When in the future will we have Nano-Bots?

Question

On the Science channel I heard we will start making Nano-bots 20 years from now...Is it true?

Answer 1

Twenty years is not so long. Scientific knowledge and engineering art are increasing at an exponentially increasing rate.

Actually, we already have “nano-bots” roaming around inside of us. They are part of our auto-immune system, recognizing invaders and sending out other nano-bots to deal with the problem.

It is quite likely that manufactured nano-bots will be based on self-assembly techniques that will use information coded into a DNA-like molecule. They might even resemble a pseudo-lifelike organism, absorbing energy from nutrients, excreting waste matter, and going about their business sensing and responding to their environment as “programmed” by their artificial “DNA”.

I doubt we will make them self-reproductive because that would destroy their market value, but they will certainly be “programmed” for a limited “life cycle” just like razor blades.

I don’t think we will need a “chip” implanted to make them operate, but periodic visits to your doctor/programmer will be required for tune ups and to make sure everything is working as planned.

I can’t wait to purchase/rent those nano-bots that crawl through my arteries and make the arteries like new again. Well, actually, I guess I will have to wait. Not very long I hope.

Answer 2

Probably never in the way that you might imagine - the problem with building anything at the nanometer scale is that it has to withstand enormous forces - the force between atomic particles called the nuclear force is huge when compared to gravity (it holds stuff together, right? Like you, for instance) and so anything built has to withstand these forces and still do the job its designed for. The real problem as i understand it is brownian motion which is the random motion of tiny particles due to electrostatic interactions - any device on the same scale would get battered to peices or behave in a random, unpredictable manner. (One to try at home, kids - get a glass of water and get some really fine powder like finely ground pepper - it has to be really fine - and gently shake a small amount onto the surface of water. Then watch the particles drift around by themselves! Physics is a world of fun........)

That said though, I went to a seminar recently and heard a top nano professor talking about his research which involved a special gel substance that reacted to electrical signals and could be made to effectively flagellate like a sperm does - so this is a sort of nanobot but not exactly inner space if you know what i mean ;-)

Answer 3

Probably soon enough, but they will only be available to you if you have a subdermal RFID chip like whatever the VeriChip turns into.
They'll try and convince you that a chip on your belt or watch or glasses or phone or wallet or earring or toe ring or whatever, isn't good enough to coordinate the nanobots in your body.
They'll probably use a nanobot appointment as an excuse to just chip you then and there...