Respirocytes

A Mechanical Artificial Red Cell:

Exploratory Design in Medical
Nanotechnology
-Robert A. Freitas Jr.

Overview
Introduction
Preliminary Design Issues
Nanotechnological design of Respiratory
Gas carriers
Baseline design
Therapeutics
Safety and Bio-compatibility
Applications
Summary and Conclusion



Introduction
Molecular manufacturing processes applications.
Medical implications precise interventions at
cellular and molecular levels.
Medical nanorobots research, diagnoses and
cure.
Preliminary design for artificial mechanical
erythrocyte or Red Blood Cell (RBC) Respirocyte.
Preliminary Design Issues
Biochemistry of respiratory gas transport oxygen and
carbon-dioxide.
Existing Artificial Respiratory Gas carriers
Hemoglobin Formulations
50% more O
2
than natural RBCs.
Dissociates to dimers, Binds to O
2
more tightly, Hemoglobin
oxidized.
Fluorocarbon Emulsions
Physical solubilization emulsions of droplets
Shortcomings of Current technologies
Too short life time
Not designed for CO
2
transport
vasoconstriction

Design of Respiratory Gas carriers
Pressure Vessel
Spherical, Flawless diamond or sapphire
1000atm optimal gas molecule packing
density
Discharge time very less - <2 minutes
Recharging with O
2
from lungs
Respiratory gas equilibrium more CO
2
Provide additional tankage for CO
2
Means for gas loading and unloading


Molecular Sorting Rotors
Binding site pockets
rims 12 arms
Selective binding
Eject cam action
Fully reversible load
and unload
7nm x 14nm x 14nm
2 x 10
-21
kg
Sorts molecules of 20
or fewer atoms
10
6
molecules/ sec
Molecular Sorting Rotors (contd)
Power saving generator subsystem
90% occupancy of rotor binding sites
Multi-stage cascade virtually pure gases

Sorting Rotors binding sites
O
2
, CO
2
, Water, Glucose
Device Scaling
On-board computer 58nm diameter sphere
37.28% of tank surface sorting rotors
Reasonable range 0.2 to 2 microns
Present study assumes approx. 1 micron
Buoyancy control
Loading and unloading water ballast
Very useful exfusion from blood
Example specialized centrifugation apparatus

Nanotechnological Design of
Respiratory Gas carriers (contd)
Baseline Design - Power
glucose & oxygen Mechanical Energy
Glucose blood & Oxygen onboard storage
Glucose Engine 42nm x 42nm x 175nm
Output is water approx. glucose absorbed
Fuel tank glucose storage 42nm x 42nm x
115nm
Mechanical or hydraulic power distribution
Rods & gears
Pipes & valves
Control onboard computer

Baseline Design - Communications
Physician broadcast signals
Modulated compressive pressure pulses
Mechanical transducers surface of
respirocytes
Transducers pressure driven actuators
Internal Communication
Hydraulic - Low pressure acoustic spikes
Mechanical - Mechanical rods and couplings
Baseline Design - Sensors
Sorting rotors
quantitative
molecular
concentration
sensors
Internal pressure
sensors gas tank
loading, ballast and
glucose fuel tanks,
internal/external
temperature
sensors.


Baseline Design Onboard Computation
10
4
bit/sec computer
10
5
bits of internal memory


Gas loading and unloading
Rotor field and ballast tank management
Glucose engine throttling
Power distribution
Interpretation of sensor data
Self-diagnoses and control of protocols


Glucose rotor, Tank, Engine and Flue Assembly
in 12-station Respirocyte baseline design
Pumping Station Layout
Equatorial Cutaway View of Respirocyte
Polar Cutaway View of Respirocyte
Baseline Design Tank Chamber Design
Diamondoid honeycomb or geodesic grid
skeletal framework
Perforated compartment walls
Present design CO
2
and O
2
separate
Proposed same chamber
Disadvs
Respiration control CO
2
level
Reverse CO
2
overloading
Reduction of maximum outgassing rate
Therapeutics
Minimum Therapeutic dose
Human blood O
2
capacity 8.1 x 10
21
molecules
Each respirocyte 1.51 x 10
9
O
2
molecules
Full duplication 5.36 x 10
12
devices
Hypodermal injection or transfusion
Maximum Augmentation Dose
Fully O
2
charged dose 9.54 x 10
14
respirocytes
12 minutes and peak exertion
3.8 hours at rest
Control Protocols
Precise external control by physician
Programmable for sophisticated behaviors

Safety and Bio-compatibility
Mechanical failure modes
Device overheating
Non-combustive device explosion
Radiation damage
Coagulation
Inflammation
Phagocytes

Applications
Transfusions
Treatment of Anemia
Fetal and Child-related disorders
Respiratory Diseases
Cardiovascular and Neurovascular applications
Tumor therapy and Diagnostics
Asphyxia
Underwater breathing
Endurance oriented sport events
Anaerobic and aerobic infections
Veterinary medicine
Summary and Conclusion
Artificial erythrocyte
Avoiding carbonic acidity mechanical transport
of CO
2
236 times more O
2
per unit volume than natural
RBCs
Tough diamondoid material
Numerous sensors
On-board nano-computer
Remotely programmable
Lifespan of 4 months
Future advances in molecular machine system
engineering actual construction.

References
Drexler KE. Nanosystems: Molecular
Machinery, Manufacturing, and
Computation. New York: John Wiley &
Sons, 1992.
www.foresight.org
Thank You