Nano robotics

SEMINAR REPORT ON
“NANOROBOTICS”
Submitted to

DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY,

LONERE
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award
of Bachelor’s degree in

Mechanical Engineering
By

Salunkhe Vaibhav Vilas 2066441612015

Under the guidance of

Prof. Mrs. S.N. Hublikar

Mechanical Engineering

SHRI AMBABAI TALIM SANSTHA’S

SANJAY BHOKARE GROUP OF INSTITUTES

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT, MIRAJ, SANGLI

(APPROVED BY AICTE, NEW DELHI, DTE, MUMBAI, AFFILIATED TO DBATU, LONERE AND
SHIVAJI UNIVERSITY, KOLHAPUR)

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Ambabai Talim Sanstha’s,

Sanjay Bhokare Group of Institutes, Miraj

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Seminar entitled “NANOBOTICS” is a bonafide

record of the Seminar work done by Mr. Vaibhav Vilas Salunkhe (Roll
No.4041) under my supervision and guidance, in partial fulfillment of
B.Tech in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere for
the academic year 2022- 23.

Prof. S.N. Hublikar Prof. S.N. Hublikar Dr.A.C.Bhagali

(Guide) (HOD) (Director)

HOD Mechanical Mechanical ATS’s SBGI Miraj.

Department Department

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Ambabai Talim Sanstha’s,

Sanjay Bhokare Group of Institutes, Miraj

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank our principal Dr. A.C. Bhagali for giving opportunity to
present this report. I would also like to thank our H.O.D. and Guide Mrs. S.N.
Hublikar, for suggesting and providing necessary help and guiding and giving
precious time. I thank to them for their valuable and immense knowledge and
timely help.

Place : Miraj

Date :

Salunkhe Vaibhav Vilas

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ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the state of the art in the field of nano-robotics by describing various
molecular level systems and associated design and control issues. Nano-robots are controllable
machines at the nano (10-9) meter or molecular scale that are composed of nano-scale
components. With the modern scientific capabilities, it has become possible to attempt the
creation of nanorobotic devices and interface them with the macro world for control. There are
countless such machines that exist in nature and there is an opportunity to build more of them
by mimicking nature.

Even if the field of nanorobotics is fundamentally different than that of macro robots due to the
differences in scale and material, there are many similarities in design and control techniques
that eventually could be projected and applied. A roadmap towards the progression of this field
is proposed and some design concept and philosophies are illustrated. Two types of control
mechanisms are given with examples and further hybrid mechanisms areproposed.

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CONTENTS

Sr No. TITLE Pg No.

1 INTRODUCTION 6

Nature Nanorobotics 7

Nanorobotics Design and Control 8

2 POTENTIAL APPLICATION 11

Nanomedicine 12

3 CONTROL OF NANOROBOTIC SYSTEMS 13

4 ENABLING NANOROBOTS FOR NANOMEDICINE 16

5 MEDICAL NANOROBOT ARCHITECTURE 20

6 CONCLUSION 22

7 REFERENCES 23

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INTRODUCTION

Nanotechnology can best be defined as a description of activities at the level of atoms and
molecules that have applications in the real world. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter, that is,
about 1/80,000 of the diameter of a human hair, or 10 times the diameter of a hydrogen atom.
The engineering of molecular products needs to be carried out by robotic devices, which have
been termed nanorobots. A nanorobot is essentially a controllable machine at the nano meter or
molecular scale that is composed of nano-scale components. The field of nanorobotics studies
the design, manufacturing, programming and control of the nano-scale robots.

Nanorobots would constitute any passive or active structure (nano scale) capable of actuation,
sensing, signaling, information processing, intelligence, swarm behavior at nano scale. These
functionalities could be illustrated individually or in combinations by a nano robot (swarm
intelligence and co-operative behavior). So, there could be a whole genre of actuation and
sensing or information processing nano robots having ability to interact and influence matter at
the nano scale. Some of the characteristic abilities that are desirable for a nanorobot to function
are:
1. Swarm Intelligence – decentralization and distributive intelligence
2. Cooperative behavior – emergent and evolutionary behavior
3. Self assembly and replication – assemblage at nano scale and ‘nano maintenance’
4. Nano Information processing and programmability – for programming and controlling
nanorobots (autonomous nanorobots)
5. Nano to macro world interface architecture – an architecture enabling instant access to the
nanorobots and its control and maintenance

The nanorobots are invisible to naked eye, which makes them hard to manipulate and work
with. Techniques like Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy
(AFM) are being employed to establish a visual and haptic interface to enable us to sense the
molecular structure of these nano scaled devices.

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Virtual Reality (VR) techniques are currently being explored in nano-science and bio-
technology research as a way to enhance the operator’s perception (vision and haptics) by
approaching more or less a state of ‘full immersion’ or ‘telepresence’. Nanorobotics is a field
which calls for collaborative efforts between physicists, chemists, biologists, computer
scientists, engineers and other specialists to work towards this common objective. The ability to
manipulate matter at the nano scale is one core application for which nanorobots could be the
technological solution.
A lot has been written in the literature about the significance and motivation behind
constructing a nanorobot.

Nature’s Nanorobotic Devices

1. Protein based molecular machines

 ATP Synthase – a true nano rotary motor
2. DNA based Molecular machines
3. Inorganic (chemical) Molecular machines
 The Rotaxanes
 The Catenanes
 Other Inorganic Molecular Machines
4. Other Protein Based motors under development
 Viral Protein Linear Motors
 Synthetic Contractile Polymers

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Nanorobotics Design and Control

Design of nano robotic systems:

Designing nanorobotic systems deal with vast variety of sciences, from quantum molecular
dynamics, to kinematics analysis. The rules applicable to nanorobotics depend upon the nano
material we intend to use. Nanomechanical robotic systems deal with science significantly
different from the biological or inorganic nanorobotic systems. We will consider that the
components that details a nanorobot is made of biological components, such as, proteins and
DNAs. There doesn’t exist any particular guideline or a prescribed manner which details the
methodology of designing a bio-nanorobot (bio-nanorobot implies nanorobots made up of bio
components) up to the date.

The Roadmap
The roadmap for the development of bio-nanorobotic systems for future applications (medical,
space and military). The roadmap progresses through the following main steps:

Step 1: Bio Nano Components

Development of bio-nano components from biological systems is the first step towards the
design and development of an advanced bio-nanorobot, which could be used for future
applications.

Step 2: Assembled Bio Nano Robots

The next step involves the assembly of functionally stable bio-nano components into complex
assemblies. The modular organization defines the hierarchy rules and spatial arrangements of
various modules of the bio-nano-robots such as: the inner core (the brain/energy source for the
robot), the actuation unit, the sensory unit, and the signaling and information processing unit.

Step 3: Distributive Intelligence, Programming and Control

With the individual bio-nanorobots in full function, they will now need to collaborate with one
another to further develop systems and “colonies” of similar and diverse nanorobots. This
design step will lay the foundation to the concept of bio-nano swarms (distributive bio-
nanorobots)

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Step 4: Automatic Fabrication and Information Processing Machines
For carrying out complex missions, such as sensing, signaling and storing, colonies of these
bio-nanorobotic swarms needs to be created. The next step in nanorobotic designing would see
the emergence of automatic fabrication methodologies (see Fig. 18) of such bio-nano robots in
vivo and in vitro.

Design Philosophy and Architecture for the Bio-Nanorobotic Systems

a) Modular Organization: Modular organization defines the fundamental rule and
hierarchy for constructing a bio-nanorobotic system.
b) The Universal Template: Bio Nano STEM System: The modular construction
concept involves designing a universal template for bio-nano systems, which could
be ‘programmed and grown’ into any possible Bio Nano coded system.

Computational & Experimental methods - Designing Bio nanorobotic systems

Computational methods [192-194]

Molecular modeling techniques in sync with extensive experimentations would form the basis
for designing these bio-nano systems.

Research:
Nanoassembly by Sintering – Assembly of components, or building blocks, into
more complex structures is a primary goal of robotics at all scales. It involves positioning the
required components, joining them, positioning the resulting subassemblies, joining them with
other subassemblies, and so forth, in a hierarchical manner. Previous work at LMR (Laboratory
for Molecular Robotics) has shown how to position nanoscale components by pushing them on
a surface with the tip of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). LMR research also has
demonstrated joining of positioned components by gluing them chemically, and by electroless
deposition of additional material.

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3-D Simulation and Visualization:

A new approach within advanced graphics simulations is presented for the

problem of nano-assembly automation and its application for medicine. The problem under
study concentrates its main focus on nanorobot control design for molecular manipulation and
the use of evolutionary agents as a suitable way to enable the robustness on the proposed
model. Thereby the presented works summarize as well distinct aspects of some techniques
required to achieve successful integrated system design and 3D simulation visualization in real
time. In recent developments on the field of bimolecular computing has demonstrated positively
the feasibility of processing logic tasks by bio-computers, which is a promising first step to
enable future nanoprocessors with increasingly complexity.

Studies in the sense of building biosensors and nano-kinetic devices, which is required to
enable nanorobots operation and locomotion, has been advanced recently too. Developing
nanoscale robots presents difficult fabrication and control challenges. The control design and
the development of complex integrated nanosystems with high performance can be well
analysed and addressed via simulation to help pave the way for future use of nanorobots in
biomedical engineering problems.

Nanomachines are largely in the research-and-development phase, but some primitive

molecular machines have been tested. An example is a sensor having a switch approximately
1.5 nanometers across, capable of counting specific molecules in a chemical sample. The first
useful applications of nanomachines might be in medical technology, which could be used to
identify and destroy cancer cells.

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POTENTIAL APPLICATION:

Nanomedicine:

Potential applications for nanorobotics in medicine include early diagnosis and

targeted drug-delivery for cancer, biomedical instrumentation surgery, pharmacokinetics
monitoring of diabetes, 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.

Fig: Bio nanorobotics – a truly multidisciplinary field

Significance:
The recent explosion of research in nanotechnology, combined with important
discoveries in molecular biology have created a new interest in biomolecular machines and
robots. The main goal in the field of biomolecular machines is to use various biological
elements whose function at the cellular level creates motion, force or a signal, stores
information as machine components. These components perform their preprogrammed

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biological function in response to the specific physiochemical stimuli but in an artificial setting.
In this way proteins and DNA could act as motors, mechanical joints, transmission elements, or
sensors. If all these different components were assembled together in the proper proportion and
orientation they would form nanodevices with multiple degrees of freedom, able to apply forces
and manipulate objects in the nanoscale world.

The advantage of using nature's machine components is that they are highly efficient and
reliable. Just as conventional macro machines are used to generate forces and motions to
accomplish specific tasks, bionanomachines can be used to manipulate nano-objects, to
assemble and fabricate other machines or products, to perform maintenance, repair and
inspection operations. Such bionanorobotic devices will hopefully be part of the arsenal of
future medical devices and instruments that will: 1) perform operations, inspections and
treatments of diseases inside the body, and 2) achieve ultra-high accuracy and localization in
drug delivery, thus minimizing side effects.

Figure: A "nanorobot" flowing inside a blood vessel, finds an infected cell. The
nanorobot attaches to the cell and projects a drug to repair or destroy the infected
cell.

The bionanorobot will be able to attach to the infected cell alone, and deliver a therapeutic drug
that can treat or destroy just the infected cell, sparing the surrounding healthy cells.
Development of robotic components composed of simple biological molecules is the first step

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in the development of future biomedical nanodevices.

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From the simple elements such as structural links to more advanced concepts as motors, each
part must be carefully studied and manipulated to understand its functions and limits. The
figure lists the most important components of a typical robotic system or machine assembly and
the equivalence between macro and potential bionanocomponents.

Beyond the initial component characterization is the assembly of the components into robotic
systems.

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CONTROL OF NANOROBOTIC SYSTEMS

The control of nano robotic systems could be classified in two categories:

i. Internal control mechanisms
ii. External control mechanisms

The other category could be the hybrid of internal and external control mechanisms.

Internal Control Mechanism – Active and Passive

This type of control depends upon the mechanism of bio chemical sensing and
selective binding of various bio molecules with various other elements. This is a traditional
method, which has been in use since quite some time for designing bio molecules. Using the
properties of the various bio molecules and combining with the knowledge of the target
molecule that is to be influenced, these mechanisms could be effective.

But again, this is a passive control mechanism where at run time these bio molecules cannot
change their behavior. Once programmed for a particular kind of molecular interaction, these
molecules stick to that. Here lies the basic issue in controlling the nanorobots which are
supposed to be intelligent and hence programmed and controlled so that they could be effective
in the ever dynamic environment.

The question of actively controlling the nanorobots using internal control mechanism is a
difficult one. We require an ‘active’ control mechanism for the designed nanorobots such that
they can vary their behavior based on situations they are subjected to, similar to the way macro
robots perform.

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External Control Mechanism

This type of control mechanism employs affecting the dynamics of the nanorobot in its
work environment through the application of external potential fields. Researchers are actively
looking at using MRI as an external control mechanism for guiding the nano particles. An MRI
system is capable of generating variable magnetic field gradients which can exert force on the
nanorobot in the three dimensions and hence control its movement and orientation.

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ENABLING NANOROBOTS FOR NANOMEDICINE

In future decades the principal focus in medicine will shift from medical science
to medical engineering, where the design of medically-active microscopic machines will be the
consequent result of techniques provided from human molecular structural knowledge gained in
the 20th and early 21st centuries. For the feasibility of such achievements in nanomedicine, two
primary capabilities for fabrication must be fulfilled: fabrication and assembly of nanoscale
parts. Through the use of different approaches such as biotechnology, supramolecular
chemistry, and scanning probes, both capabilities had been demonstrated to a limited degree as
early as 1998.

Proposed Approach for NANOROBOTS

Assemblers are molecular machine systems that could be described as systems capable of
performing molecular manufacturing at the atomic scale. The collective nanorobotics approach
presented here is one possible method to perform a massively-parallel positional nanoassembly
manipulation. In our described workspace representing a simplification of the human body, the
multi-nanorobot teams perform a pre-established set of tasks building nutrient molecules,
crudely analogous to the work done by a ribosome which is a natural assembler.

Scope of the Project

Nanorobotics is concerned with manipulation of nanoscale objects by using
micro or macro devices, and construction and programming of robots with overall dimensions
at the nanoscale (or with microscopic dimensions but nanoscopic components). This project
covers both of these aspects. Nanomanipulation is the most effective process developed until
now for prototyping of nanosystems, and rapid prototyping is important to validate designs and
optimize their parameters. Nanomanipulation is also useful to repair or modify structures built
by other means.

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Nanorobots have dimensions comparable to those of biological cells, and are expected to have
remarkable applications in health care and environmental monitoring. For example, they might
serve as programmable artificial cells for early detection and destruction of pathogens. The
initial research is biased towards nanomanipulation. Work on nanorobot construction has begun
at a low level and will increase as the project evolves.

The development of a new nanorobotics platform based on a fleet of scientific instruments

configured as wireless miniature robots capable of fast operations at the nanoscale in a cooling
chamber has been proposed. Photo Sensing Detection (PSD) unit and IR (Infra Red)
communication transceivers are used for global positioning and wireless communication. The
PSD units based on a 2-D lateral effect photodiode provide resolutions in positioning down to a
few micrometers. The present design uses a 4.0/45 mm lens in front of the PSD to provide
working cells with a diameter of 330 nun, leading to a lens to IR emitter (on top of each robot)
distance of 777.58 mm.

Fig: Virtual environment, top camera view

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Nanorobots monitoring nutrient concentrations in a three dimensional workspace is a possible
application of nanorobots in medicine, among other biomedical problems. One interesting
nanorobot application is to assist inflammatory cells (or white cells) leaving blood vessels to
repair injured tissues. Also the nanorobot could be used to process specific chemical reactions
in the human body as ancillary devices for injured organs.

Nanorobots equipped with nanosensors could be developed to detect glucose demand in

diabetes patients. Nanorobots could also be applied in chemotherapy to combat cancer through
superior chemical dosage administration, and a similar approach could be taken to enable
nanorobots to deliver anti-HIV drugs. Such drug-delivery nanorobots have been termed
“pharmacytes”.
“Nanomedicine is the process of diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease
and traumatic injury, of relieving pain, and of preserving and improving human health, using
molecular tools and molecular knowledge of the human body.”
Nanomedicine: Application of nanotechnology in medicine.

Nanomedicine Patents and Publications:

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MEDICAL NANOROBOT ARCHITECTURE

The main parameters used for the medical nanorobot architecture and its control
activation, as well as the required technology background that may lead to manufacturing
hardware for molecular machines, are described next. A. Manufacturing Technology The
ability to manufacture nanorobots may result from current trends and new methodologies in
fabrication, computation, transducers and manipulation. Depending on the case, different
gradients on temperature, concentration of chemicals in the bloodstream, and electromagnetic
signature are some of relevant parameters for diagnostic purposes. CMOS VLSI (Very Large
Scale Integration) Systems design using deep ultraviolet lithography provides high precision
and a commercial way for manufacturing early nanodevices and nanoelectronics systems.

Fig: All the nanorobots swim near the wall to detect cancer signals. Vein internal view
without the red cells. The tumour cell is the target represented by the pink sphere located left
at the wall.

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Role of Nanotechnology in Medical Research:

1) Basic Research
 Molecular Biology
 Genetics
 Proteomics
 Systems Biology
2) Nanotechnology
 Nanomanufacturing
 Nanoimaging
 Nanosensing
 Nanomanipulation
 Computational Tools
3) Biomedical Devices
 Tissue Regeneration
 Drug Delivery
 In-vitro Diagnostics
 Implantable Devices
 Smart Nanoparticles
 NanoRobotics
4) Translational Research
 Cancer
 Heart
 Brain
5) Implantable Devices.
6) Nano Macro/ Microscale Robots.
7) Drug Discovery.
8) Surgical AIDS.
9) Diagnostic Tools.
10) Nubots (Nuclic Acid Robots)

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CONCLUSION

The 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 21st century thereby ending much of the pain and suffering.
Biomolecular machine system designs that are capable of accomplishing successfully a set of
pre-programmed tasks in a 3D workspace is a new challenge for control investigation.

We described the study of an automation model and the respective visualization tools to follow
up the analyses for the control theory development based on experimental results. The
nanorobot has required a decision control that demonstrates the most effective methodology for
stochastic surroundings when only a low-level action description does not attend a large
number of complex circumstances in a dynamic environment.

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REFERENCES

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E. Koel, “Fabrication of latex nanostructures by nanomanipulation and

thermal processing”, Nanoletters, accepted for publication.

3) [Mokaberi & Requicha 2003] B. Mokaberi and A. A. G. Requicha, “Towards

Automatic Nanomanipulation: Drift Compensation in Scanning Probe Microscopes”,

submitted to ICRA 2004.

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