Home > News > A V6 Engine for the Nano-Age
May 18th, 2005
A V6 Engine for the Nano-Age
Abstract:
The world of the very small is about to receive a very powerful engine. Berkeley Lab scientists have created the world's smallest electric motor that may someday power nanoscale devices that walk, crawl, swim, and fly.
Although it is too early too determine what the motor will propel — perhaps probes that deliver disease-fighting drugs inside the body or winging nanobots that sniff out explosives — it packs a big kick in its tiny frame. The motor measures only 200 nanometers long, but its power density is 100 million times greater than that of a 225-horsepower V6 engine. It draws its enormous power from surface tension, the same cohesive force between liquid molecules that allows bubbles to form and insects to walk on water.
Source:
LBL
Bookmark:
Possible Futures
Lifeboat publishes its first book: The Lifeboat Foundation has published its first book, "The Human Race to the Future: What Could Happen -- and What to Do" May 14th, 2013
UC Santa Barbara History Professor's Book Elucidates, Celebrates ‘Visioneers' May 14th, 2013
Conceptual Nanomedical Lipofuscin Removal Strategy April 29th, 2013
The Global Desalination Market 2013-2023 April 24th, 2013
Molecular Machines
Conceptual Nanomedical Lipofuscin Removal Strategy April 29th, 2013
A giant step toward miniaturization: Nanotechnology transforms molecular beams into functional nano-devices with controlled atomic architectures April 3rd, 2013
ASU Biodesign Institute scientists develop innovative twists to DNA nanotechnology March 21st, 2013
Reversible assembly leads to tiny encrypted messages March 11th, 2013
Nanotubes/Buckyballs
UC Riverside scientists discovering new uses for tiny carbon nanotubes: Adding ionic liquid to nanotube films could build smaller gadgets, and create more cost effective 'Smart Windows' that darken in bright sun May 15th, 2013
Development know-how is made available to collaboration partners: Bayer MaterialScience brings nano projects to a close May 8th, 2013
Next-generation transistor outperforms other carbon-based designs May 7th, 2013
Ubiquitous engineered nanomaterials cause lung inflammation, study finds: Substances are used in everything from paint to sporting equipment May 6th, 2013
Announcements
How do cold ions slide May 24th, 2013
Heinrich Rohrer dies at 79; a father of nanotechnology: With IBM colleague Gerd Binnig, Rohrer invented the scanning tunneling microscope, which can show individual atoms on a surface and move them around May 23rd, 2013
Gold nanocrystal vibration captured on billion-frames-per-second film May 23rd, 2013
Glowing Plant Releases Maker Kit, Enabling Anyone to Make a Glowing Plant at Home: Glowing Plant seeks funds via crowdfunding and raises almost $400,000 May 23rd, 2013