is a robot which allows precision interactions with nanoscale objects, or can manipulate with nanoscale resolution.
Nanomachines are largely in the research-and-development phase, but some primitive molecular machines have been tested. An example is a sensor having a switch approximately 1.5 nanometers across, capable of counting specific molecules in a chemical sample
Applications
Potential applications for nanorobotics in medicine include early diagnosis and targeted drug delivery for cancer, biomedical instrumentation, surgery, pharmacokinetics, monitoring of diabetes, and health care.
Challenges
Nanorobotics manipulation with ËœScanning Probe Microscopyâ„¢ is a promising field that can lead to revolutionary new science and technology. But it is clearly in its infancy.
Advantages
¢ Nano-structuring is expected to bring about lighter, stronger and programmable materials.
¢ In medical field we will have microscopic robots floating in our blood streams fighting against cancer cells, AIDS HIV virus, genetic disorders or even ageing.
Disadvantages
¢ Nanotech particles will penetrate living cells and accumulate in animal organs, and can perhaps enter the food chain.
¢ Their impact on environment is unknown.e.g. Nanotubes of carbon use gallium & arsenic and minute traces of gallium arsenide in the body could prove toxic.
References
http://www-lmr.usc.edu/
http://en.wikipedia