in the 1987 science fiction comedy unusual trip (Innerspace), Dennis Quaid stars as a pilot who becomes miniaturized with a ship during a secret experiment and is accidentally injected into the body of a hypochondriac. Now, almost forty years later, a part of this story is coming true. Not about reducing people to nanometer scale, but about introducing tiny robots inside the human body to treat various diseases.
A nanobot is a small device, ranging in size between 1 and 100 nanometers., invisible to the naked eye and designed to perform specific functions. A nanometer is a measure of length equal to one billionth of a meter. To put this to scale, a human hair is about 60,000 nanometers thick, while a hemoglobin molecule is about 5 nanometers.
The first to mention the possibilities of nanotechnology – so far, only theoretically – was the Nobel Prize in Physics richard feynman During a speech at the California Institute of Technology in December 1959. However, he was his colleague, Albert HibbsWho raised the possibility that in the near future some machines could be made so small that it could be like “swallowing a doctor”.
Considering that the first integrated circuit in history had been introduced only a year earlier and was 1.1 cm on a side, Hibbs really relied future technology minification,
It took a few decades for the development of techniques and materials for nanobots to leave the conceptual realm to materialize in the laboratories of universities and institutes. These nanometer-scale robots are already a reality, and are being researched and developed for their use in various fields.
These tiny robots can be made from a wide variety of materials such as metal, plastic and even DNA, which is the genetic material of living things. Depending on the design and purpose assigned to them, Nanobots can have different forms and functions.
Some can be controlled by magnetic fields or electrical signals, while others can move on their own. Some nanomachines may communicate with each other to form networks or swarms, while others may self-assemble or change shape to form more complex structures.
potential of nanobots interact with molecules and cells allows them manipulate and modify them, Thanks to this ability, they can perform tasks that would be unimaginable or extremely difficult for conventional microrobots, turning them into a disruptive tool for future medical therapies. This technology allows us to think about the development of specific therapies Focus on the exact point of the body where they are neededMinimizes the effects on healthy organs that occur with conventional treatments.
Researchers at the University of San Diego have developed a nanorobot They can swim into the lungs, deliver medicine, and kill the bacteria that cause pneumonia. They are made of algae cells whose surface is coated with antibiotic-loaded nanoparticles. These cells give them movement, allowing them to reach bacteria in the lungs and deliver antibiotics directly. Thanks to this technique, 100 percent of mice that received treatment managed to survive the disease, while mice that did not receive care died within three days of being infected.
Pneumonia kills an average of 2.5 million people per year worldwide. The study suggests that this technique may be an effective and safe way to treat this severe respiratory infection in humans, especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
los nanobots They may soon be used to fight cancer and congenital tumors, treat kidney stones, fight bacteria lurking in joints, or improve care for diseases and disorders of the central nervous system., California-based company Bionaut Labs is working on the latter, which has bionaut which move through magnetic propulsion and can reach deep into the brain and other places in the body where drugs are difficult to deliver locally.
that’s how they want to grow Solution for Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease, hydrocephalus and neurodegeneration due to aging, Currently, the company is in the preclinical stage, conducting trials for bionaut in pigs and sheep with the aim of starting clinical trials in humans in 2024.
we are at the door of A new way to diagnose and treat diseases Which was unimaginable till recently. The advent of nanobots heralds a new era, with the potential to transform medicine as we know it and offer new hope to patients around the world.
It’s exciting to imagine how these little robots will be able to improve and save lives as technology progresses. A small solution to big health problems.
