NANOROBOTICS

Introduction
Nanotechnology can best be defined as a description of activities at the level of
atoms and molecules that have applications in the real world. A nanometer is a billionth of a
meter, that is, about 1/80,000 of the diameter of a human hair, or 10 times the diameter of a
hydrogen atom. The engineering of molecular products needs to be carried out by robotic
devices, which have been termed nanorobots. A nanorobot is essentially a controllable
machine at the nano meter or molecular scale that is composed of nano-scale components.
The field of nanorobotics studies the design, manufacturing, programming and control of the
nano-scale robots.
Nanorobots would constitute any passive or active structure (nano scale)
capable of actuation, sensing, signaling, information processing, intelligence, swarm behavior
at nano scale. These functionalities could be illustrated individually or in combinations by a
nano robot (swarm intelligence and co-operative behavior). So, there could be a whole genre
of actuation and sensing or information processing nano robots having ability to interact and
influence matter at the nano scale. Some of the characteristic abilities that are desirable for a
nanorobot to function are:
1. Swarm Intelligence decentralization and distributive intelligence
2. Cooperative behavior emergent and evolutionary behavior
3. Self assembly and replication assemblage at nano scale and nano maintenance
4. Nano Information processing and programmability for programming and controlling
nanorobots (autonomous nanorobots)
5. Nano to macro world interface architecture an architecture enabling instant access to the
nanorobots and its control and maintenance
The nanorobots are invisible to naked eye, which makes them hard to
manipulate and work with. Techniques like Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic
Force Microscopy (AFM) are being employed to establish a visual and haptic interface to
enable us to sense the molecular structure of these nano scaled devices. Virtual Reality (VR)
techniques are currently being explored in nano-science and bio-technology research as a way
to enhance the operators perception (vision and haptics) by approaching more or less a state
of full immersion or telepresence. Nanorobotics is a field which calls for collaborative

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efforts between physicists, chemists, biologists, computer scientists, engineers and other
specialists to work towards this common objective. The ability to manipulate matter at the
nano scale is one core application for which nanorobots could be the technological solution. A
lot has been written in the literature about the significance and motivation behind constructing
a nanorobot.

Natures Nanorobotic Devices

1. Protein based molecular machines
ATP Synthase a true nano rotary motor
2. DNA based Molecular machines
3. Inorganic (chemical) Molecular machines
The Rotaxanes
The Catenanes
Other Inorganic Molecular Machines
4. Other Protein Based motors under development
Viral Protein Linear Motors
Synthetic Contractile Polymers

Nanorobotics Design and Control

Design of nano robotic systems:
Designing nanorobotic systems deal with vast variety of sciences, from quantum
molecular dynamics, to kinematics analysis. The rules applicable to nanorobotics depend
upon the nano material we intend to use. Nanomechanical robotic systems deal with science
significantly different from the biological or inorganic nanorobotic systems. We will consider
that the components that details a nanorobot is made of biological components, such as,
proteins and DNAs. There doesnt exist any particular guideline or a prescribed manner which
details the methodology of designing a bio-nanorobot (bio-nanorobot implies nanorobots
made up of bio components) up to the date.
The Roadmap
The roadmap for the development of bio-nanorobotic systems for future applications (medical,
space and military).

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The roadmap progresses through the following main steps:

Step 1: Bio Nano Components
Development of bio-nano components from biological systems is the first step towards the
design and development of an advanced bio-nanorobot, which could be used for future
applications.
Step 2: Assembled Bio Nano Robots
The next step involves the assembly of functionally stable bio-nano components into complex
assemblies. The modular organization defines the hierarchy rules and spatial arrangements of
various modules of the bio-nano-robots such as: the inner core (the brain/energy source for
the robot), the actuation unit, the sensory unit, and the signaling and information processing
unit.
Step 3: Distributive Intelligence, Programming and Control
With the individual bio-nanorobots in full function, they will now need to collaborate with
one another to further develop systems and colonies of similar and diverse nanorobots. This
design step will lay the foundation to the concept of bio-nano swarms (distributive bionanorobots)
Step 4: Automatic Fabrication and Information Processing Machines
For carrying out complex missions, such as sensing, signaling and storing, colonies of these
bio-nanorobotic swarms needs to be created. The next step in nanorobotic designing would
see the emergence of automatic fabrication methodologies (see Fig. 18) of such bio-nano
robots in vivo and in vitro.
Design Philosophy and Architecture for the Bio-Nanorobotic Systems
a) Modular Organization: Modular organization defines the fundamental rule and
hierarchy for constructing a bio-nanorobotic system.
b) The Universal Template: Bio Nano STEM System: The modular construction
concept involves designing a universal template for bio-nano systems, which could
be programmed and grown into any possible Bio Nano coded system.
Computational & Experimental methods - Designing Bio nanorobotic systems
Computational methods [192-194]

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Molecular modeling techniques in sync with extensive experimentations would

form the basis for designing these bio-nano systems.

Research:
Nanoassembly by Sintering Assembly of components, or
building blocks, into more complex structures is a primary goal of robotics
at all scales. It involves positioning the required components, joining them,
positioning

the

resulting

subassemblies,

joining

them

with

other

subassemblies, and so forth, in a hierarchical manner. Previous work at

LMR (Laboratory for Molecular Robotics) has shown how to position
nanoscale components by pushing them on a surface with the tip of an
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). LMR research also has demonstrated
joining of positioned components by gluing them chemically, and by
electroless deposition of additional material.

3-D Simulation and Visualization:

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. In recent developments on the field of bimolecular 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 the sense of

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building biosensors and nano-kinetic devices, which is required to enable nanorobots

operation and locomotion, has been advanced recently too. Developing nanoscale robots
presents difficult fabrication and control challenges. The control design and the development
of complex integrated nanosystems with high performance can be well analysed and
addressed via simulation to help pave the way for future use of nanorobots in biomedical
engineering problems. 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. The first useful applications of nanomachines might be in medical technology, which
could be used to identify and destroy cancer cells.

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Potential application:
1. Nanomedicine:
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. 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.

Fig: Bio nanorobotics a truly multidisciplinary field

Biomolecular Machines: Background and Significance

Significance:
The recent explosion of research in nanotechnology, combined with important
discoveries in molecular biology have created a new interest in biomolecular machines and
robots. The main goal in the field of biomolecular machines is to use various biological
elements whose function at the cellular level creates motion, force or a signal, stores

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information as machine components. These components perform their preprogrammed

biological function in response to the specific physiochemical stimuli but in an artificial
setting. In this way proteins and DNA could act as motors, mechanical joints, transmission
elements, or sensors. If all these different components were assembled together in the proper
proportion and orientation they would form nanodevices with multiple degrees of freedom,
able to apply forces and manipulate objects in the nanoscale world. The advantage of using
nature's machine components is that they are highly efficient and reliable. Just as conventional
macro machines are used to generate forces and motions to accomplish specific tasks,
bionanomachines can be used to manipulate nano-objects, to assemble and fabricate other
machines or products, to perform maintenance, repair and inspection operations. Such
bionanorobotic devices will hopefully be part of the arsenal of future medical devices and
instruments that will: 1) perform operations, inspections and treatments of diseases inside the
body, and 2) achieve ultra-high accuracy and localization in drug delivery, thus minimizing
side effects.

Figure: A "nanorobot" flowing inside a blood vessel, finds an infected cell. The nanorobot attaches to
the cell and projects a drug to repair or destroy the infected cell.

The bionanorobot will be able to attach to the infected cell alone, and deliver a
therapeutic drug that can treat or destroy just the infected cell, sparing the surrounding healthy
cells. Development of robotic components composed of simple biological molecules is the
first step in the development of future biomedical nanodevices. From the simple elements
such as structural links to more advanced concepts as motors, each part must be carefully
studied and manipulated to understand its functions and limits. The figure lists the most
important components of a typical robotic system or machine assembly and the equivalence

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between macro and potential bionanocomponents. Beyond the initial component

characterization is the assembly of the components into robotic systems.

Control of Nanorobotic systems

The control of nano robotic systems could be classified in two categories:
i. Internal control mechanisms
ii. External control mechanisms
The other category could be the hybrid of internal and external control mechanisms.

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Internal Control Mechanism Active and Passive

This type of control depends upon the mechanism of bio chemical sensing and
selective binding of various bio molecules with various other elements. This is a traditional method,
which has been in use since quite some time for designing bio molecules. Using the properties of the
various bio molecules and combining with the knowledge of the target molecule that is to be
influenced, these mechanisms could be effective. But again, this is a passive control mechanism where
at run time these bio molecules cannot change their behavior. Once programmed for a particular kind
of molecular interaction, these molecules stick to that. Here lies the basic issue in controlling the
nanorobots which are supposed to be intelligent and hence programmed and controlled so that they
could be effective in the ever dynamic environment. The question of actively controlling the
nanorobots using internal control mechanism is a difficult one. We require an active control
mechanism for the designed nanorobots such that they can vary their behavior based on situations they
are subjected to, similar to the way macro robots perform.

External Control Mechanism

This type of control mechanism employs affecting the dynamics of the nanorobot in its work
environment through the application of external potential fields. Researchers are actively looking at
using MRI as an external control mechanism for guiding the nano particles. An MRI system is capable
of generating variable magnetic field gradients which can exert force on the nanorobot in the three
dimensions and hence control its movement and orientation.

Enabling NANOROBOTS for NANOMEDICINE:

In future decades the principal focus in medicine will shift from medical
science to medical engineering, where the design of medically-active microscopic machines
will be the consequent result of techniques provided from human molecular structural
knowledge gained in the 20th and early 21st centuries. For the feasibility of such
achievements in nanomedicine, two primary capabilities for fabrication must be fulfilled:
fabrication and assembly of nanoscale parts. Through the use of different approaches such as
biotechnology, supramolecular chemistry, and scanning probes, both capabilities had been
demonstrated to a limited degree as early as 1998.
Proposed Approach for NANOROBOTS
Assemblers are molecular machine systems that could be described as systems
capable of performing molecular manufacturing at the atomic scale [9]. The collective
nanorobotics approach presented here is one possible method to perform a massively-parallel

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positional nanoassembly manipulation. In our described workspace representing a

simplification of the human body, the multi-nanorobot teams perform a pre-established set of
tasks building nutrient molecules, crudely analogous to the work done by a ribosome which is
a natural assembler.

Scope of the Project

Nanorobotics is concerned with (1) manipulation of nanoscale objects by using
micro or macro devices, and (2) construction and programming of robots with overall
dimensions at the nanoscale (or with microscopic dimensions but nanoscopic components).
This project covers both of these aspects. Nanomanipulation is the most effective process
developed until now for prototyping of nanosystems, and rapid prototyping is important to
validate designs and optimize their parameters. Nanomanipulation is also useful to repair or
modify structures built by other means. Nanorobots have dimensions comparable to those of
biological cells, and are expected to have remarkable applications in health care and
environmental monitoring. For example, they might serve as programmable artificial cells for
early detection and destruction of pathogens. The initial research is biased towards
nanomanipulation. Work on nanorobot construction has begun at a low level and will increase
as the project evolves. The development of a new nanorobotics platform based on a fleet of
scientific instruments configured as wireless miniature robots capable of fast operations at the
nanoscale in a cooling chamber has been proposed. Photo Sensing Detection (PSD) unit and
IR (Infra Red) communication transceivers are used for global positioning and wireless
communication. The PSD units based on a 2-D lateral effect photodiode provide resolutions in
positioning down to a few micrometers. The present design uses a 4.0/45 mm lens in front of
the PSD to provide working cells with a diameter of 330 nun, leading to a lens to IR emitter
(on top of each robot) distance of 777.58 mm.

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Fig: Virtual environment, top camera view

Nanorobots monitoring nutrient concentrations in a three dimensional
workspace is a possible application of nanorobots in medicine, among other biomedical
problems. One interesting nanorobot application is to assist inflammatory cells (or white cells)
leaving blood vessels to repair injured tissues. Also the nanorobot could be used to process
specific chemical reactions in the human body as ancillary devices for injured organs.
Nanorobots equipped with nanosensors could be developed to detect glucose demand in
diabetes patients. Nanorobots could also be applied in chemotherapy to combat cancer
through superior chemical dosage administration, and a similar approach could be taken to
enable nanorobots to deliver anti-HIV drugs. Such drug-delivery nanorobots have been
termed pharmacytes.
Nanomedicine is the process of diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease
and traumatic injury, of relieving pain, and of preserving and improving human health, using
molecular tools and molecular knowledge of the human body.
Nanomedicine: Application of nanotechnology in medicine.

Market and Activity Evolution:

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Nanomedicine Patents and Publications:

MEDICAL NANOROBOT ARCHITECTURE:

The main parameters used for the medical nanorobot architecture and its
control activation, as well as the required technology background that may lead to
manufacturing hardware for molecular machines, are described next. A. Manufacturing
Technology The ability to manufacture nanorobots may result from current trends and new
methodologies in fabrication, computation, transducers and manipulation. Depending on the
case, different gradients on temperature, concentration of chemicals in the bloodstream, and
electromagnetic signature are some of relevant parameters for diagnostic purposes [13].
CMOS VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) Systems design using deep ultraviolet
lithography provides high precision and a commercial way for manufacturing early
nanodevices and nanoelectronics systems. The CMOS (Complementary Metal

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Fig: All the nanorobots swim near the wall to detect cancer signals. Vein internal view
without the red cells. The tumour cell is the target represented by the pink sphere located left
at the wall.

Role of Nanotechnology in Medical Research:

1) Basic Research

Molecular Biology

Genetics

Proteomics

Systems Biology

2) Nanotechnology

Nanomanufacturing

Nanoimaging

Nanosensing

Nanomanipulation

Computational Tools

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NANOROBOTICS
3) Biomedical Devices

Tissue Regeneration

Drug Delivery

In-vitro Diagnostics

Implantable Devices

Smart Nanoparticles

NanoRobotics

4) Translational Research

Cancer

Heart

Brain

5) Implantable Devices.
6) Nano Macro/ Microscale Robots.
7) Drug Discovery.
8) Surgical AIDS.
9) Diagnostic Tools.
10) Nubots (Nuclic Acid Robots)

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CONCLUSION:
The current developments in technology directs humans a step closer to
nanorobots and simple, operating nanorobots is the near future. Nanorobots can theoretically
destroy all common diseases of the 21st century thereby ending much of the pain and
suffering. Biomolecular machine system designs that are capable of accomplishing
successfully a set of pre-programmed tasks in a 3D workspace is a new challenge for control
investigation. We described the study of an automation model and the respective visualization
tools to follow up the analyses for the control theory development based on experimental
results. The nanorobot has required a decision control that demonstrates the most effective
methodology for stochastic surroundings when only a low-level action description does not
attend a large number of complex circumstances in a dynamic environment.

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[Arbuckle & Requicha 2003] D. J. Arbuckle and A. A. G. Requicha, Active selfassembly, submitted to ICRA 2004.

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[Mokaberi & Requicha 2003] B. Mokaberi and A. A. G. Requicha, Towards

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