Molecular Nanotechnology: Review the World of the Nano-Robots and Evaluate How Far or Soon Are They from Reality

We could say that the molecular dimension of nanotechnology consists in machines at the molecular realm which are designed and built atom-by-atom. In the same way, 'Nanorobotics' is the technology of creating robots or nanomachines at the microscopic scale of nanometers (10-9 metres) or at least very close of this scale. The nanorobots are also named 'nanobots', 'nanoids' or 'nanites'. Scientists have been developing these robots to carry out many important functions in different professional fields such as medicine, engineering, manufacturing and many others even though non-biological nanorobots are yet to be created.

Everybody knows that investigation and research projects take a long time to be released and then to be made available to society, but there are many things that are felt to be intangible. For instance, many nano robots and nano devices are still in the development phase even though we have some molecular machines that have already been tested such as the atomic force microscope which is considered a true nano robotic instrument and a nano robot capable of counting specific molecules in a chemical sample. The field of medicine or nano medicine is the most successful in the development of nano robots.

One of the first applications used in nano-robotic-medicine was a machine capable of identifying cancer cells then destroying them. We read scientific journals and magazines, and before the great breakthrough releases we wonder what's the hold up. Is it that we are still not ready? The detection of toxic chemicals is another reason for the development of nano robots. These nano robots are expected to measure the concentration of toxic chemicals and other hazards in the environment.

A recent press release informs us of the something very interesting developed by the 'William Marsh Rice University' in Houston Texas. They have made a single-molecule car which was developed by a chemical process and includes buckyballs for wheels. It's functions range from controlling the environmental temperature to positioning a scanning tunneling microscope tip. In other areas opf nanotechnology we are working to produce textiles with stain-resistant fibers, swim suits that repel water, reducing friction with water and allow swimmers to go faster. There are powders developed through nano machines which work as sun screen lotions and there are nano particles helping to deliver pharmaceutical drugs to targeted tissues in the human body.

Therefore there are two main dimensions to approach for building useful devices from nano scale components. One of them is based on self-assembly, and is a natural evolution of traditional chemistry and bulk processing. The second area is based on controlled positioning of nano scale objects, direct application of forces, electric fields, and so on. The self-assembly approach is being pursued at many laboratories. Despite all the current activity, self-assembly has severe limitations because the structures produced tend to be highly symmetric, and the most versatile self-assembled systems are organic and therefore generally lack robustness. The second approach involves Nano manipulation which is being studied by a small number of researchers, who are focusing on techniques based on Scanning Probe Microscopy also know as SPM.

The investigation and research with Nano robots has proceeded along two specific lines. The first is devoted to the design and computational simulation of robots with nano scale dimensions for the design of robots that resemble their macroscopic counterparts. Some mechanical components were used by Drexler, one of the precursor scientists using this sort of simulation since 1992. These mechanical components such as nanogears built primarily with carbon atoms in a diamonded structure were very important for experiment such computational simulations. A major issue is how to build these devices, and little experimental progress has been made towards their construction.

On the other hand, the second area of Nano robotics research is represented by the manipulation of nano scale objects with macroscopic instruments. Also some experimental works have been focused on this area, especially through the use of Scanning Probe Microscopy as robots. Is important appreciate the endeavors that the nano scientists are going through for the development of a robust field in nano robotic realm, but they also should build a better world communicating appropriately the breakthroughs in this scientific area.

Author: HÈctor Nicol·s Suero
Nanovip Staff Writer