Nanorobotics
Using the microscopy definition, even a large apparatus such as an atomic force microscope can be considered a nanorobotic instrument when configured to perform nanomanipulation.
Hibbs suggested that certain repair machines might one day be reduced in size to the point that it would, in theory, be possible to (as Feynman put it) "swallow the surgeon".
[16][17] A 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.
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.
[26] Some of the reasons are that large corporations, such as General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, Synopsys, Northrop Grumman and Siemens have been recently working in the development and research of nanorobots;[27][28][29][30][31] surgeons are getting involved and starting to propose ways to apply nanorobots for common medical procedures;[32] universities and research institutes were granted funds by government agencies exceeding $2 billion towards research developing nanodevices for medicine;[33][34] bankers are also strategically investing with the intent to acquire beforehand rights and royalties on future nanorobots commercialisation.
After a long series of patents and eventually litigations, see for example the invention of radio, or the war of currents, emerging fields of technology tend to become a monopoly, which normally is dominated by large corporations.
Because of the level of difficulty, many engineers and scientists continue working cooperatively across multidisciplinary approaches to achieve breakthroughs in this new area of development.
[47][48][49] Biological circuit gates based on DNA materials have been engineered as molecular machines to allow in-vitro drug delivery for targeted health problems.
Nanofactory Collaboration,[54] founded by Robert Freitas and Ralph Merkle in 2000 and involving 23 researchers from 10 organizations and 4 countries, focuses on developing a practical research agenda[55] specifically aimed at developing positionally-controlled diamond mechanosynthesis and a diamondoid nanofactory that would have the capability of building diamondoid medical nanorobots.
The emerging field of bio-hybrid systems combines biological and synthetic structural elements for biomedical or robotic applications.
The constituting elements of bio-nanoelectromechanical systems (BioNEMS) are of nanoscale size, for example DNA, proteins or nanostructured mechanical parts.
This process is called retroviral gene therapy, having the ability to re-engineer cellular DNA by usage of viral vectors.
In 2018, there was a proposed biocompatible and biodegradable chistosan-based helical micro/nanoswimmer loaded with doxorubicin (DOX), a common anticancer drug that was designed to deliver its payload to a desired location.
Using 3.4 × 10–1 W/cm2 intensity UV light radiation, when the swimmer approached the target location, a dose of 60% of the total DOX was released within 5 minutes.
After reaching the target location, the sperm cell would be released into the membrane of the oocyte by reversing the rotation of the helix device.
The focal point of the laser beam is guided through the resin by movable mirrors and leaves behind a hardened line of solid polymer, just a few hundred nanometers wide.
This process takes place by using photoactive resins, which are hardened by the laser at an extremely small scale to create the structure.
The most obvious one is the need of developing very fine tools and manipulation techniques capable of assembling individual nanostructures with high precision into operational device.
"[81][82] Potential uses for nanorobotics in medicine include early diagnosis and targeted drug-delivery for cancer,[83][84][85] biomedical instrumentation,[86] surgery,[87][88] pharmacokinetics,[10] monitoring of diabetes,[89][90][91] 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.
Nanotechnology provides a wide range of new technologies for developing customized means to optimize the delivery of pharmaceutical drugs.
Today, harmful side effects of treatments such as chemotherapy are commonly a result of drug delivery methods that don't pinpoint their intended target cells accurately.
[92] Researchers at Harvard and MIT, however, have been able to attach special RNA strands, measuring nearly 10 nm in diameter, to nanoparticles, filling them with a chemotherapy drug.
[98] Because of their small size, nanorobots could attach themselves to the surface of recruited white cells, to squeeze their way out through the walls of blood vessels and arrive at the injury site, where they can assist in the tissue repair process.
By attaching themselves to migrating inflammatory cells, the robots can in effect "hitch a ride" across the blood vessels, bypassing the need for a complex transmigration mechanism of their own.
Nanites (referred to more often as nanomachines) are often referenced in Konami's Metal Gear series, being used to enhance and regulate abilities and body functions.
Nanites play a role in the Deus Ex video game series, being the basis of the nano-augmentation technology which gives augmented people superhuman abilities.
Nanites are also mentioned in the Arc of a Scythe book series by Neal Shusterman and are used to heal all nonfatal injuries, regulate bodily functions, and considerably lessen pain.
Nanomachines are central to the plot of the Silo book series, in which they are used as a weapon of mass destruction propagated via the air, and enter undetected into the human body where, when receiving a signal, they kill the recipient.
