Todd Hutner

1 nanometer is 10 -9 meters.
Ten Hydrogen atoms fit into one nanometer.
Thus, nanotechnology is technology that takes place on the nanoscale.

Imagine trying to put together a bunch of legos while wearing boxing gloves.
You could push them around, and even pile them up.
But, could you stick them together?

This is analogous to how we manufacture things today.
But, we have begun to assemble things on the nanoscale.
In this process, we build tiny machines, atoms at a time.
This precise construction allows us to increase the efficiency of those products that we produce.

Another advantage from nanotechnology is self replication.
This is where one nanomachine will continue to produce new nanomachines with no additional input. This lowers the costs of manufacturing.
This also increases the precision of each item manufactured.

At such small scales, many theorists believe that quantum effects take over.
Using something called the Born-
Oppenheimer approximation, nanotechnology can be used under the assumptions of classical physics.
This assumption only holds true when all electrons are in ground state, and we are dealing with atoms in motion.

There are several different areas to which scientists hope to apply nanotechnology.
There are also several applications of nanotechnology in use today.
Nanomedicine
Nanocomputers
Nanomachines

Sun Tan Lotions similar to zinc-oxide use nanotechnology to create a lotion that goes on smooth.
A North Carolina company produces nanofabrics for companies such as and
Claiborne, that are stain resistant.

A nanite is a tiny nanomachine specifically designed for bioloigical uses.
Nanomachines will be able to enter the blood stream, cleaning blocked arteries, or repairing damaged DNA.
Nanites will also be able to increase the thinking capacity of the human brain, dwarfing the computing power of today’s most powerful computers.

Nanites will also be able to move about the body, constantly taking readings of all types of important systems, and bodily functions.
If problems arise, the nanites can “contact” the host, and if need, perform surgery from within the body.

Today’s most powerful computer chips are made from silicon.
Making a computer out of diamond would make much more sense.
Diamond has a higher band gap, so device will work at higher temperatures.
It has a higher thermal conductivity, so it can be cooled faster.
It has a greater breakdown field, so devices can be smaller.
It has higher electron mobility, which allows for a faster computing time.

Yet, we see no computers made of Diamond.
This is because we can manufacture pure silicon crystals much more readily then Diamond.
We can also etch the silicon surface adding dopants with much more precision, allowing for semiconductors.
Diamond, as of now, is much more difficult to work with.

With nanotechnology, our problems are solved.
We can arrange the atoms in a precise manner, thereby making a diamond chip with already built in dopants.
The semiconductors are smaller, and much more powerful.
1 nanocomputer would equal the computing power of one trillion of todays regular PC’s.

For most of our industrial objects, we want a good combination of light and strong. The ratio of strength to weight of diamond is over 50 times that of steel.
Yet, we continue to make the hull’s of our planes out of steel, not diamonds.
Once again, this arises from the fact that we can not readily make diamond crystal.
Yet, nanotechnology will allow us to make these diamond crystals in large quantities.

Another goal for nanotechnology is the
Nanoassembler.
The nanoassembler is a nonmachine that is capable of building anything else.
Thus, with a computer program, we could program our nanoassembler to build anything we wanted, almost instantly.
If we need a car, feed the assembler a program.
The only limitation would be imagination.

It appears that nanotechnology would dramatically change the way we interact with our world.
Not everyone, even after hearing the benefits, wants nanotechnology research to continue.
There are those who foresee a very different outcome from nanotechnology.

If something self replicates, is it alive?
Nanotechnology would, by a strange sense, be a living entity.
How would a new living entity effect the current ecosystem?

Gray Goo is the name given to vast legions of destructive nanites.
These nanites no longer are under the control of humans.
They self replicate and devour everything that they come in contact with.
They then either replicate themselves, or use the devoured material for energy.
As of now, there is no hypothesized idea for how to stop Gray Goo.

Currently, here in the US, there is a fight on if we should allow continuing nano research.
Many detractors state the possible catastrophic outcomes as reason to hault research.
Many fears are also generated by the poor portrayal of nanotechnology in popular culture, such as Michael Crichtons Book
Prey.

In the future, nanotechnology will continue to have its battle grounds both in the lab and the senate chambers.
Thus, we must, as it becomes more and more an issue, be aware of its possible benefits, as well as harms, to our society.

http://www.zyvex.com/nano/ http://www.nanotech-now.com/basics.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/articles/A59607-2004Feb21.html