Control of Nanorobots

R. HEDJAR

Computer Engineering Department

CCIS- King Saud University

P.O.Box 51178 Riyadh 11543

Saudi Arabia

Tel: 00966 1 4676945, Fax: 00966 1 4676990

E-mail: hadjar@ksu.edu.sa

Keywords: autonomous robots, nanorobots, nanomedcine, assembly, control system and energy.

In recent years and after molecular manufacturing in the sense of nanoscale building blocks, nanotechnology faced a more complex challenge in building bionanoelectronics and molecular machine. Indeed, one important challenge that has become evident in nanotechnology industrial applications is the automation of atomic-scale manipulation. The starting point of nanotechnology to achieve the main goal of building systems at nanoscale is the development of control automation for molecular machine systems.

Nanorobotics encompass the design, fabrication and programming of robots with overall dimensions below a few micrometers, and programmable assembly of nanoscale objects. Thus, nanorobotics is concerned with:

1.      Design and fabrication of nanorobots with overall dimensions at or below the micrometer range and made of nanoscopic components.

2.      Programming and coordination of large numbers of such nanorobots (swarms).

3.      Programmable assembly of nanometer scale components either by manipulation with macro or micro devices, or by self-assembly on programmed templates or scaffolds.

Therefore, nanorobots require some type of guidance and control to perform their tasks. Nanorobots could either be remotely controlled by a computer or autonomous. It is noted that autonomous robots would require a nanocomputer.

This paper describes some different methods proposed recently how to control nanorobots and how to provide speed and energy for motion and activity.