At tonights meeting we discussed which route
we are going to take for this competition; an exoskeletal structural system (an
Octet Truss System) or self replicating nanobots. Taking from the idea of
starting from the bottom-up we have decided to are look at designing a nanobot
which can self replicate itself to make a structure. As of now we are focusing
on Foglets and
were coming up with ideas on how we could expand on this and design one that
self replicates itself. Some of the questions we are trying to research is; how
does a nanobot replicate a microprocessor? How exactly do you feed them
information? How do you automate a quadrillion nanobots un unison? We are also
interested in integrating NanoRAM and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes into
our Nanobots.
After our meeting tonight, I got sort of a
rough idea of how a structure might be built and a system worked using
nanobots. This is just a real rough outline of what I have been thinking about.
This doesn’t attempt to solve any problems yet, just see how a system might be
worked out based on some of the different topics we discussed. This is what I
got out of what we might be able to accomplish using nanobots, how nanobots
might self replicate by pulling carbon molecules out of the air, and the
morphing with nanotubes as the bonds between the nanobots. The second paragraph
is an idea of how a system could be set up—a what if scenario to get us
thinking. Let me know if we’re on the same page or this is way out there.
One nanobot, made of a polycarbonate body,
would have a single microprocessor implanted into the carbon shell which would
send electrical pulses throughout the nanobot. These electrical pulses would in
turn send signals to the twelve carbon nanotubes, which are used to grab onto
the nanotubes of another bot and transfer information. The nanotubes are
multi-walled polycarbonate nanotubes-which can grow, contract, and deflect
using electrical impulses. The electrical impulses would send signal which
would link, or bond, one nanotube to another by switching the atoms in the end
of the nanotubes (see
Geckovator). Linked together they would join the network of
nanobots. The microprocessors implanted in the nanobot would also able to read
outside data from the environment in which it is in. In order to self replicate
the nanobots would have the ability to pull carbon molecules off of oxygen
molecules and then once mixed with the catalyst inside of the bot become a new
polycarbonate nanobot. This would allow them to harvest carbon to create the
parts for new nanobots. Certain nanobots would create specific pieces of the
nanobot so they would collectively build a new nanobot, much like a factory
made up of nanobots. They work together to make the whole of a new nanobot–one
makes a new microprocessor, the other makes a new nanotube, and another a
nanotube, and so on until a new nanobot is assembled. This “factory” would be
set up by making sure certain series’ of nanobots would linked to another, much
like in DNA, only certain codes are mixed to one another. This happens in a
matter of milliseconds. Once nanobots are linked together they are plugged into
the network of nanobots running together. These bots run under the confinement
of the principals defined by the user and the limits placed upon them by the
software and the user. These limits could change the composition of the bond,
and bots could become denser or pull away from each other to change the shape
of the bond. This would then change the configuration of the molecule making it
appear to us to be a different color – using different wave lengths in the
visible light spectrum. They could appear to be green one minute, and blue the
next. Walls could even appear to become completely opaque or even as a gas.
The inhabitant or user of this structure would purchase this at a market place. This could be given as a solid object made up of
nanobots. The user receives a “box” of bots. This box is made up of trillions
of polycarbonate nanobots, which make up a mass that looks like a solid box.
This box is hooked up wirelessly to a computer where it receives its code, or
instructions, from the program. The program then sends the user defined
information to the box to be reprogrammed. The microprocessors receive their
signals and start to process information. The box collectively calculates the
weather conditions (sun, wind, temperature, precipitation, etc). The user
places limits, desirable to their needs on the nanobots. The limits are areas,
voids, which should be left out to complete the desired floor plan of the
structure. The bots are calibrated around this design, and then it maximizes
itself to work more efficiently with the environment—taking into account
weather conditions and location. Areas, or voids, will be carved out within the
exoskeleton which will carry water and air throughout the structure, much like
a capillary system. Building codes and regulations are also put into this
database of limits, which mandates some rules for the bots. These building
codes and limits are set by architects and the government to; ensure the
infrastructure of the city, from the nanobots running out of control, and
general greed of the user. Each bot then finds its exact coordinates (GPS) of
where it is at that place in time. Once all of the limits are placed on the
bots and GPS is located, the box is then linked up to the network where its
information is fed into the database and calculates the shape of the house
based on the conditions. The nanobots map out all gps positions they will be
traveling to make up the exoskeleton of the house. Each nanobot is self
replicating, and while moving along its GPS defined path, self-replicaties more
nanobots in its trail leaving other self-replicating bots. This is turn leads
to new swarms of nanobots which are sent to their respective GPS height
position signal to stop replicating, so that it leaves a solid, level, surface
for a floor. Nanobots on the perimeter of the floor, which will eventually
become the exoskeleton of structure, will not receive this signal, and follow
on the path upwards to complete the walls.
So, if this structure was placed somewhere
around the NorthWest Hemisphere,where it was winter, walls on the colder, or
windier, side of the house would fill in thicker, while walls on the southern
side would become thinner– appearing to be translucent. These nanobots would
change color, attracting the rays of the sun, and harvest the sunlight from the
southern exposure of the house using PV cells. This energy would then be put
back directly into the structure. Certain areas of the structure may be left
more porous than others to allow for air flow (composition of the nanobots,
which are smaller than water molecules, would allow for air to breath while
keeping rain water out) or even collect and distribute rain water. Once the
nanobots are done self replicating and all nanobots have received their gps
position telling them to stop self replicating, the structure is completed. The
structure is then rechecked and updated for maximum efficiency, sustainability,
and reconfigures to make minute adjustments. The design is then entered into an
online database of all anonymous designs of other structures. Users are then
able to see other designs which might be more efficient or desirable, which can
then recalibrate their design and improve on it. Together collectively all of
the structures built will maximize and share their information to get the most
efficient and sustainable structure.
SOURCE
http://archimorph.com/2007/07/24/self-replicating-nanobots/
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