Nano Robot Innovation in the Next Ten Years

An innovation that could materialize in the next ten years is nano robots [4]. Nano robots are extremely small, about one-billionth of a meter or just 5 molecules across. One of the possible uses of nano robots is in medicine. One theory is that nano robots will be able to swim through the bloodstream and release medication to targeted sites [1]. A rendering of a nano robot swimming through the blood stream is shown at right.

Possible medical uses of nano robots include eliminating blood clots, assisting in blood clotting, removing blood born parasites, breaking down kidney stones, and clearing plaque from blood vessels [1]. This author questions the ability of a robot to accurately "swim" through blood vessels and navigate the arterial and venus systems as a bird does through a forest. The added difficulty of swimming through the blood stream would be the pulsing of the blood from heart contractions. This would be adding the equivalent of hurrican force winds to a bird's flight. It would require incredibly complex capabilities in motation and navigation for a nano robot to swim through surging blood and expanding and collapsing vessels. This author likens a nano robot swimming and navigating through blood vessels to a one-gram fish trying to swim with accuracy in a white water rapid river.

Futurist Ray Kurzweil has discussed nano technology at length and makes predictions about their use. [2], [3]. Kurzweil predicts nano technology will enable the emailing of three dimensional objects. This author believes this idea lies outside the boundaries prescribed by physics.

There is increasing interest in many industries of nano technology so it’s use may not be far into the future [5]. There is a nano robot that can find cancer cells and research is underway for them to find toxic substances. A university created one molecule transporter that can move a microscope tip [5].

It is possible nano robots will be in use within the next 10 years but likely not for swimming in blood streams or transporting three dimensional objects via radio waves.

[1] Strickland, Jonathan. (not dated). HowStuffWorks. Retrieved 22 August, 2009 from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/nanorobot.htm.

[2] Kurzweil, Ray. (not dated). Ray Kurzweil on the future of nanotechnology. Bigthink. Retrieved 22 August, 2009 from http://videos.howstuffworks.com/ted-conferences/3082-ray-kurzweil-on-the-future-of-nano-robotics-video.htm.

[3] Kurzweil, Ray. (not dated). Ray Kurzweil on the future of nanotechnology. Bigthink. Retrieved 22 August, 2009 from http://bigthink.com/raykurzweil/ray-kurzweil-on-the-future-of-nanotechnology.

[4] YouTube, (not dated). Collection of nano robot videos at YouTube. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olIQMnukgmg.

[5] Nano Broadcast. (not dated). Are Nano Robots in Our Future? Nanotechnology news blog. Retrieved from http://www.nanobroadcast.com/?page_id=42.