Table of Contents

Advance Materials
Properties of Materials 1
Material Selection 1
Classification of Materials 3
Developments of Materials 7
Advanced Manufacturing Processes 11
Advanced Materials in the Philippines 13

Robotics
Introduction 14
Origin of Robotics 15
Development of Robotics 15
Types of Robots 21
Three Laws of Robotics 22
Advantages and Disadvantages of Robotics 23

Nanotechnology
Introduction 25
History of Nanotechnology 25
Nanotechnology: Tools and Techniques 26
Approaches of Nanotechnology 28
Applications of Nanotechnology 29

References 42

i
 ADVANCE MATERIALS

Properties of Materials

When selecting a material for a given application, the material properties must satisfy the
function and the operating conditions of the component or the structure being designed. The
properties, which directly influence the choice of material, can be summarized under the following
categories:

 Mechanical Properties: e.g. stiffness, strength, ductility, hardness, toughness, etc

 Physical Properties: e.g. density, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, etc.
 Chemical Properties: e.g. corrosion resistance in various environments.
 Manufacturing Properties: e.g. formability, machinability, ease of joining, etc.

The functional requirements of a product are directly determined by the mechanical, physical,
chemical properties. However, for the product to be technically manufacturable, the material must
have the right manufacturing properties. For example, a forged component requires a material with
sufficient flowability without cracking during forging, a cast component requires a material that
flows readily in the molten state and fills the mould and on solidification does not produce
undesirable pores and cracks.

Material Selection

No two materials have the same properties and the choice is usually decided by the best
possible combination of material properties and economical factors which necessitates an optimum
solution. Material selection task requires a through and scientific approach and the following major
aspects need to be satisfied:

 Functional properties: The correct combination of mechanical, physical and chemical

properties to meet the function and operating conditions of the component.
 Manufacturing properties: Processing or fabrication properties of the material for the
conversion processes needed to convert the material into required shape, such as ease of
casting, forming, joining, and machining.

1
  Economics: Cost of the material as well as cost of processing the material into required
shape. As part of overall economics, both availability and recycling aspect should also be
taken into account.

Material selection involves a complex interaction between component function, material,

process, component shape and costs. Those who select materials should at least have a broad and
basic understanding of properties of materials and their processing characteristics. The function of
the component must be clearly defined in order that the required mechanical properties may be
identified. An ideal list of requirements may be easy to arrive at, but a material and process to
satisfy all of these requirements is unlikely to exist and an appropriate compromise must be found.
It is, therefore, important to distinguish essential properties from desirable properties, those that
can be compromised in order to achieve the essential properties. Material properties are often
quoted independent of shape but in some circumstances geometry can influence the response of a
component with respect to stiffness and strength, to a considerable degree.

An additional factor in selecting a material for a particular component is consideration of the

manufacturing process. A process must be found that is capable of making the component shape,
with the correct accuracy, and with an acceptable cost. In reality, both material and process
selection must be considered simultaneously since not all materials are compatible with every
process. For example, steel, nickel and titanium cannot be die cast, ceramic materials cannot be
machined using conventional techniques and the complexity of component shape limits the process
choice further.

It is also important that both the material and processes used must be controlled during
manufacture. For example, an incoming stock of raw material, which shows variations in
composition and microstructure, cannot be heat treated and machined easily. A sheet metal
showing variations in its cold worked condition will exhibit differences in ‘spring back’
characteristics during forming. A cast component may show inclusions and porosity unless melting
operation, mould filling and solidification of the casting are controlled. The final functional or
mechanical properties of a component, to a large extent, depend on the degree of control it receives
during its processing.

Material property data is widely available in various published form including material
handbooks, reference books, publications of many technical societies, etc., however, a speedy

2
access to right information may not always be possible. Tools have been developed to assist in
identifying the best material choice for a given set of requirements. These include for example,
material comparison charts, which contain plots of one property against another.

Classification of Materials

1. Metals

Metals are sometimes described as a lattice of positive ions surrounded by a cloud of

delocalized electrons. The metals are one of the three groups of elements as distinguished by their
ionization and bonding properties, along with the metalloids and nonmetals. On the periodic table,
a diagonal line drawn from boron (B) to polonium (Po) separates the metals from the nonmetals.
Most elements on this line are metalloids, sometimes called semi-metals; elements to the lower
left are metals; elements to the upper right are nonmetals. A modern definition of metals is that
they have overlapping conduction bands and valence bands in their electronic structure. This
definition opens up the category for metallic polymers and other organic metals, which have been
made by researchers and employed in high-tech devices. These synthetic materials often have the
characteristic silvery-grey reflectiveness of elemental metals. The traditional definition focuses on
the bulk properties of metals. They tend to be lustrous, ductile, malleable, and good conductors of
electricity, while nonmetals are generally brittle (for solid nonmetals), lack lustre, and are
insulators.

3
 Metals are used in:

 Transportation -- Cars, buses, trucks, trains, ships, and airplanes.

 Aerospace -- Unmanned and manned rockets and the space shuttle.
 Computers and other electronic devices that require conductors (TV, radio, stereo,
calculators, security devices, etc.)
 Communications including satellites that depend on a tough but light metal shell.
 Food processing and preservation -- Microwave and conventional ovens and refrigerators
and freezers.
 Construction -- Nails in conventional lumber construction and structural steel inother
buildings.
 Biomedical applications -- As artificial replacement for joints and other prostheses.
 Electrical power production and distribution -- Boilers, turbines, generators, transformers,
power lines, nuclear reactors, oil wells, and pipelines.

2. Polymers

Polymer, any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large

molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers.
Polymers make up many of the materials in living organisms, including, for example, proteins,

4
cellulose, and nucleic acids. Moreover, they constitute the basis of such minerals as diamond,
quartz, and feldspar and such man-made materials as concrete, glass, paper, plastics, and rubbers.

The word polymer designates an unspecified number of monomer units. When the number
of monomers is very large, the compound is sometimes called a high polymer. Polymers are not
restricted to monomers of the same chemical composition or molecular weight and structure. Some
natural polymers are composed of one kind of monomer. Most natural and synthetic polymers,
however, are made up of two or more different types of monomers; such polymers are known as
copolymers.

Organic polymers play a crucial role in living things, providing basic structural materials
and participating in vital life processes. For example, the solid parts of all plants are made up of
polymers. These include cellulose, lignin, and various resins. Cellulose is a polysaccharide, a
polymer that is composed of sugar molecules. Lignin consists of a complicated three-dimensional
network of polymers. Wood resins are polymers of a simple hydrocarbon, isoprene. Another
familiar isoprene polymer is rubber.

3. Composites

Composites, also known as Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites, are made from a
polymer matrix that is reinforced with an engineered, man-made or natural fiber (like glass, carbon
or aramid) or other reinforcing material. The matrix protects the fibers from environmental and

5
external damage and transfers the load between the fibers. The fibers, in turn, provide strength and
stiffness to reinforce the matrix—and help it resist cracks and fractures.

In many of our industry’s products, polyester resin is the matrix and glass fiber is the
reinforcement. But many combinations of resins and reinforcements are used in composites—and
each material contributes to the unique properties of the finished product: Fiber, powerful but
brittle, provides strength and stiffness, while more flexible resin provides shape and protects the
fiber. FRP composites may also contain fillers, additives, core materials or surface finishes
designed to improve the manufacturing process, appearance and performance of the final product.

4. Ceramics

Ceramics are classified as inorganic and nonmetallic materials that are essential to our daily
lifestyle. Ceramic and materials engineers are the people who design the processes in which these
products can be made, create new types of ceramic products, and find different uses for ceramic
products in everyday life.

Ceramics are all around us. This category of materials includes things like tile, bricks,
plates, glass, and toilets. Ceramics can be found in products like watches (quartz tuning forks-the
time keeping devices in watches), snow skies (piezoelectric-ceramics that stress when a voltage is
applied to them), automobiles (sparkplugs and ceramic engine parts found in racecars), and phone
lines. They can also be found on space shuttles, appliances (enamel coatings), and airplanes (nose
cones). Depending on their method of formation, ceramics can be dense or lightweight. Typically,

6
they will demonstrate excellent strength and hardness properties; however, they are often brittle in
nature. Ceramics can also be formed to serve as electrically conductive materials, objects allowing
electricity to pass through their mass, or insulators, materials preventing the flow of electricity.
Some ceramics, like superconductors, also display magnetic properties.

Ceramics are generally made by taking mixtures of clay, earthen elements, powders, and
water and shaping them into desired forms. Once the ceramic has been shaped, it is fired in a high
temperature oven known as a kiln. Often, ceramics are covered in decorative, waterproof, paint-
like substances known as glazes.

Developments of Materials

A. Bakelite

In 1909, a Belgian chemist named Leo Baekeland created the first entirely synthetic
plastic—and it would revolutionize the way many consumer goods were manufactured. Baekeland
called his plastic “Bakelite.” Its properties made it suited for a much wider variety of purposes
than its predecessors. For example, it was resistant to heat and would not conduct electricity, so it
was a really good insulator—which made it particularly useful in the automotive and electrical
industries emerging in the early 1900s.

Like many modern plastics, Bakelite was lightweight and durable, and it could be molded
into nearly infinite shapes, so its use quickly expanded as manufacturers realized its potential.
Consumers primarily were attracted to its aesthetic qualities: a sleek, stylish look coupled with a
substantial, high-end feel. People bought Bakelite jewelry boxes, lamps, desk sets, clocks, radios,
telephones, kitchenware, tableware, and a variety of game pieces such as chess sets, billiard balls,
and poker chips. Bakelite ushered in a new era of attractive, affordable, convenient consumer

7
goods, making it possible for a broad range of consumers to enjoy products that previously had
been inaccessible.

B. Synthetic Rubber

Synthetic rubber is a man-made rubber which is produced in manufacturing plants by

synthesizing it from petroleum and other minerals. Synthetic rubber is basically a polymer or an
artificial polymer. It has the property of undergoing elastic stretchability or deformation under
stress but can also return to its previous size without permanent deformation. This page is about
different synthetic rubber types. However, before understanding the types of synthetic rubber, it is
desirable to learn about the kinds of rubber available in today's world.

Rubber Types- The Types of Rubber

Rubber is a broad term used to refer to many types of different polymers, simply called the
types of rubber that are all elastomers. Being elastomers mean they can be stretched out and will
return to their original shape let gone. Natural rubber is the original and the first kind of rubber to
be used by man- it is still used in different forms. Other than natural rubber, all the other types of
rubber are synthetic or manmade. Some of the examples of such rubber types include
Polychloroprene (generally sold by the trade name Neoprene); Polybutadiene; Poly(styrene-
butadiene-styrene) rubber or SBS rubber; Polyisobutylene; Silicone among others.

8
 C. Nylon

Nylon can be drawn, cast, or extruded through spinnerets from a melt or solution to form
fibres, filaments, bristles, or sheets to be manufactured into yarn, fabric, and cordage; and it can
be formed into molded products. It has high resistance to wear, heat, and chemicals.

When cold-drawn, it is tough, elastic, and strong. Most generally known in the form of fine
and coarse filaments in such articles as hosiery, parachutes, and bristles, nylon is also used in the
molding trade, particularly in injection molding, where its toughness and ability to flow around
complicated inserts are prime advantages. Polyamides may be made from a dicarboxylic acid and
a diamine or from an amino acid that is able to undergo self-condensation, or its lactam,
characterized by the functional group ―CONH― in a ring, such as ε-caprolactam. By varying the
acid and the amine, it is possible to make products that are hard and tough or soft and rubbery.
Whether made as filaments or as moldings, polyamides are characterized by a high degree of
crystallinity, particularly those derived from primary amines. Under tension, orientation of
molecules continues until the specimen is drawn to about four times its initial length, a property
of particular importance in filaments.

Two of the ingredients that are used to synthesize the most common nylon, adipic acid and
hexamethylenediamine, each contain six carbon atoms, and the product has been named nylon-
6,6. When caprolactam is the starting material, nylon-6 is obtained, so named because it has six
carbon atoms in the basic unit.

9
 D. Carbon Fiber

Carbon Fiber is a polymer and is sometimes known as graphite fiber. It is a very strong
material that is also very lightweight. Carbon fiber is five-times stronger than steel and twice as
stiff. Though carbon fiber is stronger and stiffer than steel, it is lighter than steel; making it the
ideal manufacturing material for many parts. These are just a few reasons why carbon fiber is
favored by engineers and designers for manufacturing.

Carbon fiber is made of thin, strong crystalline filaments of carbon that is used to strengthen
material. Carbon fiber can be thinner than a strand of human hair and gets its strength when twisted
together like yarn. Then it can be woven together to form cloth and if needed to take a permanent
shape, carbon fiber can be laid over a mold and coated in resin or plastic.

On top of being strong, carbon fiber:

● Is high in stiffness

● Is high in tensile strength

● Has a low weight to strength ratio

● Is high in chemical resistance

● Is temperature tolerant to excessive heat

● Has low thermal expansion

Because of this, carbon fiber is very popular in many industries such as aerospace,
automotive, military, and recreational applications.

10
 E. Optical Fiber

Fiber optics, or optical fiber, refers to the medium and the technology associated with the
transmission of information as light pulses along a glass or plastic strand or fiber. A fiber optic
cable can contain a varying number of these glass fibers -- from a few up to a couple hundred.
Surrounding the glass fiber core is another glass layer called cladding. A layer known as a buffer
tube protects the cladding, and a jacket layer acts as the final protective layer for the individual
strand.

Fiber optics transmit data in the form of light particles -- or photons -- that pulse through a
fiber optic cable. The glass fiber core and the cladding each have a different refractive index that
bends incoming light at a certain angle. Wen light signals are sent through the fiber optic cable,
they reflect off the core and cladding in a series of zig-zag bounces, adhering to a process called
total internal reflection. The light signals do not travel at the speed of light because of the denser
glass layers, instead traveling about 30% slower than the speed of light. To renew, or boost, the
signal throughout its journey, fiber optics transmission sometimes requires repeaters at distant
intervals to regenerate the optical signal by converting it to an electrical signal, processing that
electrical signal and retransmitting the optical signal.

Advanced Manufacturing Processes

1. 3D Printing

3D printing is an innovative technology that lets you create a physical object from a digital
model. It started in the 80’s under the name ‘rapid prototyping’ because this was the purpose of
the technology: to prototype faster and cheaper. A lot’s changed since then, and today 3D printers
offer amazing results and let you create anything you can imagine.

11
How does 3D printing work?

3D printing is also called additive manufacturing, because unlike the traditional subtractive
manufacturing, 3D printing doesn’t remove material, it adds it, layer after layer.

In order to print something, first you’ll need a 3D model of the object you want to create,
which you can design in a 3D modeling program (CAD - Computer Aided Design), or use a 3D
scanner to scan the object you want to print. There are also more simple options, like searching
online on Youmagine.com for 3D models that have been created and shared by other people. Once
your design’s ready, all you need to do is import it. Cura will then turn your design into a gcode
file ready to be printed as a physical object. Simply save your file to the supplied USB stick and
insert it into your Ultimaker and press print.

2. The Internet of Things

An IoT ecosystem consists of web-enabled smart devices that use embedded processors,
sensors and communication hardware to collect, send and act on data they acquire from their
environments. IoT devices share the sensor data they collect by connecting to an IoT gateway or
other edge device where data is either sent to the cloud to be analyzed or analyzed locally.
Sometimes, these devices communicate with other related devices and act on the information they
get from one another. The devices do most of the work without human intervention, although
people can interact with the devices -- for instance, to set them up, give them instructions or access
the data. The connectivity, networking and communication protocols used with these web-enabled
devices largely depend on the specific IoT applications deployed.

3. Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which

is about 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and application of
extremely small things and can be used across all the other science fields, such as chemistry,
biology, physics, materials science, and engineering.

12
 4. Robotics

Robotics, Design, construction, and use of machines (robots) to perform tasks done
traditionally by human beings. Robots are widely used in such industries as automobile
manufacture to perform simple repetitive tasks, and in industries where work must be performed
in environments hazardous to humans. Many aspects of robotics involve artificial intelligence;
robots may be equipped with the equivalent of human senses such as vision, touch, and the ability
to sense temperature. Some are even capable of simple decision making, and current robotics
research is geared toward devising robots with a degree of self-sufficiency that will permit mobility
and decision-making in an unstructured environment. Today’s industrial robots do not resemble
human beings; a robot in human form is called an android.

Advanced Materials in the Philippines

1. Piezzoelectric Shoes

Fifteen-year-old Angelo Casimiro from the Philippines has just invented a smart shoe
insole that produces enough electricity when you walk to charge small USB devices. The gizmo
consists of piezoelectric materials, which, as Angelo explains, can generate an alternating current
voltage when actuated. (Solid materials like certain ceramics and salts exhibit this effect, which
was discovered in the late 1800s).

13
 ROBOTICS
I. What is Robotics?

Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that includes mechanical

engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering, computer science, and others.
Robotics deals with the design, construction, operation, and use of robots, as well as computer
systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing.

These technologies are used to develop machines that can substitute for humans and
replicate human actions. Robots can be used in many situations and for lots of purposes, but today
many are used in dangerous environments (including bomb detection and deactivation),
manufacturing processes, or where humans cannot survive (e.g. in space). Robots can take on any
form, but some are made to resemble humans in appearance. This is said to help in the acceptance
of a robot in certain replicative behaviors usually performed by people. Such robots attempt to
replicate walking, lifting, speech, cognition, and basically anything a human can do. Many of
today's robots are inspired by nature, contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics.

The concept of creating machines that can operate autonomously dates back to classical
times, but research into the functionality and potential uses of robots did not grow substantially
until the 20th century. Throughout history, it has been frequently assumed that robots will one day
be able to mimic human behavior and manage tasks in a human-like fashion. Today, robotics is a
rapidly growing field, as technological advances continue; researching, designing, and building
new robots serve various practical purposes, whether domestically, commercially, or militarily.
Many robots are built to do jobs that are hazardous to people such as defusing bombs, finding
survivors in unstable ruins, and exploring mines and shipwrecks. Robotics is also used in STEM
(science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as a teaching aid.

Robotics is a branch of engineering that involves the conception, design, manufacture, and
operation of robots. This field overlaps with electronics, computer science, artificial intelligence,
mechatronics, nanotechnology and bioengineering.

14
 II. Origin of Robotics

The word robotics was derived from the word robot, which was introduced to the public by
Czech writer Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), which was published
in 1920. The word robot comes from the Slavic word robota, which means labour/work. The play
begins in a factory that makes artificial people called robots, creatures who can be mistaken for
humans – very similar to the modern ideas of androids. Karel Čapek himself did not coin the word.
He wrote a short letter in reference to an etymology in the Oxford English Dictionary in which he
named his brother Josef Čapek as its actual originator.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word robotics was first used in print by
Isaac Asimov, in his science fiction short story "Liar!", published in May 1941 in Astounding
Science Fiction. Asimov was unaware that he was coining the term; since the science and
technology of electrical devices is electronics, he assumed robotics already referred to the science
and technology of robots. In some of Asimov's other works, he states that the first use of the word
robotics was in his short story Runaround (Astounding Science Fiction, March 1942) where he
introduced his concept of The Three Laws of Robotics. However, the original publication of
"Liar!" predates that of "Runaround" by ten months, so the former is generally cited as the word's
origin.

III. Development of Robotics

The history of robotics dates back to Ancient Greeks. Greek mythology had at least
one instance of robots: the mechanical servants of the Greek god of technology, fire, and
the forge, Hephaestus.

In 1206 Al-Jazari created the earliest form of programmable humanoid robots which was
an automaton. This automaton appeared as four musicians on a boat in a lake and it had
a programmable drum machine with pegs that bump into little levers that operated the
percussion. Al-Jazari had many other automatons.

In 1945 Leoanardo Da Vinci a humanoid automaton in knight's armor to entertain which

15
was not known if it was ever built actually.

Johannes Müller von Königsberg created an automaton eagle

and fly made of iron; both could fly in 1533.

Jacques De Vaucanson created some of the most famous

automatons in 1737. His most famous work was ''The Digesting
Duck'' which was capable of imitating a real duck by flapping its
wings, eat grain, digest it, and defecate and was powered by
weights.

In 1800s, the Japanese craftsman Hisashige Tanaka (1799-1881), known as ''Japan's

Edison'' or ''Karakuri Giemon'', created an array of extremely complex mechanical toys,
some of which served tea, fired arrows drawn from a quiver. Nikola Tesla demonstrated a
radio-controlled torpedo.

The first person who used the word ''robot'' was a play author Karel Capek in his 1921
play, creating the word from the Czech word ''robota'', meaning servitude.

In 1928, Japan's first robot, Gakutensoku, was designed and constructed by biologist
Makoto Nishimura.

In the 1930s, they created a humanoid robot known as Elektro for exhibition purposes,
including the 1939 and 1940 World's Fairs.

In 1940 Issac Asimov produced a series of short stories about robots starting with ''A
Strange Playfellow''; for Super Science Stories magazine whose story was about a robot
and its affection for a child that it was bound to protect. Over the next 10 years he
produced more stories about robots that were eventually recompiled into the volume ''I,
Robot''; in 1950.

16
Asimov was generally credited with the popularization of the term ''Robotics'' which was
first mentioned in his story ''Runaround'' in 1942. But probably Issac Asimov's most
important contribution to the history of the robot is the creation of his Three Laws of
Robotics:

1) A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to
come to harm.
2) A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders
would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict
with the First or Second Law.

Asimov later added a ''zeroth law'' to the list. Zeroth law: A robot may not injure
humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.

Alan Turing published Computing Machinery and

Intelligence in which he proposed a test to determine
whether or not a machine has gained the power to think
for itself.

George Devol invented the first truly modern robot called

the Unimate which was digitally operated and
programmable in 1954. Unimate was sold to General
Motors in 1960 and it was installed in 1961 in a plant in
Trenton, New Jersey to lift hot pieces of metal from a die
casting machine and stack them.

In 1959 John McCarthy and Marvin Minsky started the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) an then he leaved MIT in 1963 to
start the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Stanford University. After his starting this
laboratory the Stanford Research Institute (later to be known as SRI Technology) created

17
Shakey the first mobile robot to know and react to its own actions. Amongst other
achievements SRI was also the research institute that helped bring us modern day laundry
detergent in the development of Tide in 1966. In the same year, an artificial intelligence
program named ELIZA is created at MIT by Joseph Weizenbaum. ELIZA functions as a
computer psychologist that manipulates its users statements to form questions.
Weizenbaum was disturbed at how quickly people put faith in his little program.

In 1969 Victor Scheinman, a Mechanical Engineering student

working in the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL) creates
the Stanford Arm and today the design of this arm influences the
design of robot arms.

In 1970 Stanford University produced the Stanford Cart which is designed to be a line
follower but also was able to be controlled from a computer via radio link.

Victor Scheinman formed his own company and started marketing the Silver Arm, that
was capable of assembling small parts together using touch sensors in 1974.

Soft Gripper was designed by Shigeo Hirose to to wrap

around an object in snake like fashion in 1976.

In 1978 the 4 axis robot arm SCARA, Selective

Compliance Assembly Robot Arm, was created. It was the
best used for picking up parts and placing them in another
location and it was introduced to assembly lines in 1981.

The Stanford Cart built in 1970 was rebuilt by Hans Moravec by adding a more robust
vision system allowing greater autonomy in 1979 These were some of the first
experiments with 3D environment. mapping.

18
 In 1981 Takeo Kanade built the direct drive arm, that was the
first to have motors installed directly into the joints of the arm.
This change caused this design to become faster and much more
accurate than previous robotic arms.

In 1986 LEGO and the MIT Media Lab colaborated to bring

the first LEGO based educational products to market. LEGO tc
Logo was used by in the classrooms of thousands of elementary
school teachers. In the same year Honda began its humanoid
research and development program to create robots capable of
interacting successfully with humans.

In 1989 at MIT a hexapodal walking robot named Genghis, that used 4 microprocessors,
22 sensors, and 12 servo motors, was unveiled by the Mobile Robots Group MIT and
Rodney Brooks and A. M. Flynn published the paper ''Fast, Cheap and Out of Control: A
Robot Invasion of the Solar System'' in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society.
The paper changed rover research from building the one, big, expensive robot to building
lots of little cheap ones, and it also maked the idea of building a robot somewhat more
accessible to the average person.

In 1993 an eight legged robot was developed at Carnegie Mellon University called Dante
to collect data from a harsh environment similar to what we might find on another planet.
However, Dante failed to collect gases from because of a broken fiber optic cable. In
1994 Dante II, a more robust version of its predicessor, descended into the crater of
Alaskan volcano Mt. Spurr and completed the mission with a success.

Robotuna was a biomimetic robot that was designed to swim and

resemble a blue fin tuna and built by David Barrett for his doctoral
thesis at MIT in 1996.

Honda's P2 humanoid robot was first shown in 1996. Standing for

19
''Prototype Model 2'', P2 was an integral part of Honda's humanoid development project;
over 6 feet tall, P2 was smaller than its predecessors and appeared to be more human like
in its motions.

In 1997 The Pathfinder Mission landed on Mars. Its robotic

rover Sojourner, rolled down a ramp and onto Martian soil in
early July. It continued to broadcast data from the Martian
surface until September.

Sojourner performed semi-autonomous operations on the

surface of Mars as part of the Mars Pathfinder mission; equipped with an obstacle
avoidance program. Sojourner was capable of planning and navigating routes to study the
surface of the planet. Sojourner's ability to navigate with little data about its environment
and nearby surroundings allowed the robot to react to unplanned events and objects.

The robotic dog AIBO of Sony was introduced in 1999. The AIBO was capable of
interacting with humans. Then Sony also revealed its Sony Dream Robots, small
humanoid robots in development for entertainment.

The famous robot ASIMO of Honda was revealed as the most

advanced result of Honda's humanoid project in 2000. ASIMO
can run, walk, communicate with humans, interact with its
environment, recognize voice and posture.

On January 3rd and 24th the Mars rovers Spirit and

Opportunity land on the surface of Mars. Launched in 2003, the
two robots will drive many times the distance originally expected,
and are still operating.

In 2005 Honda introduced an updated version of ASIMO that has new behaviors and

20
 capabilities.

A 4-legged robot called ''Starfish'' that was capable of of self modeling and learning to
walk after having been damaged was created at Cornell University in 2006.

IV. Types of Robots

Nowadays, robots do a lot of different tasks in many fields and the number of jobs entrusted
to robots is growing steadily. That's why in my opinion one of the best ways how to divide robots
into types is a division by their application. There are

*Industrial robots - Industrial robots are robots used in an industrial manufacturing environment.
Usually these are articulated arms specifically developed for such applications as welding, material
handling, painting and others. If we judge purely by application this type could also include some
automated guided vehicles and other robots.

*Domestic or household robots - Robots used at home. This type of robots includes many quite
different devices such as robotic vacuum cleaners, robotic pool cleaners, sweepers, gutter cleaners
and other robots that can do different chores. Also, some surveillance and telepresence robots
could be regarded as household robots if used in that environment.

*Medical robots - Robots used in medicine and medical institutions. First and foremost - surgery
robots. Also, some automated guided vehicles and maybe lifting aides.

*Service robots - Robots that don’t fall into other types by usage. These could be different data
gathering robots, robots made to show off technologies, robots used for research, etc.

*Military robots - Robots used in military. This type of robots includes bomb disposal robots,
different transportation robots, reconnaissance drones. Often robots initially created for military
purposes can be used in law enforcement, search and rescue and other related fields.

*Entertainment robots - These are robots used for entertainment. This is a very broad category.

21
It starts with toy robots such as robosapien or the running alarm clock and ends with real
heavyweights such as articulated robot arms used as motion simulators.

*Space robots – This type would include robots used on the International Space Station,
Canadarm that was used in Shuttles, as well as Mars rovers and other robots used in space.

*Hobby and competition robots - Robots that you create. Line followers, sumo-bots, robots
made just for fun and robots made for competition.

V. Three Laws of Robotics

 A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being
to come to harm.
 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders
would conflict with the First Law.
 A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict
with the First or Second Law

VI. Pros and Cons

With robots becoming more common each and every day, it is important to understand both
the advantages and disadvantages that robots have. This will help enable people to better determine
when to use and when to not use robots.

The Advantages of Robots

Cost: The most obvious advantage of robots is their cost. Robots are cheaper than most
human counterparts, and their costs are still decreasing.

Abilities: Robotic abilities, what robots can do, are now extremely vast and growing.

22
 Productivity: Robots do not tire and can work very long hours without service or
maintenance. As a result, robots can be significantly more productive than people.

Precision: Robots can be much more precise than people. For instance, robots should not
tremble or shake as human hands do. Furthermore, robots can have much smaller and
versatile moving parts than people. As a result, robots have even performed medical
surgeries, because they can be more precise than people.

Strength: Without a doubt, robots can be significantly stronger than people.

Speed: Additionally, robots can be significantly faster than people too.

Size: Robots can come in any size. Whatever size needed for any task can be created.

Environment: Robots can be designed to work in extremely harsh environments, such as

in space, without air, underwater, fire, etc. Thus, robots can be used instead of people when
human safety is a concern.

Dangerous and Unwanted Work: Finally, robots can do jobs that people are unwilling to
do. For instance, many robotic probes have been sent throughout the solar system to never
return back to Earth. I don’t think many people would be willing to do those types of jobs.

Warfare: Using robots in warfare eliminates putting more people at risk and has proven to
be very successful

The Disadvantages of Robots

Jobs: In my opinion, the biggest issue with using robots is the huge loss of jobs for people.
Basically, robots have eradicated a wide range of middle class jobs in several industries,
such as car manufacturing.

Limited Functionality: Robots are very good at doing perfectly defined jobs, however
robots typically do not handle the unexpected as well as people do.

23
Lack of Intelligence: Since robots are not intelligent or sentient, robots can never improve
the results of their jobs outside of their predefined programming. In other words, robots do
not think. At least, not yet.

Lack of Emotions or Conscience: Similarly, robots do not have emotions or conscience;

therefore, robots lack empathy and all of the advantages that come with it. As a result, this
limits how robots can help and interact with people.

Colonization: While robots can be sent to other planets and distance moons to help colonize
them, they cannot build an independent functioning society.

Dangerous: Robots can be extremely dangerous. Whether robots are malfunctioning or

designed for warfare, robots can be very hazardous to people.

In conclusion, robots have a wide range of advantages and disadvantages. And their
utilization will only increase through time and with more technological advances.
Hopefully, this article will help people to better determine when to use and when to not use
robots.

24
 NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology is defined as the study and use of structures between 1 nanometer and 100
nanometers in size. In order to understand the idea of nanotechnology, think of a size scale.
Knowing that a centimeter is a hundredth of a meter, a millimeter is a thousandth of a meter, a
micrometer is a millionth of a meter. But all these things are bigger compared to the nanoscale. A
nanometer (nm) is one-billionth of a meter, smaller than the wavelength of visible light and a
hundred-thousandth the width of a human hair. Nanotechnology is rapidly becoming an
interdisciplinary field. Biologists, chemists, physicists and engineers are all involved in the study
of substances at the nanoscale.

History of Nanotechnology

The American physicist Richard Feynman

lectured, "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom," at
an American Physical Society meeting at California
Institute of Technology (Caltech) on December 29,
1959. That lecture is often held to have provided
inspiration for the field of nanotechnology.
Feynman described a process where scientists have
the ability to manipulate individual atoms and
molecules using one set of precise tools to build and
operate another proportionally smaller set, so on
down to the needed scale.

25
 The Japanese scientist Norio Taniguchi of Tokyo
University of Science was the first one to use the term “nano-
technology” in a 1974 paper on production technology that
creates objects and features on the order of a nanometer. His
definition was, “Nano-technology mainly consists of the
processing of, separation, consolidation, and deformation of
materials by one atom or one molecule."

In the late 1990s and early 2000s almost all

industrialized nations created nanotechnology initiatives,
leading to a worldwide proliferation of nanotechnology
activities. Significant progress was obtained by IBM in 1990 when a team of physicists had spelled
out the letters "IBM" using 35 individual atoms of xenon. Another breakthrough came in 1985
with the discovery of new shapes for molecules of carbon, known as the buckyball, which are
round and consist of 60 carbon atoms. This led to the discovery of a related molecular shape known
as the carbon nanotube in 1991. Carbon nanotubes are still one of the most promising areas of
nanotechnology as they are about 100 times stronger than steel but just a sixth of the weight; they
have unusual heat and conductivity characteristics.

Nanotechnology: Tools and Techniques

Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)

It is also known as scanning force microscopy (SFM). It is a very-high-resolution type of scanning

probe microscopy (SPM), with demonstrated resolution on
the order of fractions of a nanometer, more than 1000 times
better than the optical diffraction limit. The AFM was
developed in the 1980s by Gerd Binnig, Quate and Gerber
at the IBM Research – Zurich and earned them the Nobel
Prize for Physics for the same year.

The AFM has three major abilities: surface sensing,

detection method and imaging. An AFM uses a cantilever
Figure 1: A diagram showing how
with a very sharp tip (probe) to scan over a specimen AFM works

26
surface. The cantilever is typically silicon or silicon nitride with a tip radius of curvature on the
order of nanometers. As the tip approaches the surface, the close-range, attractive force between
the surface and the tip cause the cantilever to deflect towards the surface. However, as the
cantilever is brought even closer to the surface, such that the tip contacts it, increasingly repulsive
force takes over and causes the cantilever to deflect away from the surface.

A laser beam is used to detect cantilever deflections towards or away from the surface. By
reflecting an incident beam off the flat top of the cantilever, any cantilever deflection will cause
slight changes in the direction of the reflected beam. A position-sensitive photo diode (PSPD) can
be used to track these changes. Thus, if an AFM tip passes over a raised surface feature, the
resulting cantilever deflection (and the subsequent change in direction of reflected beam) is
recorded by the PSPD.

An AFM images the topography of a sample surface by scanning the cantilever over a region
of interest. The raised and lowered features on the sample surface influence the deflection of the
cantilever, which is monitored by the PSPD. By using a feedback loop to control the height of the
tip above the surface—thus maintaining constant laser position—the AFM can generate an
accurate topographic map of the surface features.

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is widely

used in both industrial and fundamental research to
obtain atomic scale images of metal surfaces. It provides
a three-dimensional profile of the surface and provides
useful information for characterizing surface roughness,
observing surface defects and determining the size and
conformation of molecules and aggregates. It was
invented in 1981 developed by Gerd Binnig and
Heinrich Rohrer in IBM Zurich Research Laboratory in
Switzerland. Figure 2: A diagram showing how
STM works

27
 The microscope works by scanning an electrical probe tip over the surface of a sample at a
constant spacing. STM is based on the principle of quantum tunneling. It is this effect that allows
us to “see” the surface. It is also based on the principle of piezoelectric effect. It is this effect that
allows to precisely scan the tip with angstrom-level control.

The STM works by scanning a very sharp metal wire tip and voltage is passed through the tip
and the specimen. A tunneling current occurs when electrons move through a barrier that they
classically shouldn’t be able to move through. As soon as the tunneling effect starts to work, the
distance between the tip and the material can be changed accordingly. An image is created
according to the current readings. A movement of the tip in the X-Y direction causes a change in
the height and density of the states. The height is in the Z-axis and can be measured with respect
to a constant current. The image clarity depends on the radius of curvature of the scanning tip of
the device.

Approaches of Nanotechnology

Bottom-up, top-down, biomimetic and functional are some of the current approaches in
nanotechnology. Bottom-up or self-assembly approaches to nano-fabrication use chemical or
physical forces operating at the nano-scale to assemble basic units into larger structures. As
component size decreases in nano-fabrication, bottom-up approaches provide an increasingly
important complement to top-down techniques. Inspiration for bottom-up approaches comes from
biological systems, where nature has harnessed chemical forces to create essentially all the
structures needed by life. Researchers hope to replicate nature’s ability to produce small clusters
of specific atoms, which can then self-assemble into more-elaborate structures.

Top-down involves lithographic patterning techniques using short-wavelength optical

sources. A key advantage of the top-down approach—as developed in the fabrication of integrated
circuits—is that the parts are both patterned and built in place, so that no assembly step is needed.
The top–down approach combines both conventional and unconventional methods to generate and
replicate nano-scale structures in a fashion similar to “carving” smaller objects from a large bulk
material.

28
 Biomimetic approach is the collaboration between materials science, biology and
biomedicine for the advancement of biomaterials collects the most promising solutions provided
by nature for the field of biomedicine, showing how to achieve the desired functionality by using
biomimetic. It consists of: bionics or biomimicry having normal biological capability or
performance enhanced by or as if by electronic or electromechanical devices.

Functional approach seeks to develop components of a desired functionality without regard

to how they might be assembled. Molecular scale electronics seeks to develop molecules with
useful electronic properties. These could then be used as single-molecule components in a
nanoelectronic device.

Applications of Nanotechnology

Lycurgus Cup (Rome)

Figure 3: Lit from the outside Figure 4: Lit from the inside

It is a 4th century cup made of a dichroic glass, which shows a different color depending
on whether or not light is passing through it; red when lit from behind and green when lit from
in front. It is the only complete Roman glass object made from this type of glass, and the one
exhibiting the most impressive change in color; it has been described as "the most spectacular
glass of the period, fittingly decorated, which we know to have existed.

29
 The dichroic effect is achieved by making the glass with tiny proportions of nanoparticles
of gold and silver dispersed in colloidal form throughout the glass material. The process used
remains unclear, and it is likely that it was not well understood or controlled by the makers,
and was probably discovered by accidental "contamination" with minutely ground gold and
silver dust. The glass-makers may not even have known that gold was involved, as the
quantities involved are so tiny; they may have come from a small proportion of gold in any
silver added (most Roman silver contains small proportions of gold), or from traces of gold or
gold leaf left by accident in the workshop from other work. The very few other surviving
fragments of Roman dichroic glass vary considerably in their two colors.

Nanomedicine (Drug Delivery)

Nanotechnology provides researchers with the opportunity to study and manipulate

macromolecules in real time and during the earliest stages of cancer progression. Nanotechnology
can provide rapid and sensitive detection of cancer-related molecules, enabling scientists to detect
molecular changes even when they occur only in a small percentage of cells. Nanotechnology also
has the potential to generate entirely novel and highly effective therapeutic agents.

Ultimately, the use of nanoscale materials for cancer, comes down to its ability to be readily
functionalized and easily tuned; its ability to deliver and / or act as the therapeutic, diagnostic, or
both; and its ability to passively accumulate at the tumor site, to be actively targeted to cancer
cells, and to be delivered across traditional biological barriers in the body such as dense stromal
tissue of the pancreas or the blood-brain barrier that highly regulates delivery of biomolecules to /
from, our central nervous system.

Drug delivery involves employing nanoparticles to deliver drugs, heat, light or other
substances to specific types of cells (such as cancer cells). Particles are engineered so that they are
attracted to diseased cells, which allows direct treatment of those cells. This technique reduces
damage to healthy cells in the body, allowing less side effects.

Cancer therapies are currently limited to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. These
therapies risk damage to normal tissues or incomplete eradication of the cancer. Nanotechnology
offers the means to target chemotherapies directly and selectively to cancerous cells and

30
neoplasms, guide in surgical resection of tumors, and enhance the therapeutic efficacy of radiation-
based and other current treatment modalities.

The use of nanotechnology for diagnosis and treatment of cancer is largely still in the
development phase. However, there are already several nanocarrier-based drugs on the market and
many more nano-based therapeutics in clinical trials. The first nanotechnology-based cancer drugs
have passed regulatory scrutiny and are already on the market including Doxil ® and Abraxane®.
In recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved numerous
Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for nano-formulations, enabling clinical trials for
breast, gynecological, solid tumor, lung, mesenchymal tissue, lymphoma, central nervous system
and genito-urinary cancer treatments.

PRODUCT COMPANY NANOPARTICLE DRUG INDICATION FDA

MATERIAL
Onivyde Merrimack Pharma Liposome Ironetican Pancreatic 2015
cancer

Marqibo Talon Liposome Vincristine Acute 2012

lymphoid
leukemia
NanoTherm Magforce Iron oxide Thermal 2010
Nanotechnologies nanoparticle ablation (EU)
glioblastoma
Mepact Takeda Liposome Mifamurtide Osteosarcoma 2009
MTP-PE (EU)
Genexol- Samyang/Biopharm PEG-PLA Paclitaxel Breast cancer, 2007
PM polymeric micelle Lung cancer, (South
Ovarian cancer Korea)
Table 1: Some Approved Cancer Drug Based on Nanotechnology

The safety of nanotechnology is continuously being tested. The small size, high reactivity, and
unique tensile and magnetic properties of nanomaterials—the same properties that drive interest
in their biomedical and industrial applications—have raised concerns about implications for the

31
environment, health, and safety (EHS). There has been some as yet unresolved debate recently
about the potential toxicity of a specific type of nanomaterial—carbon nanotubes (CNTs)—which
has been associated with tissue damage in animal studies. However, the majority of available data
indicate that there is nothing uniquely toxic about nanoparticles as a class of materials. In fact,
most engineered nanoparticles are proven to be far less toxic than household cleaning products,
insecticides used on family pets, and over-the-counter dandruff remedies. Certainly, the
nanoparticles used as drug carriers for chemotherapeutics are much less toxic than the drugs they
carry and are designed to carry drugs safely to tumors without harming organs and healthy tissue.

To ensure that potential risks of nanotechnology are thoroughly evaluated, the NCI Alliance
for Nanotechnology in Cancer makes the services of its Nanotechnology Characterization
Laboratory (NCL) available to the nanotech and cancer research communities. The NCL, an
intramural program of the Alliance, performs nanomaterial safety and toxicity testing in vitro (in
the laboratory) and using animal models. The NCL tests are designed to characterize nanomaterials
that enter the bloodstream, regardless of route. This testing is just one part of the NCL's cascade
of tests to evaluate the physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and efficacy of nanomaterials
intended for cancer therapy and diagnosis. To date, the NCL has evaluated more than 125 different
nanoparticles intended for medical applications.

Environmental Nanotechnology

An increasing variety of nanoscale materials with environmental applications has been

developed over the past several years. This includes in cleaning up existing pollution, improving
manufacturing methods to reduce the generation of new pollution, and making alternative energy
sources more cost effective.

Nanoscale materials are of interest for environmental applications because the surface areas
of the particles are large when compared with their volumes; therefore, their reactivity in chemical
or biological surface mediated reactions can be greatly enhanced in comparison to the same
material at much larger sizes. They can be manipulated for specific applications to create novel
properties not present in particles of the same material at the micro- or macroscale.

32
 Nanoscale materials can be highly reactive in part because of the large surface area to volume
ratio and the presence of a larger number of reactive sites; but may also exhibit altered reaction
rates that surface-area alone cannot account for. These properties allow for increased contact with
contaminants, thereby resulting in rapid reduction of contaminant concentrations. Furthermore,
because of their minute size, nanoscale materials may pervade very small spaces in the subsurface
and remain suspended in groundwater if appropriate coatings are used. Appropriate coating may
allow the particles to travel farther than macro-sized particles, achieve wider distribution, and
therefore improve contaminant reduction. There are various nanoparticles that boast different
water-purifying properties.

Nanoparticles for Water Purification

Silver nanoparticles act as an antibiotic, titanium dioxide nanoparticles trap heavy metals and
pollutants, while others capture salt. Engineers call these kinds of particles “nanoscavengers”.
These are nanoparticles containing synthetic antiferromagnetic core layers and functional capping
layers. Magnetically ultra-responsive nanoscavengers were fabricated, which contain synthetic
antiferromagnetic (SAF) core layers and functional capping layers. When dispersed in water, these
particles interact with contaminants to remove them from the water. They are then quickly
collected (<5 min) with a permanent magnet, owing to their magnetically ultra-responsive core
layers.

Figure 5: A schematic diagram of water purification process

33
 As shown in the above figure, the water purification system is a two-step process. Step 1
shows the dispersed nanoscavengers into the water containing micropollutants, such as pathogens,
organic compounds and heavy metals. Both nanoscavengers and micropollutants move randomly
due to Brownian motion, maximizing likelihood of collision. When this occurs, the active surface
layer of the nanoscavenger can interact with the micropollutant, resulting in its absorption or
detoxification/destruction. In step 2, an external magnetic field is applied. The nanoscavengers are
separated and collected, and purified water is discharged. This operational mode enables several
advantages, including high-reaction efficiency, zero-energy input for the separation step and reuse
of nanoscavengers.

Nanoparticles for Air Pollution

There are two major ways in which nanotechnology is being used to reduce air pollution:
catalysts and nano-structured membranes.

Catalysts can be used to enable a chemical reaction (which changes one type of molecule to
another) at lower temperatures or make the reaction more effective. Nanotechnology can improve
the performance and cost of catalysts used to transform vapors escaping from cars or industrial
plants into harmless gasses. That's because catalysts made from nanoparticles have a greater
surface area to interact with the reacting chemicals than catalysts made from larger particles. The
larger surface area allows more chemicals to interact with the catalyst simultaneously, which
makes the catalyst more effective. Catalysts are currently in use and being improved upon.

Nanostructured membranes, on the other hand, are being developed to separate carbon dioxide
from industrial plant exhaust streams. The plan is to create a method that can be implemented in
any power plant without expensive retrofitting.

There are still underdeveloped researchers that could aid the problem in air pollution. One of
these is the use of gold nanoparticles in a porous manganese oxide which is used as room
temperature catalyst to breakdown volatile organic compounds in air. Most modern air-purification
systems are based on photocatalysts, adsorbents such as activated charcoal, or ozonolysis.
However, these classic systems are not particularly good at breaking down organic pollutants at
room temperature.

34
 Japanese researchers have now developed a new material that effectively removes VOCs as
well as nitrogen- and sulfur oxides from air at room temperature. To prove the effectiveness of
their new catalyst, the research team headed by Anil K. Sinha at the Toyota Central R&D Labs
carried out tests with acetaldehyde, toluene, and hexane. These three major components of organic
air pollution play a role indoors as well as out. All three of these pollutants were very effectively
removed from air and degraded by the catalyst—significantly better than with conventional
catalyst systems.

These are some companies who have developed these air pollutants nanoparticles as shown in
the table below.

COMPANY PRODUCT ADVANTAGE

NanoStellar Nano-composite catalyst Reduce cost due to lower
for use in automotive platinum usage
catalytic converters
American Elements Catalyst composed of Capable of destroying
manganese oxide VOCs down to parts per
nanoparticles for removal billion level
of volatile organic
compounds (VOC)in
industrial air emissions
Poriferia Nanotube based
membranes for removal of
carbon dioxide from
smokestacks
Table 2: Environmental Nanotechnology Company Directory

Nanotechnology in Food

As the uses of nanotechnology have progressed, it has been found to be a promising

technology for the food packaging industry in the global market. It has proven capabilities that are

35
valuable in packaging foods, including improved barriers; mechanical, thermal, and biodegradable
properties; and applications in active and intelligent food packaging.

One of the fastest growing fields in nanotechnology is nanocomposite food packaging,

which is a good alternative for conventional packaging. Nanocomposites are made by the
incorporation of nanofillers that have nano-scale lengths in at least one dimension.

Nanocomposites improve barrier properties and have a positive impact on the thermal and
mechanical characteristics of the packaging material. such new packaging materials must have
excellent barrier properties to prevent the migration of oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and
flavor compounds. This will have a major influence on the shelf life of fresh and processed food.

Studies have indicated that incorporating nanocomposites in food packaging materials results
in better mechanical and thermal behavior of the packaging. For instance, researchers have
reported that engineered nanocomposites of biopolymer-layered silicate have noticeably enhanced
physical properties, such as higher tensile strength, enhanced thermal stability, and better gas
barrier properties. By using nanocomposites, the food packaging can better tolerate thermal stress
of food processing, shipping, and storage.

The most challenging concern about the use of nanoparticles pertains to their reduced particle
size, because the chemical and physical characteristics of such tiny materials may be quite different
from their macro scale counterparts. This implies that issues concerning their toxicity may be
different based on their very small sizes. It has been reported that some nanomaterials are
potentially harmful to human health. However, there is still insufficient proof concerning whether
this is attributable to any kind of nanomaterial applications, especially in the food industry.

Nanotechnology in Fabrics

Based on researchers, it has been proven that nanotechnology improves fabrics. Making
composite fabric with nano-sized particles or fibers allows improvement of fabric properties
without a significant increase in weight, thickness, or stiffness.

Manufacturers are using a few nanotechnology methods for making clothing water and stain
resistant. In 1998, David Soane developed a way to bond nanotubes, tiny structures he called

36
“nanowhiskers” to each individual thread of the cloth. Nanotubes are made of carbon and are only
about 10 nanometers long, each. The “nanowhiskers” are so small and so close together, they form
a sort of barrier around each fiber of the cloth that prevents liquids and other substances that stain
fabric from even touching the actual fabric. Instead, liquids bead up and can be brushed off like
loose dirt. These whiskers are aligned along spines using molecular hooks. This system of whiskers
and hooks make the fabric more durable but don’t make it less breathable (meaning that the
material still lets air in and out so you don’t feel like you’re in a sauna).

In addition, a company called Schoeller Technologies has a fabric treatment

called NanoSphere that adds nanoparticles to the surface of fabric, allowing clothing to shed water
just like a lotus leaf does. On classic surfaces, water, oil and dirt are absorbed by the fabric as the
larger contact area allows them to adhere better. On the nanosphere surface, nanoparticles form a
fine structure. Water, dirt and oil only remain on the peaks of the nanostructures and have a
diminished contact area. Adhesion is significantly reduced and the drops simply roll off or can be
rinsed off with water.

Also, a group of researchers at Pennsylvania State University have a rather great idea—
making a piece of torn fabric heal itself. The researchers have developed a biodegradable liquid
material that allows torn fabric to bind to itself back together, sans needles.

Nanotechnology in Electronics (Nanoelectronics)

Nanotechnology makes it possible to develop new components which may be used together
with electronic components in system design. Nanoelectronics is defined as nanotechnology which
allows the integration of purely electronic devices, electronic chips and circuits.

Through nanotechnology, electronic components capabilities can be improved such as

reducing the size of transistors used in integrated circuits, improving display screens on electronics
devices and this reduces power consumption and also the weight and thickness of the screens,
traditional scaling limits in standard CMOS technology and more. Researchers are also developing
a type of memory chip with a projected density of one terabyte of memory per square inch and this
increases the density of memory chips.

37
 Below are some of the underdeveloped applications of nanotechnology in the field of
electronics.

a) Cadmium selenide nanocrystals deposited on plastic sheets are to form flexible electronic
circuits. Researchers are aiming for a combination of flexibility, a simple fabrication
process and low power requirements.
b) Integrating silicon nanophotonics components into CMOS integrated circuits. This
optical technique is intended to provide higher speed data transmission between
integrated circuits than is possible with electrical signals.
c) Use of carbon nanotubes for the functioning of integrated circuits using carbon nanotubes.
In order to make the circuit work, researchers have developed methods to remove metallic
nanotubes, leaving only semiconducting nanotubes, as well as an algorithm to deal with
misaligned nanotubes.

COMPANY PRODUCT/PROJECT
Everspin Technologies Magnetic Random Access Memory
(MRAM) which quickly and effectively
save encrypted data during system
shutdown or crush, enable resume-play
features, and gather vehicle accident data
Imec Developing CMOS technology for
IC's using sub-22nm geometry
Table 3: Nanoelectronics: Company Directory

Nanotechnology in the Philippines

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is the executive department of the
Philippine Government responsible for the coordination of science and technology-related projects
in the Philippines and to formulate policies and projects in the fields of science and technology in
support of national development.

DOST has taken notice and drew a roadmap to shepherd this post-industrial technology in
the country through its attached agency, the Philippine Council for Advance Science and

38
Technology Research and Development. The roadmap outlines a focused research and
development in exploring and exploiting high impact and life enhancing benefits of
nanotechnology. Under the national nanotechnology roadmap, DOST trimmed its priority projects
to ICT and semiconductors, agriculture and food, energy, medicine, and the environment due to
the modest R&D fund.

Some nanotechnology research and development in the Philippines are found in the
University of the Philippines Diliman which works on the application of nanotechnology in
electronics and in medicine specifically in the treatment and detection of cancer using carbon
nanotubes, Mapua University which is working also on using PVA-chitosan nanofibrous
membrane for drug delivery, ITDI-DOST are pursuing on the environmental application of
nanotechnology like using nanofibrous membrane for waste treatment.

DOST also hopes to formulate technologies that will detect and control pests in food and
agriculture such as nanobiosensors for pathogens in food crops and food products, nanosensors for
rapid detection and measurement of food contaminants, freshness sensors in intelligent packages
for perishable food products (fish, meat, etc), sensors for quality assurance of export food products
(VCO, civet coffee, fish sauce, etc), biosensors for detection of genetically modified organisms
(GMOs), portable nanosensors for rapid detection and measurement of food contaminants (toxins,
pesticides, antimicrobials), and portable biosensors for pathogens in food crops and food products.

Here are some projects developed in the Philippines through nanotechnology:

 Biodegradable food packaging material that protects food and extends its shelf while being
kind to the environment developed by some scientists of Department of Science and
Technology – Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) led by Dr.
Blessie A. Basilia.
 Ceramic water filter systems are developed to address the demand for simple, effective and
inexpensive water filter in urban and rural areas nationwide. This locally developed
ceramic water filter can produce potable water that passed Philippine National Standard
(PNS) for drinking water.

39
 Figure 6: Process and production of ceramic water filter

ADVANTAGES AND DRAWBACKS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology is helping to considerably improve, even revolutionize, many technology and

industry sectors: information technology, homeland security, medicine, transportation, energy,
food safety, and environmental science, and among many others.

Many benefits of nanotechnology depend on the fact that it is possible to tailor the structures
of materials at extremely small scales to achieve specific properties, thus greatly extending the
materials science toolkit. Using nanotechnology, materials can effectively be made stronger,
lighter, more durable, more reactive, more sieve-like, or better electrical conductors, among many
other traits.

Despite the possibilities and the advancements that the nanotechnology offers to the world,
there also exist certain severe discussions on the prevalence of the nanotechnology in the world.
So, the world has recently anticipated of the potential risks involved with the disadvantages of it.
Nanotechnology has raised the standard of living but at the same time, it has increased the

40
pollution, which includes water pollution, air pollution. The pollution caused by nanotechnology
is known as nano pollution. This kind of pollution is very dangerous for living organisms.

One of the biggest disadvantages that world is facing because of nanotechnology is the lack
of employment in the fields of traditional farming and manufacturing and industrial sector because
of the vast development in the nanotechnology. Nanotechnology raises the possibility of
microscopic recording devices, which would be virtually undetectable. More seriously, it is
possible that nanotechnology could be weaponized. Atomic weapons would be easier to create and
novel weapons might also be developed.

41
References:

https://science.howstuffworks.com/nanotechnology1.html

https://www.understandingnano.com/introduction.html

http://www.trynano.org/about/history-nanotechnology

https://www.parksystems.com/index.php/medias/nano-academy/how-afm-works

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_force_microscopy

http://www.circuitstoday.com/nanotechnology-tools-and-instruments

https://www.nanoscience.com/techniques/scanning-tunneling-microscopy/

https://www.edgefx.in/nanotechnology-know-about-nanoelectronics-applications/

https://www.schoeller-textiles.com/en/technologies/nanosphere

https://leelab.engineering.osu.edu/sites/nsec.osu.edu/files/uploads/Nanopants%20Expt.pdf

http://www.bap.mu.edu.tr/icerik/metalurji.mu.edu.tr/Sayfa/Composite_Materials_1.pdf

http://www.understandingnano.com/environmental-nanotechnology.html

https://www.cancer.gov/sites/nano/cancer-nanotechnology

http://apctt.org/nanotech/sites/all/themes/nanotech/pdf/Philippines%20Country%20Report.p
df

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotics\

http://www.robotiksistem.com/robotics_history.html

https://www.philforhumanity.com/Robots.html

42