Material Science

DefinitionA nanomachine,

also called a nanite, is a mechanical or electromechanical device whose dimensions are measured in nanometers (millionths of a millimeter, or units of 10-9 meter).

This is a representation of a nanomachine. The colored balls represent individual atoms that comprise the machine.

VisionaryDuring the 1980’s and

1990’s, K. Eric Drexler popularized the potential for nanomachines..

The ultimate goal of nanomachine technology is to build an “assembler” nanomachine that is designed to manipulate matter at the atomic level.

The “assembler” would be able to rearrange atoms from raw materials in order to produce useful items.

EngineeringThe most important challenge to overcome is one of

molecular engineering. Rearranging atoms into new shapes is essentially building new molecules.

Through experimentation, more control could be gained on how molecules are formed.

In time, chemists will be able to position individual atoms by techniques developed in chemical synthesis.

In computer simulations, molecularly stable gears and cogs have been formed through chemical synthesis.

Nanogear