Nanorobotics 1

Nanorobotics
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Nanorobotics 2

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

microscopic scale of a nanometre (10-9 metres). More specifically, nanorobotics refers to
the still largely hypothetical nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and
building nanorobots. Nanorobots (nanobots, nanoids, nanites or nanomites) would
typically be devices ranging in size from 0.1-10 micrometers and constructed of nanoscale
or molecular components. As no artificial non-biological nanorobots have yet been created,
they remain a hypothetical concept.
Nanorobotics is that branch of nanotechnology,which deals with the study and application
of creating machines or robots of microscopic nanoscale.
Another definition sometimes used is a robot which 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 which 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, where they might be used to identify cancer cells and destroy them.
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 which is developed by a chemical process and includes buckyballs for
wheels. It is actuated by controlling the environmental temperature and by positioning a
scanning tunneling microscope tip.
Nanorobotics 3

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 which are incapable of replication (as in utility fog)
and those which are 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. 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.
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 free-foraging replicators are in fact
absent from their current plans for developing and using molecular manufacturing. [2] [3]

Approaches

Biochip
The joint use of nanoelectronics, photolithography, and new biomaterials, can be
considered as a possible way to enable the required manufacturing technology towards
nanorobots for common medical applications, such as for surgical instrumentation,
diagnosis and drug delivery.[4] [5] [6] Indeed, this feasible approach towards manufacturing
on nanotechnology is a practice currently in use from 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]

Nubots
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, Niles 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.

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 be capable of building diamondoid medical nanorobots.
Nanorobotics 4

Bacteria based
This approach proposes the use biological microorganisms, like Escherichia coli
bacteria.[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, although his limited applications.

Potential applications

Nanomedicine
Potential apllications for nanorobotics in medicine include early diagnosis and targeted
drug delivery for cancer[13] [14] [15] , biomedical instrumentation[16] , surgery[17] [18] ,
pharmacokinetics[19] , monitoring of diabetes[20] [21] [22] , and health care[23] .
In such plans, future medical nanotechnology is expected to employ nanorobots injected
into the patient to perform treatment on 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.
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.

Nanobots in fiction
Nanobots have been a recurring theme in many science-fiction novels, sci-fi shows and
movies, such as the sci-fi show Red Dwarf where they are used to manufacture a new arm
for Dave Lister from his excess body tissue. In the popular video game series Metal Gear
Solid, many characters and soldiers in general, have "nanomachines" in their bloodstream,
and are used to block pain, allow members of fire teams/patrols to share sensory
information, heal bodily damage, as well as manipulating viruses central to MGS4's plot
line. They are used as a healing mechanism in the Sony PlayStation series Ratchet and
Clank. In the game System Shock 2, "nanites" are used as currency as well as a type of
weapon ammo. In the 2008 series of Knight Rider, the Knight Industries Three Thousand
has a skin capable of regenerating and rebuilding itself with the help of nanobots, like a
Nanomorph. Nanobots were also featured during the Sci-Fi Channel era of Mystery Science
Theater 3000, where they were known as "nanites". They were depicted on the show as
microscopic, bug-like, freestanding robots with distinct personalities, including a
hairdresser and union foreman. In Star Trek there is in few occasions stories about nanites
in the episode Evolution (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and nanopprobes (Borg) in the
episodes Mortal Coil (Star Trek: Voyager), Drone (Star Trek: Voyager) and Inside Man (Star
Trek: Voyager). In Stargate Atlantis there is a race of machines called the "Asurans" and in
Stargate SG-1 there is a race of "Replicators" whose bodies are entirely built of nanites. The
first person shooter Crysis includes a suit that consists of nanorobots, which replenish
armor, health, enhance strength, speed and even enable active camouflage. In the
Nanorobotics 5

cyberpunk game, Deus Ex, the protagonistic Denton family were the only humans who were
able to tolerate the "nanites" inside their body. This form of augmentation allowed for the
use of multiple powers, as well as create resentment between they and the older generation
of agents who would sacrifice entire limbs for the more crude cybernetic enhancements. In
the film i, Robot, Nanites are used to wipe out artificial intelligence in the event of a
malfunction. They are seen to be used on an NS5 and on VIKI at the end of the film. The
nanites themselves are never seen however a liquid containing moving silver objects is
seen.
Nanobots are the centerpiece of Michael Crichton's novel Prey (2002).

Bibliography
• K. Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation, ISBN 0-385-19973-2.

External links
• NanoRobotics Laboratory - EPM [24]
• Carnegie Mellon NanoRobotics Lab [25]
• Molecular Robotics Overview [26]
• Nanorobotics in Medicine, by Freitas [27]
• Medical Nanorobotics [28]
• Nanorobotics Control Simulation - CAN [29]
• Nanorobotics - Info Center ETHZ [30]
• Rice University - NanoCar [31]
• Multi-Scale Robotics Lab - ETH Zurich [32]
• A Review in Nanorobotics - US Department of Energy [33]
• Bio-Nano Robotics - Northeastern University [34]
• Nanomotor - University California San Diego UCSD [35]
• Micro-Nano Systems - Nagoya University [36]

References
[1] Wang, J. (2009). "Can Man-Made Nanomachines Compete with Nature Biomotors?". ACS Nano 3 (1): 4–9. doi:
10.1021/nn800829k (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1021/ nn800829k).
[2] Zyvex: "Self replication and nanotechnology" (http:/ / www. zyvex. com/ nanotech/ selfRep. html) "artificial self
replicating systems will only function in carefully controlled artificial environments ... While self replicating
systems are the key to low cost, there is no need (and little desire) to have such systems function in the outside
world. Instead, in an artificial and controlled environment they can manufacture simpler and more rugged
systems that can then be transferred to their final destination. ... The resulting medical device will be simpler,
smaller, more efficient and more precisely designed for the task at hand than a device designed to perform the
same function and self replicate. ... A single device able to do [both] would be harder to design and less
efficient."
[3] "Foresight Guidelines for Responsible Nanotechnology Development" (http:/ / www. foresight. org/ guidelines/
) "Autonomous self-replicating assemblers are not necessary to achieve significant manufacturing capabilities."
"The simplest, most efficient, and safest approach to productive nanosystems is to make specialized nanoscale
tools and put them together in factories big enough to make what is needed. ... The machines in this would
work like the conveyor belts and assembly robots in a factory, doing similar jobs. If you pulled one of these
machines out of the system, it would pose no risk, and be as inert as a light bulb pulled from its socket."
[4] Fisher, B. (2008). "Biological Research in the Evolution of Cancer Surgery: A Personal Perspective". Cancer
Research 68 (24): 10007–10020. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-0186 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1158/
0008-5472. CAN-08-0186).
[5] Cavalcanti, A., Shirinzadeh, B., Zhang, M. & Kretly, L.C. (2008). "Nanorobot Hardware Architecture for
Medical Defense". Sensors 8 (5): 2932–2958. doi: 10.3390/s8052932 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 3390/ s8052932).
Nanorobotics 6

[6] Hill, C., Amodeo, A., Joseph, J.V. & Patel, H.R.H. (2008). "Nano- and microrobotics: how far is the reality?".
Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy 8 (12): 1891–1897. doi: 10.1586/14737140.8.12.1891 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/
10. 1586/ 14737140. 8. 12. 1891).
[7] Cale, T.S., Lu, J.-Q. & Gutmann, R.J. (2008). "Three-dimensional integration in microelectronics: Motivation,
processing, and thermomechanical modeling". Chemical Engineering Communications 195 (8): 847–888. doi:
10.1080/00986440801930302 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1080/ 00986440801930302).
[8] Couvreur, P. & Vauthier, C. (2006). "Nanotechnology: Intelligent Design to Treat Complex Disease".
Pharmaceutical Research 23 (7): 1417–1450. doi: 10.1007/s11095-006-0284-8 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1007/
s11095-006-0284-8).
[9] Elder, J.B., Hoh, D.J., Oh, B.C., Heller, A.C., Liu, C.Y. & Apuzzo, M.L. (2008). "The future of cerebral surgery: a
kaleidoscope of opportunities". Neurosurgery 62 (6): 1555–1579. doi: 10.1227/01.neu.0000333820.33143.0d
(http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1227/ 01. neu. 0000333820. 33143. 0d).
[10] Nanofactory (http:/ / www. MolecularAssembler. com/ Nanofactory)
[11] Positional Diamondoid Molecular Manufacturing (http:/ / www. MolecularAssembler. com/ Nanofactory/
Challenges. htm)
[12] Martel, S., Mohammadi, M., Felfoul, O., Lu, Z. & Pouponneau P. (2009). "Flagellated Magnetotactic Bacteria
as Controlled MRI-trackable Propulsion and Steering Systems for Medical Nanorobots Operating in the Human
Microvasculature". International Journal of Robotics Research 28 (4): 571-582. doi:
10.1177/0278364908100924 (http:/ / dx. doi. org/ 10. 1177/ 0278364908100924).
[13] Nanotechnology in Cancer (http:/ / nano. cancer. gov/ resource_center/
sci_biblio_enabled-therapeutics_abstracts. asp)
[14] Cancer-fighting technology (http:/ / www. physorg. com/ news116071209. html)
[15] Drug delivery (http:/ / www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/ sites/ entrez?db=pubmed& uid=14520404&
cmd=showdetailview)
[16] Medical Design Technology (http:/ / www. mdtmag. com/ scripts/ ShowPR. asp?PUBCODE=046&
ACCT=0000100& ISSUE=0707& RELTYPE=PR& PRODCODE=0390& PRODLETT=A)
[17] Neurosurgery (http:/ / www. neurosurgery-online. com/ pt/ re/ neurosurg/ abstract.
00006123-200606000-00001.
htm;jsessionid=HTyMvrVybJT3fxwFGGTHJKqv0vcRdQBpqGPWYxZmjVwPRvLjzB9q!-1323538283!181195628!8091!-1)
[18] Tiny robot useful for surgery (http:/ / www. jpost. com/ servlet/ Satellite?cid=1182409639914&
pagename=JPost/ JPArticle/ ShowFull)
[19] Drug Targeting (http:/ / www. nano-biology. net/ showabstract. php?pmid=16608733)
[20] Nanorobots in Treatment of Diabetes (http:/ / www. azonano. com/ Details. asp?ArticleID=2035)
[21] Nanorobotics for Diabetes (http:/ / www. nanovip. com/ Nanorobotics-for-Diabetes-Cavalcanti)
[22] Wellness Engineering, Nanorobots, Diabetes (http:/ / spie. org/ x15549. xml)
[23] Vaughn JR. (2006). "Over the Horizon: Potential Impact of Emerging Trends in Information and
Communication Technology on Disability Policy and Practice". National Council on Disability (http:/ / www. ncd.
gov/ newsroom/ publications/ 2006/ emerging_trends. htm), Washington DC.: 1–55.
[24] http:/ / wiki. polymtl. ca/ nano/ index. php/ NanoRobotics_Laboratory
[25] http:/ / nanolab. me. cmu. edu/
[26] http:/ / www-lmr. usc. edu/ ~lmr/ publications/ nanorobotics/
[27] http:/ / www. nanomedicine. com/ NMI. htm
[28] http:/ / www. foresight. org/ Nanomedicine/ Nanorobotics. html
[29] http:/ / www. nanorobotdesign. com
[30] http:/ / www. infochembio. ethz. ch/ links/ en/ werkstoffe_nanorob. html
[31] http:/ / media. rice. edu/ media/ NewsBot. asp?MODE=VIEW& ID=7850& SnID=388497000
[32] http:/ / www. iris. ethz. ch/ msrl/
[33] http:/ / www. osti. gov/ energycitations/ product. biblio. jsp?osti_id=875622
[34] http:/ / www. bionano. neu. edu
[35] http:/ / nanoengineering. ucsd. edu/ ~joewang/ index_files/ Page1952. htm
[36] http:/ / www. mein. nagoya-u. ac. jp/ activity
Article Sources and Contributors 7

Article Sources and Contributors

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