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nanotechnology? 2
- Thread starter 0707
- Start date
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1
- #2
- Thread starter
- #5
You mean like inhaling minute artificial molecules and how it can cause cancer etc.
Definitely a worry!
There was something in the news recently about bucky balls killing fish or something. Can't remember where I saw it.
That said being able to put tiny metallic spheres into cancer tumours and stimulate them to effectively cook the cancer is kind of cool.
Ken
Definitely a worry!
There was something in the news recently about bucky balls killing fish or something. Can't remember where I saw it.
That said being able to put tiny metallic spheres into cancer tumours and stimulate them to effectively cook the cancer is kind of cool.
Ken
Jabberwocky
Mechanical
- Apr 1, 2005
- 330
Go find some cyberpunk novels by Neal Stephenson if you want some consideration of the future via nanotech. "The Diamond Age" was particularly interesting.
The basic premise is that nano-tech has become mainstream, there are large "factories" which do nothing but take in air, dirt, and water to dissect them for their elements. The elements are then shipped all over the world where they can be re-assembled via in-house rapid production modules into whatever the designer created. Basically, instead of mailing a knitted wool hat, you e-mail somebody the pattern and the machine spits out a hat.
The risks came from the swarms of self-sustaining microbots (made out of nano-bots) that acted as security forces and filtration systems.
Realistically, this kind of thing sounds a long way off, particularly with more mundane concerns like energy costs and such. However, the label on my new khakis claim nanotechnology was used to make them stain-proof, so we'll see...
The basic premise is that nano-tech has become mainstream, there are large "factories" which do nothing but take in air, dirt, and water to dissect them for their elements. The elements are then shipped all over the world where they can be re-assembled via in-house rapid production modules into whatever the designer created. Basically, instead of mailing a knitted wool hat, you e-mail somebody the pattern and the machine spits out a hat.
The risks came from the swarms of self-sustaining microbots (made out of nano-bots) that acted as security forces and filtration systems.
Realistically, this kind of thing sounds a long way off, particularly with more mundane concerns like energy costs and such. However, the label on my new khakis claim nanotechnology was used to make them stain-proof, so we'll see...
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I am not sure that our legal and regulatory system ( liability for downstream damages) is mature enough to adequately protect the public from potential hazards associated with accidental release of products of nanotechnology.
It would seem to me that responsibly use nanotechnolgy in aplications that have a finite risk of escape of particles, it would be necceary to first (a) execute a series of tests in a lab that simulate the release on downstream biota or ecosystems and document the results, similar to the way drugs are tested prior to approval (b) provide on file with a regulatory agency samples of the nanobits as well as a technical description of the product, so that if it is found in the wild, we know where it originated and who is repsonsible for damage(c) provide proof of insurance liability or substantial self insurance that can be gtapped by an aggrieved party in case you F*** up.
It would seem to me that responsibly use nanotechnolgy in aplications that have a finite risk of escape of particles, it would be necceary to first (a) execute a series of tests in a lab that simulate the release on downstream biota or ecosystems and document the results, similar to the way drugs are tested prior to approval (b) provide on file with a regulatory agency samples of the nanobits as well as a technical description of the product, so that if it is found in the wild, we know where it originated and who is repsonsible for damage(c) provide proof of insurance liability or substantial self insurance that can be gtapped by an aggrieved party in case you F*** up.
moltenmetal
Chemical
Nanotechnology is just another buzzword in a long series of buzzwords. Will there be jobs associated with this buzzword? Yes. There are some now and there will be more in future. Will nanotechnology be anything nearly as significant an area of practice for engineers as the current hype is making it out to be? Doubtful. No different than the so-called "hydrogen economy", or "biotech" or any other past technobabble buzzword in the recent past.
Well, I became fascinated, long before, mems or microsoft. Some report of a crashed UFO in russia that had some sort of ceramic skin with nanoscopic or at least microscopic golden filaments embedded inside. The scientist could not make sense of it or what the purpose of these were used for. Maybe quantum reasons, who knows, maybe all bogus. Like Roswell, three poor POW japanese scientist in the experimental mylar balloon that went way-way to high. White skinned, little people with bulging eyes. Yes, POW and 125Kft will do it to you too.
davefitz,
Nanotechnology has been in use for many years however it was not called nanotechnology. Polishing compounds are nanotechnology. Coloidial suspensions are another example. Reverse osmosis is another nanotechnology. Case hardening is an example of atomic diffusion of carbon at a nano level.
Nanotechnology means a great many things to different people. Harmful substances are harmful substances. As we create new harmful substances safeguards will have to be developed.
Nanotechnology has been in use for many years however it was not called nanotechnology. Polishing compounds are nanotechnology. Coloidial suspensions are another example. Reverse osmosis is another nanotechnology. Case hardening is an example of atomic diffusion of carbon at a nano level.
Nanotechnology means a great many things to different people. Harmful substances are harmful substances. As we create new harmful substances safeguards will have to be developed.
BrunoPuntzJones
Materials
BillPSU-
You hit the nail right on the head right there. Nanotechnology has been around a long time. Many of us already make a living working with nanoscopic processes (I do). Thin films, tempering, copolymers, etc. All materials science issues are fundamentally small scale (from molecules to grains). What has changed a lot in the last few decades is our ability to image and analysis things on such a small scale. SEM, TEM, AFM, XPS, nanoindentors, etc have all become affordable tools for industry.
You hit the nail right on the head right there. Nanotechnology has been around a long time. Many of us already make a living working with nanoscopic processes (I do). Thin films, tempering, copolymers, etc. All materials science issues are fundamentally small scale (from molecules to grains). What has changed a lot in the last few decades is our ability to image and analysis things on such a small scale. SEM, TEM, AFM, XPS, nanoindentors, etc have all become affordable tools for industry.
I do not think 0707's intent was to investigate car wax or MBE. That technology is about sponged out, sure incremental, but yet fairly primitive. What 0707 is inquiring about is stitching and sewing combinations of nanoscopic elements into a functioning machine. Well, granted, car wax, sures it's got a purpose and commercial value. But, Really we need to master the intricacies of nature. To manipulate things to save our own kind, and BTW, pull along all of the natural things we cherish as well. Sorry, but I am pretty useless in the nano world, but yet the quantum mechanical, organized, and functional embedded golden filaments are out there, some where, maye scrap pieces left over from the wreck. But, at Least can be a Cheer Leader, unfortunately nobody wanted ET to br their Cheer Leader.
- Thread starter
- #16
“The little nanotubes are finding more and more applications. For example, Chinese scientists have managed to store considerable quantities of hydrogen irreversibly in a structure consisting of nanotubes. With this principle, storage systems can be constructed for future energy carriers. There is also discussion of employing the tubes as wires to transport electrical charges.”
Nano techniques have being used trough catalysts improvements but I think that there are still some niche opportunities due to oil prices increase. A typical oil barrel is 5% of fuel gas, 25% of naphtha gas 50% of diesel fuel and 20% of residuum. 20% of residuum is a great niche for nano techniques developments to maximize valuable products extraction and reducing wastes. Another potentiality for nano techniques would be on the transforming of actual bad emissions in more environment friendly emissions.
“Nano-techniques take advantage of the unique physical and chemical behaviour of materials at near-atomic sizes. But the behaviours are not yet completely predictable, especially in terms of their long-term effects; the behaviours of nano-machines may not necessarily always be controllable; and nano-everything has the potential to cause environmental and health problems because of the extremely small sizes and unusual behaviours.”
Being just a curious on this matter I suppose that one cannot speak about “nano machines” but instead in particles manipulation acting in physics forces, electric fields, electrostatic forces, chemical interaction, local heating, electrical currents, molecular cohesion, vibrations. Through that manipulation atoms properties are altered and act as a different “machine” as it was before being manipulated.
Luis Marques
Nano techniques have being used trough catalysts improvements but I think that there are still some niche opportunities due to oil prices increase. A typical oil barrel is 5% of fuel gas, 25% of naphtha gas 50% of diesel fuel and 20% of residuum. 20% of residuum is a great niche for nano techniques developments to maximize valuable products extraction and reducing wastes. Another potentiality for nano techniques would be on the transforming of actual bad emissions in more environment friendly emissions.
“Nano-techniques take advantage of the unique physical and chemical behaviour of materials at near-atomic sizes. But the behaviours are not yet completely predictable, especially in terms of their long-term effects; the behaviours of nano-machines may not necessarily always be controllable; and nano-everything has the potential to cause environmental and health problems because of the extremely small sizes and unusual behaviours.”
Being just a curious on this matter I suppose that one cannot speak about “nano machines” but instead in particles manipulation acting in physics forces, electric fields, electrostatic forces, chemical interaction, local heating, electrical currents, molecular cohesion, vibrations. Through that manipulation atoms properties are altered and act as a different “machine” as it was before being manipulated.
Luis Marques
Just an interesting tidbit, I was visiting a contractor in Kansas City and getting a tour of their very small scale mechanical manufacturing area. We were shown a drill that was 0.002" diameter. Fascinating to hear about their processes and fabrication woes. I jokingly ask how many flutes the drill had and the machinist, with all seriousness, told us there were two flutes on the drill. I ask how they fabricated the drill but never got an answer. And of course, they know when the drill is dull when it breaks. The drill was mounted in a mandrel about 0.050" diameter and in a clear foam filled case. The drill looked like a barely perceptible whisker extending out of the mandrel.
Needless to say, the fabbed components and assemblies were also interesting.
Needless to say, the fabbed components and assemblies were also interesting.
- Thread starter
- #19
Protein based nano machines and robots
By Dinos Mavroidis
“There are many difficult problems that need to be solved before we obtain ready to be used nano-mechanisms. One of the more important problems is to find ways to interface (i.e. connect) the various nano-machine elements to each other so that we form multi-element assemblies. Another very important problem is "sensing" in the nano-world. We need to have easy to use and accurate sensors that will be able to give us a "view" of the nano-mechanism and its environment. Sensors are also very important for developing control strategies for the nano-mechanisms. I consider these two problems - "sensing" and "assembly" - as the most important, after we have identified the basic elements that are needed to form a nano-machine.
would like to make a distinction between nano-mechanisms and nano-devices. The first is a subset of the latter. Nano-mechanisms are devices that will create and transfer motion and / or force, in order to perform their task. Nano-devices are any type of machines that will be able to perform any type of function in the nano-environment, even tasks that do not require any motion or force generation. I think that we will be able to develop nano-devices performing useful tasks very soon, within the next decade. I believe that the first useful nano-devices will be nano-sensors. For the nano-mechanisms, we will have to wait a long time, probably over 30 years before we see a functioning device in a real task. Of course before that there will be many prototypes of nano-mechanisms in the laboratory. However, I would like to point out that it is very important to have working nano-devices and nano-mechanisms as soon as possible, if we would like to keep the interest and funding of federal agencies and industry at the same level as it is today. There are many examples in the past that certain technologies were very popular for a few years, but the research community was unable to deliver working prototypes for commercial applications in a relatively short time, and as a result we saw a sudden decline in the sponsors' interest, funding, and support.”
For more on this subject go to
By Dinos Mavroidis
“There are many difficult problems that need to be solved before we obtain ready to be used nano-mechanisms. One of the more important problems is to find ways to interface (i.e. connect) the various nano-machine elements to each other so that we form multi-element assemblies. Another very important problem is "sensing" in the nano-world. We need to have easy to use and accurate sensors that will be able to give us a "view" of the nano-mechanism and its environment. Sensors are also very important for developing control strategies for the nano-mechanisms. I consider these two problems - "sensing" and "assembly" - as the most important, after we have identified the basic elements that are needed to form a nano-machine.
would like to make a distinction between nano-mechanisms and nano-devices. The first is a subset of the latter. Nano-mechanisms are devices that will create and transfer motion and / or force, in order to perform their task. Nano-devices are any type of machines that will be able to perform any type of function in the nano-environment, even tasks that do not require any motion or force generation. I think that we will be able to develop nano-devices performing useful tasks very soon, within the next decade. I believe that the first useful nano-devices will be nano-sensors. For the nano-mechanisms, we will have to wait a long time, probably over 30 years before we see a functioning device in a real task. Of course before that there will be many prototypes of nano-mechanisms in the laboratory. However, I would like to point out that it is very important to have working nano-devices and nano-mechanisms as soon as possible, if we would like to keep the interest and funding of federal agencies and industry at the same level as it is today. There are many examples in the past that certain technologies were very popular for a few years, but the research community was unable to deliver working prototypes for commercial applications in a relatively short time, and as a result we saw a sudden decline in the sponsors' interest, funding, and support.”
For more on this subject go to
BrunoPuntzJones
Materials
KENAT,
Do you work for Veeco (if you don't mind me asking)?
Do you work for Veeco (if you don't mind me asking)?
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