An emerging technological trend in implantable electronics is nanotechnology. Nanotechnology, the creation and use of materials or devices at extremely small scales. These materials or devices fall in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). One nm is equal to one-billionth of a meter (.000000001 m), which is about 50,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Scientists refer to the dimensional range of 1 to 100 nm as the nanoscale, and materials at this scale are called nanocrystals or nanomaterials.
A number of important breakthroughs have already occurred in nanotechnology. These developments are found in products used throughout the world. Some examples are catalytic converters in automobiles that help remove air pollutants, devices in computers that read from and write to the hard disk, certain sunscreens and cosmetics that transparently block harmful radiation from the Sun, and special coatings for sports clothes and gear that help improve the gear and possibly enhance the athlete’s performance. Still, many scientists, engineers, and technologists believe they have only scratched the surface of nanotechnology’s potential.
In science-fiction movies such as G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, nanotechnology was put into focus with nanomites being weaponized to destroy any metal it came across. Furthermore, nanomites were even used on people to manipulate their responses and subdue personal feelings of pain and fear. It accomplishes this by making nanomites control the nerve endings of the neurons with electrical synapses. In the movie, the leading lady of the protagonist only managed to react against nanomites due to her love for the hero. However, the scientific significance of nanomites as a medical breakthrough is something that can’t be ignored because at the nanoscale level, viruses and bacteria can be dealt with much more precision seeing as this nanomites can be controlled remotely.
Posted 2011-01-29 and updated on Jun 07, 2011 9:25pm by crisd