Nanotechnology in The Diamond Age. By: Celeste Barker and Cara English

Transcription

1 Nanotechnology in The Diamond Age By: Celeste Barker and Cara English

2 What is Nanotechnology? By definition, Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers. Many examples in The Diamond Age

3 Phased Acoustical Array An music system implanted right on your eardrum. This kind of technology today would have a number of benefits - Never need headphones again! - Better than bluetooth for hands-free driving But would also have drawbacks - Possibility of getting hacked - Toxicity potential

4 Similar Technology Today... Surgically Implanted Headphones! - Magnets sit on the outside of the tragus, the part of the ear that projects immediately in front of the canal. The magnets function as speakers, and the coil around the neck transmits to them. - The closer the coils move toward the implant, the louder the sound becomes. Pressing on his tragus and moving the implant closer to the eardrum likewise increases volume

5 Cookie-Cutters Bomblets in the blood

6 Future of Nano-warfare? With the use of these devices and a reliable administration tactic, killing war enemies would be a lot easier however, this technology has not been developed Cool warlike nanotechnology that is being explored: - Lighter, stronger body armor - Nanodrones - New class of ships and vehicles

7 Freedom Machine (brith control) A birth control device developed using nanotechnology. Stephenson proposes a very tiny machine that would live inside of a woman's fallopian tube and grab each egg that came along before it had the chance to encounter any sperm cells that might be passing by Applicational Problem: In order to work, the nanomachine would have to be developed so that it does not attack other cells

8 Modern Freedom Machine The Birth Control Implant - A matchstick-sized rod that is inserted in the arm to prevent pregnancy - Safe, effective, and convenient Must be inserted by a health care provider - Costs up to $800 up front, but lasts up to three years

9 Implanted Credit Card A credit card system that could be surgically implanted; uses radio frequency identification to communicate with checkout hardware. Benefits? - Never lose your credit card! Raises many security concerns - When embedded in human bodies, because they broadcast their ID number, a thief could rig up his or her own device to intercept and then rebroadcast the signal to an automatic teller machine. - ADP Chief Executive - Thieves may try to slice the tags out of their victims

10 Implanted Credit Cards have been developed! - A recent radio frequency identification (RFID) product called VeriChip is now being used in a controversial pilot program in Mexico to help identify missing children - Applied Digitial Solutions Chief Executive Scott Silverman, in a speech at the ID Wolrd 2003 conference in Paris, said his company had developed a "VeriPay" RFID technology and was hoping to find partners in financial services firms.

11 Nanotechnology is Everywhere

12 Nano-Enhanced Textiles Researchers at University in Melbourne have developed a cheap and efficient way to grow nanostructures that can degrade organic matter when exposed to light directly Will be applied to textiles that can spontaneously clean themselves of stains by being put under a light bulb or out in the sun How it works When the nanostructures are exposed to light, they receive an energy boost that creates hot electrons. These hot electrons release a burst of energy that enables the structures to degrade organic matter Challenges: How to build the structures on an industrial scale How to permanently attach them to textiles Solution: to grow the nanostructures directly onto the textiles Results: It took less than 6 minutes for the nano-enhanced textiles to spontaneously clean themselves Video:

13 Nanotechnology in Cars Improves the batteries in electric cars More powerful Longer-lasting Less expensive material Nanomaterials replacing steel panels

14 Water Sustainability Through Nanotechnology The increased surface area and reactivity of ENMs can be exploited to create metal free catalysts for water purification Stronger, lighter, and more durable piping systems

15 Nanoparticle-based Cancer Therapies The ability to target tumors while leaving healthy tissue intact Have demonstrated in preclinical animal studies Study: examined gastric tumors from nine human patients both before and after infusion with a drug (camptothecin). The drug was chemically bound to nanoparticles of 30 nanometers in size Findings: 24 to 48 hours after the nanoparticles were administered, the tumor tissues had been localized. The drug had the intended biological effects of inhibiting two proteins that are involved in the progression of the cancer. The nanoparticles and the drug were absend from healthy tissues adjacent to the tumors Designed to be flexible - can attach different drugs, can change the release rate of the drug Future: more effective drugs, leaving patients with fewer side effects Video

16 QUESTIONS?

17 References