Received : 18‑05‑14 Review completed : 11‑06‑14 Review Article ‑ ‑ Accepted : 24 06 14 NANO ROBOTICS - ITS TIME FOR CHANGE Biji Balan, * Sreejesh Narayanan ** * Reader, Department of Conservative & Endodontics, Kannur Dental College, Kannur, Kerala, India ** MD, Consultant Dermatologist, The Apollo Clinic, Kannur Kerala, India ________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT emergence of nanodentistry which involves the Nanodentistry is an emerging field with maintenance of oral health by the use of nano significant potential to yield new generation of materials, biotechnology and dental technologically advanced clinical tools and nanorobotics.[2] devices for oral healthcare. The growing HISTORY interest in the future of dental applications of The first observations and size measurements of robotic dentistry is leading to the emergence of nanoparticles were made during the first decade [3] a new field called Nanorobotics in dentistry. of the 20th century by Zsigmondy, 1914. The Nanorobotics holds promise for advanced Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman, diagnostics, targeted drug delivery with at an American Physical Society meeting in 1959, biosensors. Robots can supposedly induce oral was received with speculation when he gave a analgesia, desensitize tooth; manipulate the talk, “There‟s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” in tissue to realign and straighten irregular set of 1959, in which he explored the implications of teeth and to improve durability of teeth The matter manipulation. Four decades ago, the purpose of this article is to review the manipulation of single atoms and molecules phenomenon of nanotechnology as it might seemed illusive; however, he predicted that the apply to dentistry as a new field called time would inevitably come when the atomically nanodentistry. precise manipulation of matter would be possible. The true founder of nanotechnology was, though, KEYWORDS: Nanorobotics; nanodentistry; Eric Drexler, who published in 1986 „Engines of nanotechnology Creation The Coming Era of Nanotechnology‟.[4] He states that in the near future this kind of INTRODUCTION technology will be used to assembly atoms and “Nano” is derived from the Greek word which molecules in order to build nano circuits and nano stands for “dwarf”. Nanotechnology is the science machines. The way average instruments can build of manipulating matter, measured in the billionths average machines out of compound pieces, of metres or nanometre, roughly the size of two or molecular instruments will create connections three atoms. It is distinguished primarily by the between molecules in order to create pinions, scale at which it acts, one billionth of a metre or engines, manipulating arms and minute covers one ten thousand the width of human hair. In that will be assembled into complex machines. simple terms, it is engineering at the atomic or The first scientist who described the medical molecular level. Nanotechnology, which is applications of nanotechnology and nano robots accomplished by manipulating matter at the was Robert Freitas Jr. In an article published by atomic level, is actually measured in nanometres, the Journal of American Dental Association, he roughly the size of two or three atoms. defined nano medicine as the science and Nanotechnology is an extremely diverse and technology of diagnosing, treating and preventing multidisciplinary field, ranging from novel disease and traumatic injury; of relieving pain; extensions of conventional physics to completely and of preserving and improving human health, new approaches based upon molecular self- through the use of nano scale-structured assembly, to developing new materials and [1] materials, biotechnology and genetic engineering, machines with nano scale dimensions. The and eventually complex molecular machine growing interest in the future of dental systems and nano robots. In the same article, applications of nanotechnology lead to the Freitas introduced the concept of nano dentistry, IJOCR Jul - Sep 2014; Volume 2 Issue 5 41 Nano robotics Balan B, Narayanan S which he defines as the science and technology depending on its task.[8] It has increased strength, that will make possible the maintenance of near- because of the main component used is carbon in perfect oral health through the use of the form of diamond or fullerene composite. The nanomaterials, biotechnology, including tissue power of glucose can be done by metabolising engineering and nano robotics.[5] glucose, oxygen and externally supplied acoustic UNDERSTANDING NANOROBOTS energy. They can be controlled by onboard Nanorobots are theoretical microscopic devices computers capable of performing thousand or measured on the scale of nanometres (1nm equals more computations. A broad cast type acoustic one millionth of 1 millimetre). When fully signal helps in communication with these devices, realized from the hypothetical stage, they would it basically consists of sensors, actuators work at the atomic, molecular and cellular level to controlled by light or electric signals, control, perform tasks in both the medical and industrial power, communication and interfacial signals fields that have heretofore been the content of across facial scales. A navigational network may science fiction. Nano robots are so tiny that they be installed in the body which provides, can easily traverse the human body. Nano robots positional accuracy to passing nanorobots to would constitute any active structure (nano-scale) know their location. These nanorobots are good at capable of actuation, sensing, signalling, differentiating different cell types in the body information processing, intelligence, and swarm based upon their surface antigens. They are behaviour at nano-scale. The nano robots are accomplished by the use of chemotactic sensors invisible to the naked eye, techniques like keyed to the specific antigens on the target cells. scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic When the task of the nanorobots is completed, force microscopy (AFM) are being employed to they can be retrieved by allowing them to expel visualize these nano-scaled devices. These nano themselves via the usual human excretory robots provide benefits in numerous areas such as channels. These can also be removed by active synthesis of new materials with advanced scavenger systems.[9] It is Freitas (1999) who properties like production technology, described how medical nano robots might use information technology, medical applications, specific motility mechanisms to crawl or swim transportation, etc. Medical nano robots represent through human tissues with navigational microscopical objects artificially manufactured, recession; cyto pentration and use any of endowed with intelligence capable of free multitude of techniques to monitor, interrupt or diffusion inside the human body and which can alter nerve impulse traffic in individual nerve interact with human body cells or can manipulate cells.[10] According to present day theories, dental them, with a nanometric resolution in order to nano robots should have at least two means of fulfil tasks in the medical field. As a regular communication: both with the doctor who robot, a medical nano robot can be manufactured coordinates it, and with the other nano robot he out of thousands of mechanical parts, made out of teams up with and the two possible ways of nano materials such as carbon nano tubes, communicating between nano robots are being metallic nano conductors and diamondoid considered: either by means of light signals materials.[6,7] Unlike regular robots, medical nano through optical nano sensors[6] or by chemical robots will have invisible dimensions to the signals through chemical nano sensors (i.e. nano human eye, but compound parts will have robots monitoring glucose level).[11] As to the molecular sizes 1-10nm. Scientists report the possible ways of communication between nano exterior of a nano robot will likely be constructed robots and the doctor who coordinates them, of carbon atoms in a diamondoid structure research scientists incline towards acoustic because of its inert properties and strength. Super- signals, allowing rapid rates of data transfer, or smooth surfaces will lessen the likelihood of electromagnetic radio waves, considered useful in triggering the body's immune system, allowing detecting the current status of the nano robots the nano robots to go about their job unimpeded. inside the patient.[6,11] Glucose or natural body sugars and oxygen might Two perspectives of approaching nanodentistry be a source for propulsion and the nano robot will are: have other biochemical or molecular parts 1. Building up particles by combining atomic IJOCR Jul - Sep 2014; Volume 2 Issue 5 42 Nano robotics Balan B, Narayanan S elements, i.e., bottom up approach.[12, 13] United Nations, in the same way Linux and Open 2. Using equipment to create mechanical Source has in recent years accelerated the nanoscale objects, i.e., top down approach.[14] development of computer systems, a similar MEANS OF APPROACH approach should benefit the society at large and Biochip accelerate nano robotics development. The use of The joint use of nano electronics, nano biotechnology should be established as a photolithography, and new biomaterials, can be human heritage for the coming generations, and considered as a possible way to enable the developed as an open technology based on ethical required manufacturing technology towards nano practices for peaceful purposes. Open technology