Nanorobotics is the technology of creating machines or robots at or close to the scale of a nanometer – 1 billionth of a meter. More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the still largely theoretical nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots.
These aren’t the fictional nanobots of Iron Man or Rick and Morty. A nanorobot, or nanobot, is a popular term for molecules engineered with a unique property that enables them to be programmed to carry out a specific task within the human body. Medical nanotechnology is a reality and being actively researched and developed.
Structural DNA nanotechnology, known as DNA origami, has emerged as a versatile approach to fabricate nanodevices, nanomaterials and nanoparticles with complex nanoscale geometry, functionalities, and programmed mechanical and dynamic properties.
Nanorobotics can also revolutionize industry. Nano metamaterials are much stronger than steel — and much lighter. They can be used for environmental clean up of the Earth’s air and water, more efficiently than ever before.
Nanotechnology can also allow us to connect our brains directly to the internet. This is something the futurist Ray Kurzweil predicted would occur by 2030. Are you ready to wire your brain into the cloud?
With new technologies, comes new dangers. Nanotech innovation is world-changing and should be encouraged. But, we also have to acknowledge the risks.