Nanotechnology: A Tiny Robotic Hand
Group 7
Alicia Hastings, Matt Campbell, Paul Webber
Key Words: Nanotechnology, Micro hand, Robotics, Pneumatic Operation
An emerging technology is a tiny robotic hand, so small its only 1 mm big when the fist is closed. The hand is made up of tiny silicon micro fingers with polymer-balloon joints. These joints can be inflated and deflated with the most delicacy possible. Because this device is operated by pneumatic operations, instead of electrical operations, it’s open to a wider range of environments, including liquids. This is the world’s smallest hand and can be used in microsurgery. It will benefit those who need a very delicate surgery done or when a doctor needs something very tiny to aid him in surgery.
Researcher Chang-Jin Kim had microsurgery in mind when he created this device. A demonstration of the tiny hand plucking a fish egg from a gooey underwater clutch proved that someday this device could be a staple in surgeon’s tool kits. The “hand” consists of four fingers, each being made up of six silicon wafers. Polymer balloons do the work of “muscles” at the joints.
One of the more important aspects of this device is the use of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is a field of applied science and technology covering a field of things on a scale smaller than one micrometer. Nanotechnology is also a broad description of emerging technological developments. There are two main approaches used in nanotechnology, bottom-up and top-down. The bottom-up approach is where materials and devices are assembled using principles of molecular recognition. The top-down approach is where nano-objects are constructed from larger entities without atomic-level control.
The micro hand is a wonderful achievement because right now the field of microsurgery and minimally invasive surgery is dominated by tools and grippers that are mounted on the ends of long rods. The micro hand would provide much more dexterity for the surgeon than those longer tools.
This device will allow operation rooms and hospitals to offer a better option to patients have microsurgery or a minimally invasive surgery. This tool would make the surgery much easier for the surgeons as well. Although, those surgeries are already performed today, they are performed with tools that are more difficult to work with. The micro hand will make it easier to get in where the surgeon needs to be and fix what needs to be fixed.
The first hospitals to get this device will probably have some comparative advantage over other hospitals that do not have it. Before too long, it is thought that this device will be a key in all surgeons’ tool kits though.
The device we chose, a robotic micro hand, will come in handy in the future for many doctors and surgeons. It is the world’s smallest hand to ever be used in surgery. The device will be able to operate in wet and dry environments. The micro hand will benefit the most delicate work and become a very handy device in microsurgery.
References
A Tiny Robotic Hand. (2007, Jan 26). http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2007/01/a_tiny_robotic_1.html
A Tiny Robotic Hand: Augmenting Organics. (2007, Jan 30). http://www.virutalworldlets.net/Archive/IndividualNews.php?News=1859
Avasthi, Amitabh. (2007, Jan 26). A Tiny Robotic Hand. http://www.technologyreview.com/nanotech/181081
Melanson, David. (2006, Oct 18). Researcher’s Develop World’s Smallest Robotic Hand. http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/18/researchers-develop-worlds-smallest-robotic-hand/
“Nanotechnology.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2007, Feb 9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/nanotechnology
Questions about
Nanotechnology: A Tiny Robotic Hand
(Group 7)
1. Instead of being electrical, the micro hand is controlled by which type of operation?
A. Hydro electrical B. Pneumatic
C.
2. The micro hand can be used in both wet and dry situations.
A. True
B. False
3. Which of the following is a nanotechnology approach?
A. Bottom-down B. Top-up
C. Side-up D. Top-down
4. What size is the micro hand when the fist is closed?
A. 2 mm B. 1 cm
C. 1 mm D. 2 cm
5. What researcher developed the micro hand?
A. Amitabh Avasthi B. Donald Melanson
C. Chang-Jin Kim D. Bill Nye
6. The micro hand is made up of four fingers. What do each of these fingers consist of?
A. 4 silicon wafers B. 6 silicon wafers
C. 4 silicon rods D. 6 silicon rods
7. Balloons at each joint do the work of “muscles.” What kind of balloons are these?
A. Helium B. Silicon
C. Polymer D. None of these answers are correct.