What Are the Applications of Nanorobots?

Nano-robots are based on molecular-level biological principles to design prototypes, and apply biological principles on the nano-scale to develop programmable molecular robots.

As early as 1959, the idea of nanotechnology was first proposed by Nobel laureate and theoretical physicist Richard Feynman, who proposed the idea of using micro-robots to treat diseases. Richard Feynman proposed in a speech entitled "There is a lot of space at the bottom of matter": humans may build a molecular-sized micromachine in the future, using molecules or even individual atoms as components in very small spaces. Building matter means that humans can make anything in the lowest space.

With the development of technology, Richard Feynman's idea is gradually being realized. In 1981, G. Binnig and H. Rohrer invented the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) in IBM's Zurich laboratory. Binning et al. Invented the atomic force microscope (Atomicforcemicroscope, AFM) on the basis of STM [. Since then, humans can observe the arrangement of individual atoms on the surface of materials and physical and chemical properties related to surface electronic behavior. They can also use probes to precisely manipulate atoms at low temperatures (4K). They are both important measuring tools and processing tools for nanotechnology. . Since then, humans have begun to enter the nano age, and the concept of nano robots has come into being.

The so-called nano-robot is to design prototypes based on molecular-level biological principles and design and manufacture "functional molecular devices" that can operate in nano-space ^[1]

The Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences has successfully developed a prototype of a robot system capable of operating on the nanometer scale, and passed the acceptance of the national "863" intelligent robot expert group in the field of automation. This "nano-micro-robot" can clearly inscribe the three English letters "SIA" (abbreviation of Shenyang Automation Institute) within a range of 2 square microns (one micron is one millionth of a meter) on a silicon substrate. Another demonstration showed that the robot successfully moved a 4-micron-long, 100-nanometer-thick carbon nanotube into an engraved groove, that is, the robot had an error of no more than a tenth of a meter. Operations on the nanometer scale, called "nano-micromanipulation", are an important part of nanotechnology. The purpose is to realize the movement, shaping, characterization, and assembly of nanomaterials at the nanometer scale according to human wishes. This robot system has many breakthroughs and innovations in the system modeling method at the nanometer scale, the acquisition and perception of three-dimensional nano-view force, and the analysis and compensation of errors.

Despite this, China's nanotechnology R & D power is relatively scattered and it is difficult to form a scale advantage. The research and development strength is mainly concentrated in universities and research institutes in Tianjin and Beijing. Enterprises involved in the R & D field of nanotechnology accounted for 5%, with weak strength and low level. 80% of the R & D efforts are focused on metal and inorganic non-metal nanomaterials, polymers and chemical synthetic materials. However, in the low-level nanomaterials field, more than half of the research and development forces have been concentrated. In the core areas of nanotechnology-nanoelectronics, nanomechanics, nanobiology, medicine, and nanotechnology, they are weak.

Nano robots are one of the important research topics in nanotechnology. The emergence of nano-robots has attracted widespread attention from advanced industrial countries in the world. In the United States, funds for research in nanotechnology reached US $ 519 million in 2002, of which US $ 50 million was dedicated to the development of nanorobots by NASA. Japan, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands are also close behind. After 2010, people will see practical nano-robots, and they will be applied in various fields, from information technology to biotechnology, from medicine to aerospace, nano-technology will be seen everywhere --- Application of nano robots.

In the 21st century, nano science and technology will become the mainstream of science and technology development. The development of nano-robots is the result of the development of chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, medicine, materials science and other disciplines, and it will definitely promote science and technology in the 21st century. At present, nano-robots are still in the research and development stage, but their potential applications are very extensive in interdisciplinary education. Nanorobots will have a profound impact on the economy and society in the early 21st century, and may rival the impact of information technology, cell biology, genetic biology and molecular biology. From the perspective of application scope and potential, whether it is military or civilian, the future of nano-robots is inestimable. Due to its different functions and high surface area to volume ratio, nano-structures are important for chemical and biosensors, medical equipment, catalysts, photoelectric Materials and nano components are very important. A variety of material choices combined with different synthesis strategies have resulted in different forms of nanomaterials, such as nanoscale films, nanowires, nanotubes, nanoribbons, nanoparticles, and nanoporous structures. This multi-functional and multi-component layered heterocrystalline structure is very useful and will definitely affect our lives in many ways, from nano-cars to nano-electronics technology. As nano-robot technology gradually matures, its industry The prospects of industrialization and marketization are very considerable. ^[5]

Although no nano-robots have actually entered our lives so far, their impact on human life is obvious, especially in the medical field. Many terminal illnesses that currently have no effective treatment will be completely cured in the face of nano-robots. The pain caused by the disease will be reduced and the life expectancy of the person will be prolonged. At the same time, on the way to explore nano-robots, we must always keep in mind that the development of nano-robots has considerable difficulties and may not be effective in the short term. We can only achieve success by persistently tackling key problems and continuous experiments.