Chapter 1: Nanorobotics

Nanoid robotics, or abbreviated form, nanorobotics, also known as nanobots, is an emerging technology field creating machines or robots whose components are at or near the scale of a nanometer (10-9 meters).

Nanomachines are still in the research and development phase for the most part. One possible use for nanomachines is the detection and monitoring of harmful chemical concentrations in the environment. A single-molecule vehicle that uses Buckminsterfullerenes (also known as buckyballs) for its wheels has been shown by researchers at Rice University. The vehicle was created via a chemical technique. It is activated by regulating the temperature of the surrounding environment and by adjusting the location of the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope.

A further definition of a nanorobot is a robot that is capable of precise manipulation of nanoscale items or that can interact with things at the nanoscale level. These kinds of instruments are more closely associated with microscopy or scanning probe microscopy than they are with the concept of nanorobots as molecular machines. When using the definition of microscopy, even a huge piece of equipment like an atomic force microscope may be regarded a nanorobotic instrument if it is set up to do nanomanipulation. According to this point of view, robots of a larger size, such as microrobots or macrorobots, that are capable of moving with nanoscale accuracy may also be deemed nanorobots.

According to Richard Feynman, his former graduate student and colleague Albert Hibbs was the one who first proposed (sometime about 1959) the notion of putting Feynman's theoretical micro-machines to use in the medical field. Hibbs was a collaborator with Richard Feynman (see biological machine). Hibbs proposed that some repair devices may one day be shrunk down to the point where it would be feasible, in principle, to "swallow the surgeon." Feynman used a similar phrase to describe this hypothetical scenario. The concept was included in Feynman's article titled "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" that was written in 1959.

Due to the fact that nano-robots would be of a tiny size, it is likely that a very large number of them would need to collaborate in order to complete tasks that are either microscopic or macroscopic in scale. In numerous works of science fiction, nano-robot swarms appear. These nano-robot swarms can either be unable to replicate, as in the case of utility fog, or they can replicate unconstrained in their natural environment, as in the case of grey goo and synthetic biology. Examples of these nano-robot swarms include the Borg nano-probes from Star Trek and "The New Breed" from the episode of The Outer Limits. In response to the grey goo scenarios that they had previously helped to propagate, some advocates of nanorobotics now hold the view that nano-robots that are capable of replicating outside of a restricted factory environment are not a necessary component of a purportedly productive nanotechnology, and that the process of self-replication, should it ever be developed, could be made to be inherently safe. This view comes as a reaction to the grey goo scenarios that they had previously helped to propagate. They also claim that their present plans for building and using molecular manufacturing do not in reality entail free-foraging replicators. This is something that they state. Some of these conversations stay at the level of broad generalization that cannot be constructed and do not reach the level of technical engineering.

A paper including a proposal on the development of nanobiotech utilizing open design technology approaches, such as open-source hardware and open-source software, has been sent to the General Assembly of the United Nations. The document contains the proposal. According to the paper that was submitted to the United Nations, in the same manner that open source has advanced the development of computer systems in recent years, a similar approach should benefit society in general and accelerate the development of nanorobotics. The use of nanobiotechnology should be codified as part of human legacy to be passed down to future generations, and it should be developed as an open technology with ethical principles serving as its foundation for use in peaceful endeavors. It has been suggested that open technology is a critical component for accomplishing such a goal.

A race for nanorobots is now taking place, and it is being driven by technological research and development in the same manner as the space race and the nuclear weapons race were.

It is a very difficult undertaking to manufacture nanomachines that are made from molecular components. Because of the degree of complexity, a large number of scientists and engineers are continuing to collaborate across other fields of study in order to accomplish breakthroughs in this emerging area of development. Therefore, it is pretty easy to comprehend the significance of the various manufacturing processes that are now being used in the production of nanorobots:

An approach to the fabrication of nanorobots for common medical tasks, such as surgical instruments, diagnostics, and medication administration, may be conceivable via the combined use of nanoelectronics, photolithography, and novel biomaterials. [Citation needed] [Citation needed].

A nucleic acid robot, often known as a nubot, is a molecular machine made of organic material that operates at the nanoscale. despite the fact that it does not provide accurate teleoperation of designed prototypes while they are in vivo.

There have been many papers that indicate how synthetic molecular motors may be attached to surfaces. It has been shown that these fundamental nanomachines, when limited to the surface of a macroscopic material, behave in a manner similar to that of machines. Surface-anchored motors have the potential to be used in a way similar to that of a conveyor belt for the purpose of moving and positioning nanoscale materials on a surface.

Nanofactory Collaboration, with the particular goal of establishing positionally-controlled diamond mechanosynthesis as well as a diamondoid nanofactory that would have the potential of manufacturing diamondoid medical nanorobots.

In the rapidly developing subject of bio-hybrid systems, biological and synthetic structural components are brought together for use in either biomedical or robotic applications. The components that make up bio-nanoelectromechanical systems (BioNEMS), such as DNA, proteins, and nanostructured mechanical parts, all have a nanometer-scale size. The direct writing of nanoscale features is made possible by thiol-ene e-beams resist, which is then followed by the functionalization of the naturally reactive resist surface with biomolecules.

The use of biological microorganisms, such as the bacterium Escherichia coli, is suggested by this method. Therefore, a flagellum is used for the purposes of the model's propulsion. Electromagnetic fields are often responsible for controlling the movements of biological integrated devices of this sort. A humidity gauge was developed by chemists at the University of Nebraska who fused a bacterium to a silicon computer chip in order to produce the device.

It is possible to retrain retroviruses to attach themselves to cells and replace DNA. In order to transmit genetic material packaged in a vector, they engage in a procedure that is known as reverse transcription. Cats have been used to test the efficacy of these gene therapy vectors, which deliver genes into the genetically modified organism (GMO), leading it to express the feature in question.

Printing in three dimensions, or 3D printing, refers to the practice of constructing three-dimensional objects by combining a number of additive manufacturing techniques.

The 3D printing of nanoscale objects utilizes many of the same processes, integrated on a somewhat more manageable size.

To print a structure in the 5-400 µm scale, There is a significant requirement for the 3D printing machine's accuracy to be significantly increased.

A 3D printing technique that takes place in two stages, As a way for making improvements, the use of 3D printing and laser etched plates was introduced.

When it comes to the planning and construction of nanoscale machines with moveable elements, there are a number of obstacles and hurdles that need to be overcome. The necessity for the development of extremely precise tools and manipulation methods that are capable of assembling individual nanostructures with great accuracy into a functioning device is perhaps the most evident of these challenges. A issue that is less obvious is associated with the idiosyncrasies of adhesion and friction at the nanoscale. It is not viable to simply scale down an existing design for a macroscopic device that has moveable elements to the nanoscale. Due to the high surface energy of nanostructures, such an approach will not be successful. This high surface energy implies that all touching components will cling together in accordance with the energy minimization principle. Because the adhesion and static friction between the components might quickly surpass the strength of the materials, the pieces are likely to shatter before they begin to move in relation to one another. Because of this, it is necessary to build mobile structures that have a small amount of contact area [].

In the field of medicine, possible applications of nanorobotics include early cancer detection as well as tailored medication administration, as well as health care.

It is anticipated that in the near future, medical nanotechnology will make use of nanorobots that will be introduced into the patient in order to carry out work on a cellular level. Nanorobots of this...