Nanotube robotics

Zhou, Y. and Shimizu, T. (2008) Lipid nanotubes a unique template to create diverse one-dimensional nanostructures. Chemistry of Materials, 20 (3), 625-633. Nogawa, K., Tagawa, Y., Nakajima, M., Arai, F., Shimizu, T., Kamiya, S. and Fukuda, T. (2007) Development of novel nanopipette with a lipid nanotube as nanochannel. Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics, 19 (5), 528-534. 

The field of nanolithography is intimately connected with nanomanipulation. In nanomanipulation generally a preformed nanoparticle, nanotube or a nanowire is manipulated to place it at a predetermined site. The most widely used tool for nanomanipulation is the cantilever of the AFM that provides a robotic arm to place the nano-objects in predetermined sites. A nanoparticle weakly adsorbed on a substrate can be moved by an AFM tip when it works in contact mode. This is not wanted but if the particle is selected and then moved by the AFM then it becomes a useful tool. The AFM-based manipulation turns the unwanted aspect to an advantage. For instance if one wants to place a nanowire between two electrodes an AFM cantilever can be used to image the wire and push it between the two electrodes. The advantage of the cantilever is that a predetermined force can be applied and also the same instrument can image it. The basic idea behind SPM-based nanomanipulation is shown in Figure 21.17. 

Actuators that generate movements and forces, such as bending, expansion and contraction driven by stimulation of electrical, chemical, thermal and optical energies, are different from rotating machines such as electric motors and internal combustion engines. There are many sorts of soft actuators made of polymers [1-3], gels [4] and nanotubes [5]. Particularly, biomimetic actuators are interesting because of the application to artificial muscles that will be demanded for medical equipment, robotics and replacement of human muscle in the future. 

FIGURE 19.15 (Step 2) (a) The bio-nanocomponents will be used to fabricate complex biorobotic systems. A vision of a nano organism carbon nanotubes form the main body peptide limbs can be used for locomotion and object manipulation and the biomolecular motor located at the head can propel the device in various environments, (b) Modular organization concept for the bio-nanorobots. Spatial arrangements of the various modules of the robots are shown. A single bio-nanorobot will have actuation, sensory, and information processing capabilities. 

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