March - Vol 70, No 6 - International Technology and Engineering ...

If there is a high amount of DNA methylation, it would
be associated with a higher risk of cancer (Johns Hopkins
University, 2009).
Other endeavors to incorporate the benefits of
nanotechnology into the medical world include the
theory of the development of the microbivore or medical
nanorobot: “a machine the size of a bacterium, comprising
many thousands of molecule-sized mechanical parts
(resembling gears, bearings, and ratchets), possibly
composed of a strong diamondlike material” (Freitas,
2009, p. 1). Freitas (2009) further describes the appearance
of the nanorobot. It will require motors to run, arms to
manipulate, and legs for mobility. It will also require a
power supply, guidance sensors, and an onboard computer
to control behavior. This nanorobot must be small
enough to travel through the blood stream or the smallest
capillaries in the human body. Freitas (2009) also predicts
that, with diligent effort, such a nanorobot could be in
existence and operable by the 2020s.
The purpose of these nanorobots could vary. For example,
one medical nanorobot might be used in the form of a
white blood cell. Its objective would be to seek out any
undesirable pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi
in the bloodstream. A patient could be injected with
about 100 billion microbivores. They would hunt for the
Photo 3: Medical applications of nanotechnology include
incredibly small robots called microbivore. This illustration
shows a microbivore, which would be made of many molecularsized
parts such as a power supply, motors, arms, and legs to
move about and complete its tasks. Credit: © 2001 Zyvex Corp.
and Robert A. Freitas Jr. (design), additional design Forrest
Bishop. All Rights Reserved
different bacteria and consume them into amino acids. The
nanorobot would then harmlessly eliminate the amino acids
through an exhaust port (Freitas, 2009).
Freitas (2009) explains the enormous potential for such
nanorobots. Instead of subjecting the entire body to a
drug whose purpose is to eradicate a single bacteria while
at the same time increasing the potential for several
unwanted side effects, creating a nanorobot whose job is
to seek and devour the unwanted pathogen without the
use of drugs could be done. The potential these robots
could offer is incredible. For example, patients would be
monitored by doctors continuously through the robots’
onboard computers resulting in benefits such as: virtual
instant blood work results, early detection of disease, and
monitoring of slowly developing chronic diseases.
Nanotechnology has been applied to biomimicry as well.
Biomimicry (derived from bio, which means life, and
mimesis, which means to imitate) is a new science and an
art created to emulate nature’s biological development to
solve human problems (Biomimicry Institute, 2007). The
Biomimicry Guild has developed a Biology Design Spiral. It
is used as a tool that guides an innovator through the design
process to create a more sustainable design. The first step is
to identify the real problem to be solved by writing a design
brief. Second, the innovator must interpret the design brief
to determine the specific function from nature for which
they are looking. Next, they must discover models in nature
that accomplish the same task successfully. Once the initial
phases of identifying the problem have been completed,
the designer must work through the abstract phase where
they seek to find repeating patterns that achieve the success
desired. Next, the designer would seek to emulate the same
processes that nature uses, and finally, they would evaluate
their results (Biomimicry Institute, 2007).
Using the biomimicry method, The University of Michigan
has developed a layered plastic based on the brick-andmortar
molecular structure of a seashell (Biomimicry and
Nanotechnology, 2007). Kotov describes the synthetic
material, which is stronger than plastic but lighter and more
transparent, as nearly “a plastic steel” (Biomimicry and
Nanotecnology, 2007, p. 1). The potentials for this plastic
could lend to lighter, stronger armor for military personnel
and police officers as well as their vehicles. There could
also be applications “in microelectromechanical devices,
microfluidics, biomedical sensors and valves, and unmanned
aircraft” (Biomimcry and Nanotechnology, 2007, p. 1).
Kotov (2007) and his associates describe how they were
able to solve a significant problem that has baffled scientists
14 • Technology and Engineering Teacher • March 2011