Nanorobotics

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Nanorobotics
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Contents
Introduction to Nanorobotics Applications of
Nanorobotics (Medicinal) Navigation of
nanorobots inside the body Powering a
nanorobot Propelling a nanorobot Hardware
carried by a nanorobot Benefits and
Limitations Conclusion
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Introduction to Nanorobotics

• Nanorobotics deals with the controlled
  manipulation of objects with nanometer-scale
  dimensions. As an atom has a diameter of a few
  Angstroms' (1 Å 0.1 nm 10-10 m), and a
  molecules size is a few nanometers.
• Nanorobots are nanodevices that will be used
  primarily for the purpose of maintaining and
  protecting the human body against pathogens. 
• Basically, we may observe two distinct kind of
  nanorobot utilization. One is nanorobots for the
  surgery intervention, and the other is nanorobot
  to monitor patients' body.
• Nanorobot is designed to be able to interact
  with the 3-Dimensional human body environment, in
  order to fulfill programmed tasks.
• The major challenges faced by scientists
  regarding
• nanorobot fabrication and control are power
  supply,
• propulsion, navigation and communication.
•  Nanotechnology is expected to find application
  (in concert
• with genetics and robotics) in medical
  diagnostics, aging
• extension, engineered organ (even cellular/sub
  cellular
• organelle) replacements, disease treatments,
  advanced
• pharmacology and many other areas. 

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Applications of Nanorobotics
Treating arteriosclerosis Arteriosclerosis
refers to a condition where plaque builds along
the walls of arteries. Nanorobots could
conceivably treat the condition by cutting away
the plaque, which would then enter the
bloodstream. Fighting cancer Doctors hope to
use nanorobots to treat cancer patients. The
robots could either attack tumors directly using
lasers, microwaves or ultrasonic signals or they
could be part of a chemotherapy treatment,
delivering medication directly to the cancer
site. Doctors believe that by delivering small
but precise doses of medication to the patient,
side effects will be minimized without a loss in
the medication's effectiveness. Helping the body
clot One particular kind of nanorobot is
the clottocyte, or artificial platelet. The
clottocyte carries a small mesh net that
dissolves into a sticky membrane upon contact
with blood plasma. According to Robert A.
Freitas, Jr., the man who designed the
clottocyte, clotting could be up to 1,000 times
faster than the body's natural clotting
mechanism. Doctors could use clottocytes to treat
hemophiliacs or patients with serious open
wounds.
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Breaking up kidney stones Kidney stones can be
intensely painful -- the larger the stone the
more difficult it is to pass. Doctors break up
large kidney stones using ultrasonic
frequencies, but it's not always effective. A
nanorobot could break up a kidney stones using a
small laser. Gout Gout is a condition where
the kidneys lose the ability to remove waste
from the breakdown of fats  from the bloodstream.
This waste sometimes crystallizes at points near
joints like the knees and ankles. People who
suffer from gout experience intense pain at
these joints. A nanorobot could break up the
crystalline structures at the joints, providing
relief from the symptoms, though it wouldn't be
able to reverse the condition permanently. Break
ing up blood clots Blood clots can cause
complications ranging from muscle death to a
stroke. Nanorobots could travel to a clot and
break it up. This application is one of the most
dangerous uses for nanorobots -- the robot must
be able to remove the blockage without losing
small pieces in the bloodstream, which could then
travel elsewhere in the body and cause more
problems. The robot must also be small enough so
that it doesn't block the flow of blood itself.
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Navigation of nanorobots inside the body
MRI Using a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
device, doctors could locate and track a
nanorobot by detecting its magnetic field.
Detection, tracking and control of a nano- robot
using MRI has been successfully carried out by
scientists. Because many hospitals have MRI
machines, this might become the industry
standard -- hospitals won't have to invest in
expensive, unproven technologies.    Radioactive
Dye Doctors might also track nanorobots by
injecting a radioactive dye into the patient's
bloodstream. They would then use a fluoroscope or
similar device to detect the radioactive dye as
it moves through the circulatory system. Complex
three-dimensional images would indicate where the
nanorobot is located. Alternatively, the
nanorobot could emit the radioactive dye,
creating a pathway behind it as it moves through
the body.   TV footage Nanorobots might
include a miniature television camera. An
operator at a console will be able to steer the
device while watching a live video feed,
navigating it through the body manually. Camera
systems are fairly complex, so it might be a few
years before nanotechnologists can create a
reliable system that can fit inside a
tiny robot.
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Powering a nanorobot
Using Chemical reactions with blood Nanorobots
could get power directly from the bloodstream. A
nanorobot with mounted electrodes could form
a battery using the electrolytes found in blood.
Another option is to create chemical reactions
with blood to burn it for energy. The nanorobot
would hold a small supply of chemicals that
would become a fuel source when combined with
blood. Using Capacitors Considering the fact
that capacitors have relatively large power to
weight ratio, as compared to batteries, engineers
are devising nano scale capacitors that are both
reliable and economically feasible. Tethered
Power sources Tethered systems would need a
wire between the nanorobot and the power source.
The wire would need to be strong, but it would
also need to move effortlessly through the human
body without causing damage. A physical tether
could supply power either by electricity or
optically. Non-Tethered Power sources
 Magnetic fields, Ultrasonic signals fall under
this category. A nanorobot with a piezoelectric
membrane could pick up ultrasonic signals and
convert them into electricity. Systems using
magnetic fields, can either manipulate the
nanorobot directly or induce an electrical
current in a closed conducting loop in the robot.
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Propelling a nanorobot

Propelling a nanorobot is a very complex process.
As it may have to travel against the flow of
blood, the propulsion system has to be relatively
strong for its size. Another important
consideration is the safety of the patient -- the
system must be able to move the nanorobot around
without causing damage to the host. Vi-rob
The Vi-rob is a robot that is a few millimeters
in length, which uses small appendages to grip
and crawl through blood vessels. The scientists
manipulate the arms by creating magnetic  fields
outside the patient's body. The magnetic fields
cause the robots arms to vibrate, pushing it
further through the blood vessels. Vibrating
Membrane  Another potential way nanorobots
could move around is by using a vibrating
membrane. By alternately tightening and relaxing
tension on a membrane, a nanorobot could generate
small amounts of thrust. On the nanoscale, this
thrust could be significant enough to act as a
viable source of motion. Electromagnetic and jet
pumps Capacitors can be used to generate
magnetic fields that would pull conductive fluids
through one end of an electromagnetic pump and
shoot it out the back end. The nanorobot would
move around like a jet airplane. Miniaturized jet
pumps could even use blood plasma to push the
nanorobot forward, though, unlike the
electromagnetic pump, there would need to be
moving parts.
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Hardware carried by a nanorobot
Medicine cavity -- a hollow section inside the
nanorobot might hold small doses of medicine or
chemicals. The robot could release medication
directly to the site of injury or infection.
Nanorobots could also carry the chemicals used in
chemotherapy to treat cancer directly at the
site. Although the amount of medication is
relatively miniscule, applying it directly to the
cancerous tissue may be more effective than
traditional chemotherapy, which relies on the
body's circulatory system to carry the chemicals
throughout the patient's body. Probes, knives and
 chisels -- to remove blockages and plaque, a
nanorobot will need something to grab and break
down material. They might also need a device to
crush clots into very small pieces. If a partial
clot breaks free and enters the bloodstream, it
may cause more problems further down the
circulatory system. Microwave emitters and ultras
onic signal generators -- to destroy cancerous
cells,doctors need methods that will kill a cell
without rupturing it. By using fine-tuned
microwaves or ultrasonic signals, a nanorobot
could break the chemical bonds in the cancerous
cell, killing it without breaking the cell wall.
Alternatively, the robot could emit microwaves or
ultrasonic signals in order to heat the cancerous
cell enough to destroy it. Electrodes -- two
electrodes protruding from the nanorobot could
kill cancer cells by generating
an electric current, heating the cell up until it
dies. Lasers -- tiny, powerful lasers could burn
away harmful material like arterial plaque,
cancerous cells or blood clots. The lasers would
literally vaporize the tissue.
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Benefits and Limitations
Benefits In medical field, we will have these
nano robots floating through our bloodstreams
fighting against cancer cells, genetic disorders,
skin diseases, and maybe even ageing. Nano
robots will be extremely precise in drug delivery
and ailing. In a conventional type syringe
injection of doses, only a diluted concentration
of dose reaches the particular part of the
body. Nanorobots could also help improve
resistance in fighting diseases and increase
strength and intelligence. When the task of the
nanorobots is completed, they can be retrieved by
allowing them to effuse themselves via the usual
human excretory channels. Other benefits of
nanorobots can be in Super computers, military
technology and some commercial applications like
cosmetics, etc. Limitations The major
limitation when considering the development of
nano robotics is that, nanorobotics is still a
research field and applying all this theory into
feasible produce may take at least another 25
years.
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Conclusion

All of these 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 2lst century thereby ending much
of the pain and suffering. It can also have
alternative, practical uses such as improved
mouthwash and cosmetic creams that can expand the
commercial market in biomedical engineering.
People can envision a future where people can
self-diagnose their own ailments with the help
of nanorobot monitors in their bloodstream.
Simple everyday illnesses can be cured without
ever visiting the physician. Invasive surgery
will be replaced by an operation carried out by
nano-surgical robots. Although research into
nanorobots is in its preliminary stages, the
promise of such technology is endless.