Nanosubmarines, or nanosubs, are synthetic

microscopic The microscopic scale () is the scale of objects and events smaller than those that can easily be seen by the naked eye, requiring a lens (optics), lens or microscope to see them clearly. In physics, the microscopic scale is sometimes regarded a ...

devices that can navigate and perform specific tasks within the human body. Most of the self-propelled devices will be used to detect substances, decontaminate the environment, perform targeted drug delivery, conduct microsurgery and destroy malicious cells. Nanosubmarines use a variety of methods to navigate through the body; currently the preferred method uses the electrochemical properties of molecules. There have been multiple successful tests using this technology to heal mice with

inflammatory bowel disease Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammation, inflammatory conditions of the colon (anatomy), colon and small intestine, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis being the principal types. Crohn's disease affects the small intestine a ...

s. The general goal of nanosubmarines is to be able to produce a machine which can sense and respond autonomously, all while being fueled by its environment.

Uses

The main purpose of a nanosubmarine is to navigate the body and perform a specific task. The most speculated task is the treatment and

diagnosis Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine " cause and effect". In systems engin ...

of diseases from within the body. This is supported by the task of detecting substances, as most diseases cause a specific type of protein or other molecule to be made in abundance within the bloodstream. Another speculated task is microsurgery. With this technology, doctors will be able to perform surgery on specific locations from within the body. One example of this could be a treatment for

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

. A nanosubmarine could be built to detect specific cancer cells within the body; after locating the cells, the nanosub would be able to kill only the mutated cells and ignore healthy cells.

Navigation

Navigation is one of the most difficult aspects to develop in nanosubmarines. The goal is to be able to travel throughout the bloodstream without getting stuck in even the smallest of capillaries. However, this is difficult because the smallest capillaries are 2 μm across (2.0 x 10⁻⁶m); blood cells are about 7μm but they are easily pliable and can squeeze through the capillaries. Another challenge with navigation is the fact that physics restricts the amount of propulsion such a small device can output. The blood flow is simply too strong for any device even compete with the flow, therefore the nanosubmarine would have to be carried by the blood. One form of propulsion nanosubmarines could use is electrochemical. One example of a motor is a

nanorod In nanotechnology, nanorods are one morphology of nanoscale objects. Each of their dimensions range from 1–100 nm. They may be synthesized from metals or semiconducting materials. Standard aspect ratios (length divided by width) are 3-5. Na ...

which is platinum on one side and gold on the other. When submerged in

hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula . In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usually as a dilute solution (3%� ...

the platinum oxidizes the H₂O₂ into 2H⁺ and O₂. This process occurs because platinum takes two electrons from the molecule. On the other side of the rod, the gold reduces hydrogen peroxide into water, in doing so an electron is pulled from the gold. This causes a steady electron flow from the platinum side of the rod towards the gold side. Since the rod is so small,

Newton's third law Newton's laws of motion are three basic laws of classical mechanics that describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it. These laws can be paraphrased as follows: # A body remains at rest, or in motion ...

of physics applies. For any action there is a reaction, when the electrons are pulled across the surface of the rod, so too is the rod pulled in the opposite direction.

Scientific achievements

The first recorded success of a nanosubmarine was performed by a team of students led by Dan Peer from

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...

in Israel. This was a continuation to Peer's work at Harvard on nanosubmarines and targeted drug delivery. Tests have proven successful in delivering drugs to heal mice with ulcerative colitis. Tests will continue and the team plans to experiment on the human body soon.

References

{{Reflist Nanotechnology

Uses

Navigation

Scientific achievements

See also

References