Nanotechnology
he manufacturing or engineering of functional systems at molecular level or nanoscale can be termed as nanotechnology. The word ‘nano’ has been coined to mean 10-9 or simply one billionth size. Special types of microscopes, scanning probe microscopes, are able to view particles the size of a nanometer. In another definition, nanotechnology is the engineering of machines from molecules the size of a few nanometers. These machines can be motors, robots and computers taking up the size smaller than a cell. The field of nanotechnology cuts across several disciplines including medicine. Nanotechnologists often manipulate single atoms and molecules to create different microscopic systems.
According to Allhoff (2007), nanotechnology is a novel science. Although nanoscale systems have been engineered, the future of nanotechnology promises great innovations which will change the face of the earth that we live (Allhoff, 23). The first physicist to explain the term nanotechnology in 1959 was Richard Feynman. He explained the new possibilities of manipulating atoms in a talk presented at the California Institute of Technology. In the new technology, Feynman said that it is achievable to assemble the atoms in any manner. However, these possibilities were received with mixed reactions by some scientists and the public. One publication, Engines of Creation, 1986 by K. Eric Drexler, an engineering graduate from MIT, drew much controversy. In his work, Drexler explained the incredible nanotechnology applications despite the nanotechnology being widely applied in sunscreen, fabric and the engineering of other materials (Drexler, 16). According to Drexler, nanotechnology has a potential to put together with molecules making up systems that will fully function as molecular machines.
With the possibilities of nanotechnology and its products of molecular machines, Drexler suggests that it would be promising to engineer nearly whatever thing imagined and allowable by Physics laws through arranging the molecules into whichever pattern preferred. Medical engineers, through nanotechnology will be capable to design drugs acting like living cells machines that are able to roam in the diseased cells and hence cure them. The exciting possibilities, according to Drexler, include super tough materials and computers very small to be seen by human eye (Drexler, 21). The technology also promises the manufacturing which is pollution free and self changing matter like a chair self changing into a table or something else. By understanding nanotechnology and biosystems, it would be easier to create machines that make their own copies and amass themselves to make complex structures. The possibilities are exciting which promises a low cost of living and a strain free environment.
Nanotechnology received a grant of USD400 million during the second term of President Clinton. The funds were provided through the National Nanotechnology Initiative purposely to steer potential research in nanotechnology. The U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee, in April, 2003, was called to talk about the dangers and possible benefits of nanotechnology. This was as a result of the proposed bill to boost funding in nanotechnology.
Although the benefits of nanotechnology seem really promising, there are key dangers associated with nanotechnology. Bill Joy working with Sun Microsystems expressed his panic of a situation of the dreaded gray goo. In this scenario, the self replicating nanobots overtake the world and swallow it up. Another recent publication, Prey, a science and fiction book by Michael Crichton highlights this fear. The application of nanotechnology requires implementation of policies, security to avoid unnecessary complications (Atkinson, 33).
The fears attributed to nanotechnology are common. An introduction of a powerful technology is able to cause enormous social changes or disruptions. The required step is to further nanotechnology in responsible ways for the society to harvest the benefits of the technology and avoid its harms. It has always been a trend that the society has to express fear when new technology is introduced and in most times, there is fear of changes. For example, the introduction of personal computer was received with some controversy and speculations. There were claims that computers would overtake the world and reduce the need for human teachers by 1985. To present, more than two decades, nothing like such has been experienced, meaning that the claims were flaws (Dingman, 679). It is agreed that there are many issues connected with the use of computers like the hacking which threatens the security and privacy. However, one technology solves another problem afflicting another technology. Computers are widely used in the modern world and systems are protected from intruders by firewalls, antispy and antivirus programs. The society is time to time challenged by several problems. As a result, it is willing receive the changes promised by nanotechnology since its benefits are rewarding. Some of the problems affecting the society include disease, hunger and a number of chemical pollution. Nanotechnology promises to make the problems a past tense but it needs dissemination of information to the public and policy regulations (Lemley, 56).
The miniature machines created by nanotechnologists are sometimes referred to as Personal nano factories or PNs. Usually, the building of a PN requires a working fabricator. A fabricator is a nanoscale device capable of combining different individual molecules into functional shapes (Gulati, Allen, 35). Fabricators are capable of building a miniature nanofactory, which in turn builds another nanofactory twice the size and the process continues to get a resulting complex system after some short time.
Personal nanofactory products are assembled from nanoblocks and then fabricated within the nanofactory. With the aid of CAD (Computer Aided Design) programs, the creation of highly advanced products is made possible. This is done by identifying a pattern of nanoblocks predesigned.
The applications of nanofactories are diverse. From the life saving medical nanorobots to tools to be used in wars, nanofactories promise to produce useful tools that will make easier most operations. In computer industry, the networking of computers for all people in the world will be made possible. This will also include the networking of cameras so that it will be great easier to watch everyone. There will be improved economies as procedures will be taking shorter time hence productivity will be enhanced (Lemley, 57). The rate of discoveries or invention of new products will be high. In the field of weapon production and medicine, there will be great benefits.
One most applied field of nanotechnology is mechanochemistry. Mechanochemistry involves fixing of one or two molecules then pushing, twisting or pulling in a desired manner until chemical reactions occur at exact points so desired. The procedure takes place in a vacuum meaning that the condition is under maximum control and no water or any molecules are interfering. Addition of an atom to a surface will necessitate the binding of the atom into a tool tip molecule at the extremes of a mechanical manipulator. The atom is moved close to the surface and it is necessary to ascertain that it has weaker attraction to the tool tip molecule than the surface (Dingman, 680). On bringing them together, the bond transfers, this is the same concept in chemistry. The difference existing between mechanochemistry and the ordinary chemistry is that in mechanochemistry, the tool tip molecule is always directed using computer controls. This possibility ensures the performance of one reaction at many sites on the surface and a few reactions can give a lot of flexibility in what to be designed.
The technology of molecular manufacturing and nanotechnology has been perceived as rather a fiction due to its complexity and unfamiliarity. This is the reason why its applications are real staggering. The concepts are only understood by a few scientists and engineers and those who don’t understand it out rightly say it is close to impossibility. The situation leading to little applications of the technology is partly contributed by the misconceptions created by the media and science fictional hype. In fact the scientists dismissing molecular manufacturing do not have prior knowledge in the field (Gulati, Allen, 46). They are mostly experts in chemistry, biotechnology, or some other related nanoscale sciences and technologies. They therefore fail to embrace the technology since they poorly understand it.
The debate about the nanotechnology as a potential danger or savior takes a broad dimension. It is true that nanotechnology can have great potential for benefit to humankind. However, nanotechnology can also bring severe dangers. Great dangers arising form nanotechnology applications are as a result of malicious molecular manufacturing. If the technology is properly administered and safely developed, dangers like toxic nanoparticle and other nanoscale technology products can be avoided greatly. It has therefore a threat to allow the applications of nanotechnology to continue through research. The limitation of the nanotechnology application can be said to be misleading because it will be close to reality to stop countries like china and Japan or Asia who have developed the nanotechnology because of the availability of scanning probe microscopy, biotechnology and other enabling technologies. The second reason why the stopping of nanotechnology isn’t that easy is the promise the technology has for man in the future (Drexler, 29). The great promises like environmental conservation and repair, manufacturing that is cheap, clean and efficient, medical discoveries and greatly advanced computer cannot let the technology to be stopped.
The controversy created by the dangers of self-replicating nanobots has been the topic of discussion for a long time. Molecular manufacturing is actually far from the grey goo stuff. The proposed production system restricts the free-floating assemblers sometimes referred as nanobots by fiction writers. It will not be easy to build extensive factories with all the machinery of nanoscale stuck down and entirely inert without any external control. Instead, self-replicating mechanochemical nanobots are governed by the laws of physics. The fiction story, Prey, by Michael Crichton serves as a good entertainment and never based in good science (Dingman, 681). Practically, molecular manufacturing has not been successfully
The development of nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing can greatly solve the problems that affect the world today. Example of these problems is the water shortage which is a severe and increasing problem. It is practical that much of the water in the planet earth is used for agriculture and industry. Nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing promises to greatly reduce these requirements. In medicine nanotechnology is devising for mechanisms to manage infectious diseases. This problem continues to scourge many parts of the world especially the developing world leading to poor quality of life. Computers and other devises will be developed with ease meaning that there will be a reduction in cost.
The problem of electrical power still exists in many areas. Nanotechnology promises to make this efficient and cheap building of light emitting devices (Gulati, Allen, 50). The electrical equipment and power storage devices will be available cheaply. Nanotechnology will exploit the solar thermal power as a principal and copious source of energy. Through the use of advanced nanotech products, it is easier to address the problem of environmental degradation which is also a serious problem worldwide. The reduction in the need for space is one major addressing of nanotechnology. Most countries cannot afford to the manufacturing infrastructure. Therefore, molecular manufacturing technology makes the manufacturing clean and self-contained taking less space. Lastly, molecular manufacturing will provide cheap and highly advanced medical research and healthcare equipments rendering the availability of improved medicine. The cause of countless social unrest can be blamed on disease, material poverty and ignorance which molecular manufacturing is able to address.
There is no single known technology that is a solution to all problems. Nanotechnology has promised exciting possibilities to solve a number of human problems. Technologies have been developed over years to address the problems of housing, plumbing and health. Proper practice of agriculture and industry can save the exploitation of water, land, materials, and labor resources. This in the overall reduces pollution. The cheap and reliable power will mean that people will be able to access to information, education, and communication services. These are sources of numerous opportunities for improving oneself to become efficient economically and have a participatory government (Allhoff, 28). The problem with modern industries is that the technology applied relies on dispersed manufacturing, which often requires a lot of particular materials and machines and extremely trained personnel. Molecular manufacturing can function without skilled labor once installed and no need for an extensive sustaining infrastructure. It will be easier for a single personal nanofactory having a single chemical and power supply to produce a wide range of useful and reliable products. The PN can also make copies of itself doubling the infrastructure for manufacturing within a short time (Allhoff, 41).
The problem of wasting water is a concern to develop nanotechnology. The recovery of tainted water by simple and reliable electrical and mechanochemical methods is possible with nanotechnology. The water can again be used for domestic and agricultural use. The physical filters having nanoscale pores remove almost 100 percent of bacteria, viruses and prions. Salts and heavy metals are also removed using an electrical separation technology which attracts the ions to the plates of a supercapacitor (Ratner, 11).
The solar energy is abundant but the harvesting is tricky. Nanotechnology looks to harvest and make solar energy practicable and shift the tradition of using the fuels containing carbon. Carbon based fuels are non renewable, inefficient and emit carbon dioxide, radioactive particle and other waste products into the atmosphere. The generation of solar electricity depends on accumulating the direct sunlight or by photovoltaic conversion (Atkinson, 63). Nanotechnology can apply the sun-tracking designs using cheap computers and compact actuators to make energy available. The energy harvested can then be stored well for days in large flywheels made of thin diamond.
The face of the earth will change since computer will be much cheaper. It is possible for nanotechnology to develop computer logic gates just a few nanometers and still be adequate to be piled in three dimensions. A whole supercomputer can be the size of a cubic millimeter and be sold very cheap. It is also possible to build high computer display resolution with actuators the size less than a bacterium. With diamondoid technology, it is easier to compute, communicate and generate radio waves since the GHz mechanical frequencies senses and produces radio waves (Atkinson, 65).
In environmental protection, nanotechnology addresses the problem of environmental degradation caused by farming. The advanced technology will allow activities like green houses to dominate and pollute will be more contained. The easily stored solar energy promised by nanotechnology will reduce sooth, ash, nitric oxide, carbondioxide and hydrocarbon emissions. Molecular manufacturing will result to the rapid deployment of environmental friendly technology that is self contained even in areas that currently do not have a technological infrastructure.
The medical field may take long to realize the fruits of molecular manufacturing although the technology will impact the practice of medicine. The diagnosis of diseases will be very easy and medical research will be intensified opening ways for quick response to emerging infections and those engineered. Continuous health monitoring will be possible through small numerous and cheap sensors, computers or other implantable devices (Dingman, 681). These devices will allow semi-automated disease management.
The appropriate application of the technology needs the address of ethical issues. The question on inheriting the future generation a world better than we found it seem to be in the minds of the people when a new technology is being introduced. The increased population has led to degradation of environment the extinction of species, the social injustice, poverty, starvation, chronic warfare and incurable diseases. Technology hold the fate of humankind, it can spoil the fate or build it. Debates on applications of genetic engineering, nuclear physics and now nanotechnology fill the air. Particularly nanotechnology that cuts across diverse spheres needs ethical issues to be sufficiently addressed (Ratner, 17). The ethical guidelines make the application of technology to be within the limit, only benefiting the humankind.
Nanotechnology is designed to create a world of wealth where all people access the basic requirements. The needs include sufficient safe water, food, housing, medical care, security, clean environment among others. The ethical aspect of nanotechnology is that it should give high priority to economic and efficient global products and services distribution. In the defense sector, the military research and use of nanotechnology must only be restricted to security systems and defense but not for aggression or political agendas. If there is any research funded by the governments that produces technological advances not related to military, the research must be publicized.
It is a recommendation that all scientists working with nanotechnology to have a strong background on ecology and public safety or at least one of them in a team should have the knowledge. This will ensure that the scientists are held responsible for any abuse of science. Another ethical issue is that every publication and discussions on the topic of nanotechnology need to be accurate sticking to scientific methods to avoid any hazard that may arise due to improper practice (Ratner, 38).
With proper use of nanotechnology, the world will make a positive step of sustaining the people with basic requirements at affordable costs. The governments and organizations should donate to the development of this technology which has exciting promises of changing the face of the world.
According to Allhoff (2007), nanotechnology is a novel science. Although nanoscale systems have been engineered, the future of nanotechnology promises great innovations which will change the face of the earth that we live (Allhoff, 23). The first physicist to explain the term nanotechnology in 1959 was Richard Feynman. He explained the new possibilities of manipulating atoms in a talk presented at the California Institute of Technology. In the new technology, Feynman said that it is achievable to assemble the atoms in any manner. However, these possibilities were received with mixed reactions by some scientists and the public. One publication, Engines of Creation, 1986 by K. Eric Drexler, an engineering graduate from MIT, drew much controversy. In his work, Drexler explained the incredible nanotechnology applications despite the nanotechnology being widely applied in sunscreen, fabric and the engineering of other materials (Drexler, 16). According to Drexler, nanotechnology has a potential to put together with molecules making up systems that will fully function as molecular machines.
With the possibilities of nanotechnology and its products of molecular machines, Drexler suggests that it would be promising to engineer nearly whatever thing imagined and allowable by Physics laws through arranging the molecules into whichever pattern preferred. Medical engineers, through nanotechnology will be capable to design drugs acting like living cells machines that are able to roam in the diseased cells and hence cure them. The exciting possibilities, according to Drexler, include super tough materials and computers very small to be seen by human eye (Drexler, 21). The technology also promises the manufacturing which is pollution free and self changing matter like a chair self changing into a table or something else. By understanding nanotechnology and biosystems, it would be easier to create machines that make their own copies and amass themselves to make complex structures. The possibilities are exciting which promises a low cost of living and a strain free environment.
Nanotechnology received a grant of USD400 million during the second term of President Clinton. The funds were provided through the National Nanotechnology Initiative purposely to steer potential research in nanotechnology. The U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee, in April, 2003, was called to talk about the dangers and possible benefits of nanotechnology. This was as a result of the proposed bill to boost funding in nanotechnology.
Although the benefits of nanotechnology seem really promising, there are key dangers associated with nanotechnology. Bill Joy working with Sun Microsystems expressed his panic of a situation of the dreaded gray goo. In this scenario, the self replicating nanobots overtake the world and swallow it up. Another recent publication, Prey, a science and fiction book by Michael Crichton highlights this fear. The application of nanotechnology requires implementation of policies, security to avoid unnecessary complications (Atkinson, 33).
The fears attributed to nanotechnology are common. An introduction of a powerful technology is able to cause enormous social changes or disruptions. The required step is to further nanotechnology in responsible ways for the society to harvest the benefits of the technology and avoid its harms. It has always been a trend that the society has to express fear when new technology is introduced and in most times, there is fear of changes. For example, the introduction of personal computer was received with some controversy and speculations. There were claims that computers would overtake the world and reduce the need for human teachers by 1985. To present, more than two decades, nothing like such has been experienced, meaning that the claims were flaws (Dingman, 679). It is agreed that there are many issues connected with the use of computers like the hacking which threatens the security and privacy. However, one technology solves another problem afflicting another technology. Computers are widely used in the modern world and systems are protected from intruders by firewalls, antispy and antivirus programs. The society is time to time challenged by several problems. As a result, it is willing receive the changes promised by nanotechnology since its benefits are rewarding. Some of the problems affecting the society include disease, hunger and a number of chemical pollution. Nanotechnology promises to make the problems a past tense but it needs dissemination of information to the public and policy regulations (Lemley, 56).
The miniature machines created by nanotechnologists are sometimes referred to as Personal nano factories or PNs. Usually, the building of a PN requires a working fabricator. A fabricator is a nanoscale device capable of combining different individual molecules into functional shapes (Gulati, Allen, 35). Fabricators are capable of building a miniature nanofactory, which in turn builds another nanofactory twice the size and the process continues to get a resulting complex system after some short time.
Personal nanofactory products are assembled from nanoblocks and then fabricated within the nanofactory. With the aid of CAD (Computer Aided Design) programs, the creation of highly advanced products is made possible. This is done by identifying a pattern of nanoblocks predesigned.
The applications of nanofactories are diverse. From the life saving medical nanorobots to tools to be used in wars, nanofactories promise to produce useful tools that will make easier most operations. In computer industry, the networking of computers for all people in the world will be made possible. This will also include the networking of cameras so that it will be great easier to watch everyone. There will be improved economies as procedures will be taking shorter time hence productivity will be enhanced (Lemley, 57). The rate of discoveries or invention of new products will be high. In the field of weapon production and medicine, there will be great benefits.
One most applied field of nanotechnology is mechanochemistry. Mechanochemistry involves fixing of one or two molecules then pushing, twisting or pulling in a desired manner until chemical reactions occur at exact points so desired. The procedure takes place in a vacuum meaning that the condition is under maximum control and no water or any molecules are interfering. Addition of an atom to a surface will necessitate the binding of the atom into a tool tip molecule at the extremes of a mechanical manipulator. The atom is moved close to the surface and it is necessary to ascertain that it has weaker attraction to the tool tip molecule than the surface (Dingman, 680). On bringing them together, the bond transfers, this is the same concept in chemistry. The difference existing between mechanochemistry and the ordinary chemistry is that in mechanochemistry, the tool tip molecule is always directed using computer controls. This possibility ensures the performance of one reaction at many sites on the surface and a few reactions can give a lot of flexibility in what to be designed.
The technology of molecular manufacturing and nanotechnology has been perceived as rather a fiction due to its complexity and unfamiliarity. This is the reason why its applications are real staggering. The concepts are only understood by a few scientists and engineers and those who don’t understand it out rightly say it is close to impossibility. The situation leading to little applications of the technology is partly contributed by the misconceptions created by the media and science fictional hype. In fact the scientists dismissing molecular manufacturing do not have prior knowledge in the field (Gulati, Allen, 46). They are mostly experts in chemistry, biotechnology, or some other related nanoscale sciences and technologies. They therefore fail to embrace the technology since they poorly understand it.
The debate about the nanotechnology as a potential danger or savior takes a broad dimension. It is true that nanotechnology can have great potential for benefit to humankind. However, nanotechnology can also bring severe dangers. Great dangers arising form nanotechnology applications are as a result of malicious molecular manufacturing. If the technology is properly administered and safely developed, dangers like toxic nanoparticle and other nanoscale technology products can be avoided greatly. It has therefore a threat to allow the applications of nanotechnology to continue through research. The limitation of the nanotechnology application can be said to be misleading because it will be close to reality to stop countries like china and Japan or Asia who have developed the nanotechnology because of the availability of scanning probe microscopy, biotechnology and other enabling technologies. The second reason why the stopping of nanotechnology isn’t that easy is the promise the technology has for man in the future (Drexler, 29). The great promises like environmental conservation and repair, manufacturing that is cheap, clean and efficient, medical discoveries and greatly advanced computer cannot let the technology to be stopped.
The controversy created by the dangers of self-replicating nanobots has been the topic of discussion for a long time. Molecular manufacturing is actually far from the grey goo stuff. The proposed production system restricts the free-floating assemblers sometimes referred as nanobots by fiction writers. It will not be easy to build extensive factories with all the machinery of nanoscale stuck down and entirely inert without any external control. Instead, self-replicating mechanochemical nanobots are governed by the laws of physics. The fiction story, Prey, by Michael Crichton serves as a good entertainment and never based in good science (Dingman, 681). Practically, molecular manufacturing has not been successfully
The development of nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing can greatly solve the problems that affect the world today. Example of these problems is the water shortage which is a severe and increasing problem. It is practical that much of the water in the planet earth is used for agriculture and industry. Nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing promises to greatly reduce these requirements. In medicine nanotechnology is devising for mechanisms to manage infectious diseases. This problem continues to scourge many parts of the world especially the developing world leading to poor quality of life. Computers and other devises will be developed with ease meaning that there will be a reduction in cost.
The problem of electrical power still exists in many areas. Nanotechnology promises to make this efficient and cheap building of light emitting devices (Gulati, Allen, 50). The electrical equipment and power storage devices will be available cheaply. Nanotechnology will exploit the solar thermal power as a principal and copious source of energy. Through the use of advanced nanotech products, it is easier to address the problem of environmental degradation which is also a serious problem worldwide. The reduction in the need for space is one major addressing of nanotechnology. Most countries cannot afford to the manufacturing infrastructure. Therefore, molecular manufacturing technology makes the manufacturing clean and self-contained taking less space. Lastly, molecular manufacturing will provide cheap and highly advanced medical research and healthcare equipments rendering the availability of improved medicine. The cause of countless social unrest can be blamed on disease, material poverty and ignorance which molecular manufacturing is able to address.
There is no single known technology that is a solution to all problems. Nanotechnology has promised exciting possibilities to solve a number of human problems. Technologies have been developed over years to address the problems of housing, plumbing and health. Proper practice of agriculture and industry can save the exploitation of water, land, materials, and labor resources. This in the overall reduces pollution. The cheap and reliable power will mean that people will be able to access to information, education, and communication services. These are sources of numerous opportunities for improving oneself to become efficient economically and have a participatory government (Allhoff, 28). The problem with modern industries is that the technology applied relies on dispersed manufacturing, which often requires a lot of particular materials and machines and extremely trained personnel. Molecular manufacturing can function without skilled labor once installed and no need for an extensive sustaining infrastructure. It will be easier for a single personal nanofactory having a single chemical and power supply to produce a wide range of useful and reliable products. The PN can also make copies of itself doubling the infrastructure for manufacturing within a short time (Allhoff, 41).
The problem of wasting water is a concern to develop nanotechnology. The recovery of tainted water by simple and reliable electrical and mechanochemical methods is possible with nanotechnology. The water can again be used for domestic and agricultural use. The physical filters having nanoscale pores remove almost 100 percent of bacteria, viruses and prions. Salts and heavy metals are also removed using an electrical separation technology which attracts the ions to the plates of a supercapacitor (Ratner, 11).
The solar energy is abundant but the harvesting is tricky. Nanotechnology looks to harvest and make solar energy practicable and shift the tradition of using the fuels containing carbon. Carbon based fuels are non renewable, inefficient and emit carbon dioxide, radioactive particle and other waste products into the atmosphere. The generation of solar electricity depends on accumulating the direct sunlight or by photovoltaic conversion (Atkinson, 63). Nanotechnology can apply the sun-tracking designs using cheap computers and compact actuators to make energy available. The energy harvested can then be stored well for days in large flywheels made of thin diamond.
The face of the earth will change since computer will be much cheaper. It is possible for nanotechnology to develop computer logic gates just a few nanometers and still be adequate to be piled in three dimensions. A whole supercomputer can be the size of a cubic millimeter and be sold very cheap. It is also possible to build high computer display resolution with actuators the size less than a bacterium. With diamondoid technology, it is easier to compute, communicate and generate radio waves since the GHz mechanical frequencies senses and produces radio waves (Atkinson, 65).
In environmental protection, nanotechnology addresses the problem of environmental degradation caused by farming. The advanced technology will allow activities like green houses to dominate and pollute will be more contained. The easily stored solar energy promised by nanotechnology will reduce sooth, ash, nitric oxide, carbondioxide and hydrocarbon emissions. Molecular manufacturing will result to the rapid deployment of environmental friendly technology that is self contained even in areas that currently do not have a technological infrastructure.
The medical field may take long to realize the fruits of molecular manufacturing although the technology will impact the practice of medicine. The diagnosis of diseases will be very easy and medical research will be intensified opening ways for quick response to emerging infections and those engineered. Continuous health monitoring will be possible through small numerous and cheap sensors, computers or other implantable devices (Dingman, 681). These devices will allow semi-automated disease management.
The appropriate application of the technology needs the address of ethical issues. The question on inheriting the future generation a world better than we found it seem to be in the minds of the people when a new technology is being introduced. The increased population has led to degradation of environment the extinction of species, the social injustice, poverty, starvation, chronic warfare and incurable diseases. Technology hold the fate of humankind, it can spoil the fate or build it. Debates on applications of genetic engineering, nuclear physics and now nanotechnology fill the air. Particularly nanotechnology that cuts across diverse spheres needs ethical issues to be sufficiently addressed (Ratner, 17). The ethical guidelines make the application of technology to be within the limit, only benefiting the humankind.
Nanotechnology is designed to create a world of wealth where all people access the basic requirements. The needs include sufficient safe water, food, housing, medical care, security, clean environment among others. The ethical aspect of nanotechnology is that it should give high priority to economic and efficient global products and services distribution. In the defense sector, the military research and use of nanotechnology must only be restricted to security systems and defense but not for aggression or political agendas. If there is any research funded by the governments that produces technological advances not related to military, the research must be publicized.
It is a recommendation that all scientists working with nanotechnology to have a strong background on ecology and public safety or at least one of them in a team should have the knowledge. This will ensure that the scientists are held responsible for any abuse of science. Another ethical issue is that every publication and discussions on the topic of nanotechnology need to be accurate sticking to scientific methods to avoid any hazard that may arise due to improper practice (Ratner, 38).
With proper use of nanotechnology, the world will make a positive step of sustaining the people with basic requirements at affordable costs. The governments and organizations should donate to the development of this technology which has exciting promises of changing the face of the world.
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