Mondonano

Mondolithic Studios envisions futuristic nanomachines:





When Neal Stephenson sat down to wrote "The Diamond Age," I'm sure something uncannily like this image was dominating his mind's eye.

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I have seen the future, and it is soft.

Universal 'Rubik's Cube' Could Become Pentagon Shapeshifter

One day, that could lead to "morphing aircraft and ground vehicles, uniforms that can alter themselves to be comfortable in any climate, and 'soft' robots that flow like mercury through small openings to enter caves and bunker complexes." A soldier could even reach into a can of unformed goop, and order up a custom-made tool or a "universal spare part."

If this puts you in mind of a certain ongoing ufological controversy, you're forgiven.

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Today's word is "von Neumann."

Two fascinating perspectives:

Growing the Interstellar Probe (Centauri Dreams)

Freitas later turned to nanotech ideas in advocating a probe more or less the size of a sewing needle, with a millimeter-wide body and enough nanotechnology onboard to activate assemblers on the surface of whatever object it happened to find in the destination system.

Now we're looking at a biological variant of this concept that could, if extended, be turned to self-replication. Rothemund says that he wants to write molecular programs that can build technology. A probe built along these lines could use local materials to create the kind of macro-scale objects needed to form a research station around another star, the kind of equipment we once envisioned boosting all the light years to our target. How much simpler if we can build the needed tools when we arrive?

Are Von Neumann Probes Ethical? (Chris Wren)

Von Neumann probes would be small, self-replicating robots. Small, easy to manufacture in large numbers and because of their low mass, easy to accelerate t

We're still grappling with the ethics - and unforeseen consequences - involved with releasing genetically modified strains of crops into the environment. There are always unforeseen consequences with any technology. The more sophisticated the technology, the more extensive and impossible to foresee those consequences are certain to be.

Would a more advanced civilization, if they were also more ethically developed than we are (not hard to imagine) consider von Neumann probes a form of cancer and take steps to eradicate them? Worse, would they take punitive measures against any civilization irresponsible enough to set them loose?"

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Fusion

Honda develops brain interface for robot control

The system was not demonstrated on Tuesday but Honda did release a video of experiments. It shows a controller sitting in a chair with a large hemispheric scanner over his head, like the sit-down hair dryers you find in hair salons.

Both the EEG and NIRS techniques are established but the analyzing process for the data is new. Honda said the system uses statistical processing of the complex information to distinguish brain activities with high precision without any physical motion.

Just as compelling:

The next not-so-big thing: Nanogenerators

Such generators could be used to power sensors for detecting cancer or measuring blood sugar level for diabetics, Wang says. He adds that within five to 10 years, the technology will mature to the point that these generators could be placed in the soles of shoes or the fabric of clothes so that people will be able to power their iPods and cell phones using the mechanical energy created by the rustling of their clothes or compression of their shoe insoles as they walk.

"The Nano Song"

This is hilarious. How long has this been circulating? I have the feeling I've been totally out of the loop.

Viva nanotech!

(Hat tip: Future Blogger.)

Now we're talking.

A Science Fictional Take on Being There

In this era of space-based observatories like CoRoT and (soon) Kepler, most Centauri Dreams readers would likely agree that exoplanetary life may be detected from nearby space (at least with next generation tools), but what gets the attention is Metzger's riff on how a truly advanced alien culture might view us. No need to land on the White House lawn -- why not stay invisible, experiencing our Earth through billions of intelligent 'motes' sent by exploration craft the size of dust grains. One mote could dock with every organic entity on the planet, recording everything it experienced and shipping the data back to the home world.

Now that's telepresence!

U.S. scientists learn how to levitate tiny objects

"By reducing the friction that hinders motion and contributes to wear and tear, the new technique provides a theoretical means for improving machinery at the microscopic and even molecular level," Dr. Duane Alexander of the NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development said.

"The emerging technology of nanomechanics has the potential to improve medicine and other fields," he said in a statement.

The discovery involves quantum mechanics, the principles that govern nature's smallest particles.

(Via The Keyhoe Report.)

Religious 'shun nanotechnology'

The researchers compared attitudes to nanotechnology in 12 European countries and the US.

They then rated each country on a scale of what they called "religiosity" - a measure of how religious each country was.

They found that countries where religious belief was strong, such as Ireland and Italy, tended to be the least accepting of nanotechnology, whereas those where religion was less significant such as Belgium or the Netherlands were more accepting of the technology.

Does this really surprise anyone?

K. Eric Drexler ("Engines of Creation") blogs!

Future planes, cars may be made of 'buckypaper'

Buckypaper is made from tube-shaped carbon molecules 50,000 times thinner than a human hair. Due to its unique properties, it is envisioned as a wondrous new material for light, energy-efficient aircraft and automobiles, more powerful computers, improved TV screens and many other products.

So far, buckypaper can be made at only a fraction of its potential strength, in small quantities and at a high price. The Florida State researchers are developing manufacturing techniques that soon may make it competitive with the best composite materials now available.

Paul Davies, Wil McCarthy and Alien Nanotech Probes

Late-night viewing of some "morphing UFO" footage has brought me back to a concept that's always fascinated me: a Universe swarming with nano-scale ET intelligence. This could mean anything from tiny spaceships, to Earth itself being a high-tech, alien-scripted "stage" where what we perceive as dead matter is anything but

.

The following is the kind of proposal that reminds me how cool it can be to live in the 21st century.

Autonomous NanoTechnology Swarm (NASA)

The Autonomic NanoTechnology Swarm (ANTS) is a generic mission architecture consisting of miniaturized, autonomous, self-similar, reconfigurable, addressable components forming structures. The components/structures have wide spatial distribution and multi-level organization. This 'swarm' behavior is inspired by the success of social insect colonies where within their specialties, individuals outperform generalists and with sufficiently efficient social interaction and coordination, groups of specialists outperform groups of generalists.

Nano Vent-Skin by Agustin Otegu

Nano Vent-skin is a conceptual project by young designer Agustin Otegu, featuring miniscule bio-turbines that could clad buildings to generate energy and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The project suggests using several kinds of micro organisms to create a material which performs different functions where needed, absorbing and transforming natural energy from the surroundings.

Nano-Medigel Instant Body Repair - The Start of a Real Life Medikit?

Outside the body the fluid remains fresh for a long time, but because it's made of the same amino acids the body uses it can easily be broken down inside a wound - so you can just leave it in there. No removing stitches, no after-op care. This combination of easy storage with "apply and forget" ease-of-use makes it ideal for emergency responders and battlefield use where the priority is "Stop them leaking and do it really quickly". We can't be sure if this is the same stuff as in those big boxes with red crosses on them in Doom, but if it isn't it's something damn like it.

If this reminds you of this, you're not the only one.

Chemical brain controls nanobots

A tiny chemical "brain" which could one day act as a remote control for swarms of nano-machines has been invented.

The molecular device - just two billionths of a metre across - was able to control eight of the microscopic machines simultaneously in a test.

In high school I became intensely interested in cryonic suspension, which led to a fascination with nanotechnology and its potential for repairing damaged tissue. If I'd read this article in 1992, I probably would have been overjoyed.

Nokia's Morph - A Nanotech Concept Device

Nokia and the University of Cambridge have designed a futuristic mobile electronic device called Morph that uses nanotechnology to deliver transparent electronics, self-cleaning surfaces, and the malleability to seamlessly transform into multiple different configurations. The unit is part of the MoMA "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition, on view from February 24 to May 12, 2008, at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

File under "Vaguely Reminiscent of Roswell Crash Debris":

Self-healing rubber bounces back

A material that is able to self-repair even when it is sliced in two has been invented by French researchers.

The as-yet-unnamed material - a form of artificial rubber - is made from vegetable oil and a component of urine.

The substance, described in the journal Nature, produces surfaces when cut that retain a strong chemical attraction to each other.

(Via Boing Boing.)

Fiber-based nanotechnology in clothing could harvest energy from physical movement

Nanotechnology researchers are developing the perfect complement to the power tie: a "power shirt" able to generate electricity to power small electronic devices for soldiers in the field, hikers and others whose physical motion could be harnessed and converted to electrical energy.

And you thought that knee-mounted generator was cool.