AVC COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Mannampandal
Mayiladuthurai – 609305.

NANOROBOTICS IN THE FIELD OF

MEDICINE
(Nanotech)

Presented by
S. Archana - III cse
C. Krithika - III cse
Abstract
This work has an innovative approach for the development of nanorobots
with sensors for medicine. The nanorobots operate in a virtual environment
comparing random, thermal and chemical control techniques.The nanorobot
interaction with the described workspace shows how time actuation is improved
based on sensor capabilities.Therefore, our work addresses the control and the
architecture design for developing practical molecular machines.

Inroduction

This paper presents the architecture and the simulation of nanorobots using sensor
capability for medical target identification. Nanorobots are expected to enable significant
new methodologies in diagnosis, medical therapies, and minimally invasive surgery . In
our work we demonstrate a computational and analytical new approach to help in the
research and development of nanorobots . A first series of nanotechnology prototypes for
molecular machines are being investigated in different ways,and some interesting device
propulsion and sensing approaches have been presented.
What is NanoRobotics ??
Nanorobotics is the technology of creating machines or robots at or close to the
microscopic scale of a nanometres (10-9 metres). More specifically, nanorobotics refers to
the still largely hypothetical nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and
building nanorobots. Nanorobots (nanobots, nanoids or nanites) would be typically
devices ranging in size from 0.1-10 micrometers and constructed of nanoscale or
molecular components. Nanorobots have potential applications in the assembly and
maintenance of sophisticated systems. Nanorobots might function at the atomic or
molecular level to build devices, machines, or circuits, a process known as molecular
manufacturing. Nanorobots might also produce copies of themselves to replace worn-out
units, a process called self-replication
Nanorobots : Future of Medicine !

Nanorobots are of special interest to researchers in the medical industry. This has
given rise to the field of nanomedicine. It has been suggested that a fleet of nanorobots
might serve as antibodies or antiviral agents in patients with compromised immune
systems, or in diseases that do not respond to more conventional measures. There are
numerous other potential medical applications, including repair of damaged tissue,
unblocking of arteries affected by plaques, and perhaps the construction of complete
replacement body organs. The feasibility of advancing techniques for control and
manufacturing molecular machines should be understood as emergent results from actual
and upcoming stages of nanotechnology. The nanorobot proposed prototyping must be
equipped with the necessary devices for monitoring the most important aspects of its
operational workspace. For biomedical application the temperature, concentration of
chemicals in the blood, and electromagnetic signatures are some of the relevant
parameters when monitoring the human body to detect some diseases .The application of
new materials has demonstrated a large range of possibilities for use in
manufacturing better sensors and actuators with nanoscale sizes.
Mechanism of Nanorobots
System Implementation
Research efforts have recently been directed towards molecular manufacturing
and minimally invasive surgery. While the assembly of nanodevices is advancing
continuously, further investigation on nanorobots for application in medicine enables
significant insights on various aspects such as their operation and hardware architecture,
with sensor and actuator designs. The software NCD (nanorobot control design) was
implemented for nanorobot modeling. It is a 3D real time virtual environment useful for
architecture analysis, system control design, and interactive
Simulation. Figure describes the simulated microenvironment consisting of a long fluid-
filled pipe, with a diameter of some tens of microns.
Nanorobots interaction

Nanorobots can move with six-degrees-of-freedom, i.e.,arbitrary translation and rotation

fins and propellers (figure).They also have specific sensory capabilities to detect the
target regions, obstacles and chemicals relevant for their medical application. We studied
a prototypical task for nanorobots: moving through a fluid-filled vessel to locate target
regions through thermal and chemical signals. The simulator allows the examination of a
variety of control algorithms. Nanorobot behavior based on random motion and detection
of chemical gradients is useful for medical target identification and drug delivery. The
simulator does allow multiple nanorobots to operate independently and in a cooperative
mode. As one use for this capability, it is possible to investigate the robustness of control
techniques by observing the mean time required for the interaction with the environment
for the drug targets.The nanorobot has to detect and locate any medical target,represented
as organ-inlets, demanding protein injection in a period of time for the simulated dynamic
scenery.
Data transmission
The application of devices and sensors implanted inside the human body to
transmit data about the health of patients can provide great advantages for biomedical
problems.Most recently, the use of RFID for in vivo data collecting and transmission was
successfully tested for electroencephalograms. For communication in liquid workspaces,
depending on the application, acoustic, light, RF, and chemical signals can be considered
as possible choices for communication and data transmission . Chemical signaling and
sensor-based behaviour are quite useful for nearby communication among nanorobots for
some teamwork coordination and biomedical instrumentation. Acoustic communication is
more appropriate for long distance communication and detection with low energy
consumption as compared to light communication approaches . Although optical
communication permits faster rates of data transmission, its energy demand makes it not
ideal for nanorobots .

Nanorobot simulation

The simulator maintains a list of positions and orientations of all objects in the task
environment, including the nanorobots. This list maintains all information relevant to the
nanorobot tasks. It also introduces new biomolecules with the fluid as it enters the
environment. The simulator consists of several modules, that simulate physical behaviors,
determine sensory information for each nanorobot, run the control programs to determine
the nanorobot actions, provide a visual display of the environment, and records the
history of nanorobot behaviors for detailed analysis. The computational approach
involves a multithreaded system that provides dynamic updates for the nanorobot real
time sensing and activation (figure ). This same concept and implementation is applied in
relation to other nanorobots as well as to the surrounding workspace. Memory behavior is
based on pre-programmed actions and defined rules, which are activated according to
input signals to trigger the desired actuation.
Nanorobots to improve health care
Using nanorobots to deliver drugs and fight diseases is not a new idea. Of course,
nanorobots floating inside our bodies to improve our health are still years away.
However, an international team of American and Australian researchers is developing a
nanorobot hardware architecture for medical defense. They have developed a nanorobot
control design (NCD) software which helps them to simulate the behavior of these future
nanorobots. Their 3-D approach shows 'how nanorobots can effectively improve health
care and medical defense and should enable innovative real time protection against
pandemic outbreaks.'
Let's start with an example, when the influenza virus start to invade cells. The NCD
software shows how "the bloodstream flows through the vessel in the 3D model. The
vessel endothelial cells denote in brown color the influenza virus beginning to spread
from one cell to another."

This second illustration shows "nanorobots detecting higher concentrations of alpha-

NAGA signals within the bloodstream." [Note: "alpha-Nacetylgalactosaminidase (alpha-
NAGA) is a protein identified through the genome mapping, which belongs to
chromosome 22."]

"This work used a 3D approach to show how nanorobots can effectively improve health
care and medical defense. Nanorobots should enable innovative real time protection
against pandemic outbreaks. The use of nanomechatronics techniques and computational
nanotechnology can help in the process of transducers investigation and in defining
strategies to integrate nanorobot capabilities.”
Powering & Installation of Nanorobots

The powering of the nanorobots can be done by metabolising local glucose and
oxygen for energy. In a clinical environment, another option would be externally supplied
acoustic energy. Other sources of energy within the body can also be used to supply the
necessary energy for the devices. They will have simple onboard computers capable of
performing around 1000 or fewer computations per second. This is because their
computing needs are simple. Communication with the device can be achieved by
broadcast-type acoustic signalling.

A navigational network may be installed in the body, with stationkeeping navigational

elements providing high positional accuracy to all passing nanorobots that interrogate
them, wanting to know their location. This will enable the physician to keep track of the
various devices in the body. These nanorobots will be able to distinguish between
different cell types by checking their surface antigens (they are different for each type of
cell). This is accomplished by the use of chemotactic sensors keyed to the specific
antigens on the target cells.

When the task of the nanorobots is completed, they can be retrieved by allowing them to
exfuse themselves via the usual human excretory channels. They can also be removed by
active scavenger systems. This feature is design-dependent.
FIELDS OF APPLICATION:

Some possible applications using nanorobots are as follows:

1. To cure skin diseases, a cream containing nanorobots may be used. It could

remove the right amount of dead skin, remove excess oils, add missing oils, apply
the right amounts of natural moisturising compounds, and even achieve the
elusive goal of 'deep pore cleaning' by actually reaching down into pores and
cleaning them out. The cream could be a smart material with smooth-on, peel-off
convenience.
2. A mouthwash full of smart nanomachines could identify and destroy pathogenic
bacteria while allowing the harmless flora of the mouth to flourish in a healthy
ecosystem. Further, the devices would identify particles of food, plaque, or tartar,
and lift them from teeth to be rinsed away. Being suspended in liquid and able to
swim about, devices would be able to reach surfaces beyond reach of toothbrush
bristles or the fibres of floss. As short-lifetime medical nanodevices, they could be
built to last only a few minutes in the body before falling apart into materials of
the sort found in foods (such as fibre).
3. Medical nanodevices could augment the immune system by finding and disabling
unwanted bacteria and viruses. When an invader is identified, it can be punctured,
letting its contents spill out and ending its effectiveness. If the contents were
known to be hazardous by themselves, then the immune machine could hold on to
it long enough to dismantle it more completely.
4. Devices working in the bloodstream could nibble away at arteriosclerotic
deposits, widening the affected blood vessels. Cell herding devices could restore
artery walls and artery linings to health, by ensuring that the right cells and
supporting structures are in the right places. This would prevent most heart
attacks.
NASA turning nanobot swarm from fiction into science

They confronted a menacing robot that quickly repaired any damage they
inflicted. It was made up of a swarm of microscopic robots — so-called nanobots — that
could change its function and shape at will. Suddenly the swarm became fluid and flowed
away.

That cartoon scenario may seem entertaining. But the reality is startling. Engineers at the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration want to pull off a similar trick. They are
testing a robot that they hope to shrink to nanobot size and eventually form what NASA
calls "autonomous nanotechnology swarms" (ANTS). The researchers aim to give ANTS
enough artificial intelligence to make smart decisions as well as know intuitively when
and how to walk and swarm.
Conclusion
This paper has described a pathway towards an effective methodology to control
nanorobots and advance nanotechnology as a valuable tool for medicine. Nanorobots
should help, through medical target identification, to improve diagnosis and provide new
therapeutic procedures. Nanorobot for medical defense means an effective way to avoid
an aggressive pandemic disease to spread into an outbreak. As a direct impact, it should
also help public health sectors to save lives and decrease high medical costs, enabling a
real time quarantine action. Worldwide government funding of nanotech research reached
$3.6 billion last year with some 40 nations joining in, according to National Science
Foundation (NSF) figures.

References:

WWW.IEEE.org.
www.google.com.

Journals:
IEEE Transactions on “ROBOTICS ”.
IEEE review on “Biology & Medicine” – magazine.