Nanorobotics is the technology of creating machines or robots at or close to the microscopic

scale of a nanometer (10−9 meters). More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the still largely
hypothetical nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots,
devices ranging in size from 0.1-10 micrometers and constructed of nanoscale or molecular
components. As of 2010 nobody has yet built artificial non-biological nanorobots: they remain a
hypothetical concept[citation needed]. The names nanobots, nanoids, nanites or nanomites have also
been used to describe these hypothetical devices.

Another definition is a robot that allows precision interactions with nanoscale objects, or can
manipulate with nanoscale resolution. Following this definition even a large apparatus such as an
atomic force microscope can be considered a nanorobotic instrument when configured to
perform nanomanipulation. Also, macroscale robots or microrobots that can move with
nanoscale precision can also be considered nanorobots.

Nanomachines are largely in the research-and-development phase[1], 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. The first useful
applications of nanomachines, if such are ever built, might be in medical technology, which
might use them to identify and destroy cancer cells. Another potential application is the detection
of toxic chemicals, and the measurement of their concentrations, in the environment. Recently,
Rice University has demonstrated a single-molecule car developed by a chemical process and
including buckyballs for wheels. It is actuated by controlling the environmental temperature and
by positioning a scanning tunneling microscope tip.

Contents
[hide]

 1 Nanorobotics theory
 2 Approaches
o 2.1 Biochip
o 2.2 Nubots
o 2.3 Positional nanoassembly
o 2.4 Bacteria based
o 2.5 Open technology
 3 Potential applications
o 3.1 Nanomedicine
o 3.2 Nanorobots
 4 See also
 5 References
 6 External links

[edit] Nanorobotics theory

Since nanorobots would be microscopic in size, it would probably be necessary for very large
numbers of them to work together to perform microscopic and macroscopic tasks. These
nanorobot swarms, both those incapable of replication (as in utility fog) and those capable of
unconstrained replication in the natural environment (as in grey goo and its less common
variants), are found in many science fiction stories, such as the Borg nanoprobes in Star Trek and
The Outer Limits episode The New Breed. The word "nanobot" (also "nanite", "nanogene", or
"nanoant") is often used to indicate this fictional context and is an informal or even pejorative
term to refer to the engineering concept of nanorobots. The word nanorobot is the correct
technical term in the nonfictional context of serious engineering studies.[citation needed]

Some proponents of nanorobotics, in reaction to the grey goo scare scenarios that they earlier
helped to propagate, hold the view that nanorobots capable of replication outside of a restricted
factory environment do not form a necessary part of a purported productive nanotechnology, and
that the process of self-replication, if it were ever to be developed, could be made inherently
safe. They further assert that their current plans for developing and using molecular
manufacturing do not in fact include free-foraging replicators.[2][3]

[edit] Approaches
[edit] Biochip

Main article: Biochip

The joint use of nanoelectronics, photolithography, and new biomaterials provides a possible
approach to manufacturing nanorobots for common medical applications, such as for surgical
instrumentation, diagnosis and drug delivery.[4][5][6] This method for manufacturing on
nanotechnology scale is currently in use in the electronics industry.[7] So, practical nanorobots
should be integrated as nanoelectronics devices, which will allow tele-operation and advanced
capabilities for medical instrumentation.[8][9]

[edit] Nubots

Main article: DNA machine

Nubot is an abbreviation for "nucleic acid robots". Nubots are synthetic robotics devices at the
nanoscale. Representative nubots include the several DNA walkers reported by Ned Seeman's
group at NYU, Nales Pierce's group at Caltech, John Reif's group at Duke University, Chengde
Mao's group at Purdue, and Andrew Turberfield's group at the University of Oxford.

[edit] Positional nanoassembly

Nanofactory Collaboration[10], founded by Robert Freitas and Ralph Merkle in 2000, is a focused
ongoing effort involving 23 researchers from 10 organizations and 4 countries that is developing
a practical research agenda[11] specifically aimed at developing positionally-controlled diamond
mechanosynthesis and a diamondoid nanofactory that would have the capability of building
diamondoid medical nanorobots.

[edit] Bacteria based

This approach proposes the use of biological microorganisms, like the bacterium Escherichia
coli.[12] Hence, the model uses a flagellum for propulsion purposes. The use of electromagnetic
fields are normally applied to control the motion of this kind of biological integrated device, but
has limited applications.

[edit] Open technology

A document with a proposal on nanobiotech development using open technology approaches has
been addressed to the United Nations General Assembly.[13] According to the document sent to
the UN, in the same way that Open Source has in recent years accelerated the development of
computer systems, a similar approach should benefit the society at large and accelerate
nanorobotics development. The use of nanobiotechnology should be established as a human
heritage for the coming generations, and developed as an open technology based on ethical
practices for peaceful purposes. Open technology is stated as a fundamental key for such an aim.

[edit] Potential applications

[edit] Nanomedicine

Potential applications for nanorobotics in medicine include early diagnosis and targeted drug-
delivery for cancer,[14][15][16], biomedical instrumentation[17] surgery,[18][19], pharmacokinetics[20]
monitoring of diabetes,[21][22][23] and health care.[24]

In such plans, future medical nanotechnology is expected to employ nanorobots injected into the
patient to perform work at a cellular level. Such nanorobots intended for use in medicine should
be non-replicating, as replication would needlessly increase device complexity, reduce
reliability, and interfere with the medical mission. Instead, medical nanorobots are posited to be
manufactured in hypothetical, carefully controlled nanofactories in which nanoscale machines
would be solidly integrated into a supposed desktop-scale machine that would build macroscopic
products.[citation needed]

The most detailed theoretical discussion of nanorobotics, including specific design issues such as
sensing, power communication, navigation, manipulation, locomotion, and onboard computation,
has been presented in the medical context of nanomedicine by Robert Freitas. Some of these
discussions remain at the level of unbuildable generality and do not approach the level of
detailed engineering.

[edit] Nanorobots
Nanotechnology promises futuristic applications such as microscopic robots that assemble other
machines or travel inside the body to deliver drugs or do [Link] machines will face
some unique physics. At small scales, fluids appear as viscous as molasses, and Brownian
motion makes everything shake incessantly. Taking inspiration from the biological motors of
living cells, chemists are learning how to utilize protein dynamics to power microsize and
nanosize machines with catalytic reactions.
  

NANOROBOTICS
 

A new approach within advanced graphics simulations is

presented for the problem of nano-assembly automation and
its application for medicine. The problem under study
concentrates its main focus on nanorobot control design for
molecular manipulation and the use of evolutionary agents as
a suitable way to enable the robustness on the proposed
model. Thereby the presented works summarize as well
distinct aspects of some techniques required to achieve
successful integrated system design and 3D simulation
visualization in real time.

NANOROBOT HISTORY CANNXS NANOROBOT INVENTOR

  Initial uses of nanorobots to health care are likely to emerge within the next ten years with
  potentially broad biomedical applications. The ongoing developments of molecular-scale
electronics, sensors and motors are expected to enable microscopic robots with dimensions
comparable to bacteria. Recent developments on the field of biomolecular computing has
demonstrated positively the feasibility of processing logic tasks by bio-computers, which is a
promising first step to enable future nanoprocessors with increasingly complexity. Studies in th
sense of building biosensors and nano-kinetic devices, which is required to enable nanorobots
operation and locomotion, has been advanced recently too. Moreover, classical objections relate
the real feasibility of nanotechnology, such as quantum mechanics, thermal motions and friction
has been considered and resolved and discussions about the manufacturing of nanodevises is
growing up. Developing nanoscale robots presents difficult fabrication and control challenges.
control design and the development of complex integrated nanosystems with high performance
be well analysed and addressed via simulation to help pave the way for future use of nanorobot
biomedical engineering problems.