Prospects for Medical Robots

Topics Covered
AbstractIntroductionWhat are NanorobotsElements of NanorobotsThe Constituents and Design of
NanorobotsApproaches for the Construction of NanorobotsRecognition of Target Site by
NanorobotsStrategies Employed by Nanorobots for Evading the Immune System Nanorobots in
Cancer Detection and TreatmentPractical Example of Nanorobots Approach for Cancer Detection and
Treatment Nanorobots in the Diagnosis and Treatment of DiabetesControlling Glucose Level using
NanorobotsRespirocyte - An Artificial Oxygen Carrier NanorobotArtificial Phagocytes
Microbivores NanorobotsChromallocyte: A Hypothetical Mobile Cell-Repair NanorobotFurther
Applications of NanorobotsConclusionReferencesContact Details
Abstract
Nanotechnology is a fascinating science for many scientists as it offers them manychallenges. One
such challenge is Nanorobots, which once thought to be a fantasy has comeinto reality now. The
proposed application of nanorobots can range from common cold todreadful disease like cancer. Some
such examples can be Pharmacyte, Respirocyte,Microbivores, Chromallocyte and many more. The
study of nanorobots has lead to the fieldof Nanomedicine. Nanomedicine offers the prospect of
powerful new tools for the treatmentof human diseases and the improvement of human biological
systems.
Introduction
The present era of Nanotechnology has reached to a stage where scientists are able to
develop programmable and externally controllable complex machines that are built at molecular
levelwhich can work inside the patients body. Nanotechnology will enable engineers to
constructsophisticated nanorobots that can navigate the human body, transport important molecules,
manipulate microscopic objects and communicate with physicians by way of miniaturesensors,
motors, manipulators, power generators and molecular-scale computers. The idea to build a nanorobot
comes from the fact that the bodys natural nanodevices; the neutrophiles,lymphocytes and white
blood cells constantly rove about the body, repairing damaged tissues,attacking and eating invading
microorganisms, and sweeping up foreign particles for variousorgans to break down or excrete.
What are Nanorobots
Nanorobotics is emerging as a demanding field dealing with miniscule things at molecular level.
Nanorobots are quintessential nanoelectromechanical systems designed to perform aspecific task with
precision at nanoscale dimensions. Its advantage over conventionalmedicine lies on its size. Particle
size has effect on serum lifetime and pattern of deposition.This allows drugs of nanosize to be used in
lower concentration and has an earlier onset of therapeutic action. It also provides materials for
controlled drug delivery by directing carriersto a specific location [1]. The typical medical nanodevice
will probably be a micron-scalerobot assembled from nanoscale parts. These nanorobots can work
together in response toenvironment stimuli and programmed principles to produce macro scale results
[2].
Elements of Nanorobots
Carbon will likely be the principal element comprising the bulk of a medical nanorobot, probably in
the form of diamond or diamondoid/fullerene nanocomposites. Many other lightelements such as
hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, silicon, etc. will be used for special purposes in
nanoscale gears and other components [2]. The chemical inertness of diamond is proved by several
experimental studies. One such experiment conducted onmouse peritoneal macrophages cultured on
DLC showed no significant excess release of lactate dehydrogenase or of the lysosomal enzyme beta
N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase (anenzyme known to be released from macrophages during
inflammation).Morphological examination revealed no physical damage to either fibroblasts
or macrophages, and human osteoblast like cells confirming the biochemical indication thatthere was
no toxicity and that no inflammatory reaction was elicited in vitro. The smoother and more flawless
the diamond surface, the lesser is the leukocyte activity and fibrinogenadsorption. An experiment by
Tang et al. [41] showed that CVD diamond wafers implantedintraperitoneally in live mice for 1 week
revealed minimal inflammatory response.Interestingly, on the rougher polished surface, a small
number of spread and fusedmacrophages were present, indicating that some activation had occurred.

The exterior surfacewith near-nanometer smoothness results in very low bioactivity. Due to
the extremely highsurface energy of the passivated diamond surface and the strong hydrophobicity of
thediamond surface, the diamond exterior is almost completely chemically inert.
The Constituents and Design of Nanorobots
Nanorobots will possess full panoply of autonomous subsystems whose design is derivedfrom
biological models. Drexler evidently was the first to point out, in 1981, that complexdevices resemble
biological models in their structural components [42]. The variouscomponents in the nanorobot design
may include onboard sensors, motors, manipulators, power supplies, and molecular computers.
Perhaps the best-known biological example of such molecular machinery is the ribosome the only
freely programmable nanoscale assembler already in existence. The mechanism by which protein
binds to the specific receptor sitemight be copied to construct the molecular robotic arm.The
manipulator arm can also be driven by a detailed sequence of control signals, just as theribosome
needs mRNA to guide its actions. These control signals are provided by external
biomedical problems. Nanorobots applied to medicine hold a wealth of promise fromeradicating
disease to reversing the aging process (wrinkles, loss of bone mass and age-related conditions are all
treatable at the cellular level); nanorobots are also candidates for industrial applications. The advent of
molecular nanotechnology will again expandenormously the effectiveness, comfort and speed of
future medical treatments while at thesame time significantly reducing their risk, cost, and
invasiveness.
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