SHRINKING ROBOTS!

Outline

• Learn about robots and nanobots– What is a robot?– How small can robots be?– What is a nanobot?– Are nanobots real?

• Make a pretend robot

What is a robot?

Robots are machines that can sense, plan,

and act

How small can robots be?

Are there robots the size of a child?

1m

Yes! There robots the size of a child!

1m

Mars rover

Humanoid robot

Factory robot

Are there robots the size of a hand?

10cm

Yes! There robots the size of a hand!

10cm

Vacuuming robot

Climbing robot

Swarming robot

Are there robots the size of a finger?

1cm

Yes! There robots the size of a finger!

1cm

Crawling robot

Medical robot

Flying robot

Are there robots the size of a freckle or

hair?

.1mm1mm

Yes! There robots the size of a freckle or

hair!

.1mm1mm

Soccer robots

Smallest robot!

What are nanobots? Are they real?

Nanobots would be very, very small robots!

• The size of cells or molecules• Able to sense, plan, and act

Nano is very, very small• A nanometer is a billionth of a meter

• Molecules are nanometers across

Are there robots the size of a cell or

molecule?

1nm1µm

NO! There are no robots the size of a cell or

molecule!

These are pictures of imaginary robots!

1nm1µm

Nanocars (not robots)

Review

• What is a robot?

• How small can robots be?

• What is a nanobot?

• Are nanobots real?

Make a robot!

My robot’s name is…Its job is…It’s as big as…It’s controlled by…It’s powered by…

Image and video creditsNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

American Honda Motor Co., Inc

© FANUC Robotics

Sciencenter

Mark Cutkosky, Stanford University

James McLurkin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Image and video credits

Cameron Riviere, Carnegie Mellon University

Sandia National Laboratories

Ronald Fearing, University of California Berkeley

Bradley Nelson, ETH Zürich

Chytra Pawashe, Carnegie Mellon University

Bruce Donald, Duke University

Image and video creditsConeyl Jay

James Tour, Rice University

Philip Van Nederwelde and E-Spaces

Forrest Bishop and Foresight Nanotech Institute

Tim Fonseca

Antonio Siber, Institute of Physics, Zagreb

Image and video credits

Emily Maletz and Sciencenter

www.istockkphoto.com

© Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc.

Public domain

This project was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ESI-0532536.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.