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Hubert's Interesting Nanoassembler

Posted by timothy on from the gee-look-at-all-the-little-black-dots dept.

SEWilco writes: "In the Nando/AP article announcing the winner of the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, I noticed that he's built a machine which is assembling a few thousand atoms of almost any material into various shapes. The pictures show 2D shapes, but he mentions 3D as a goal." Congratulations to Brian Hubert -- what a cool device.

4 of 46 comments (clear)

  1. A bet by Fervent · · Score: 5

    Ten bucks says someone figures out a way to draw nanoporn in the next five years.

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    - I don't care if they globalize against free speech. All my best free thoughts are done in my head.

  2. Not the First by NatePWIII · · Score: 4

    While I was working at IBM's Almaden Center this sort of thing was getting lots of attention. Arranging atoms on copper plates to be exact. Take a look at:
    http://www.almaden.ibm.com/vis/stm/corral.html

    Nathaniel P. Wilkerson
    Domain Names for $13

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    Nathaniel P. Wilkerson
    www.haidacarver.com
  3. Mr. Hubert by Tim · · Score: 4

    Didja read the press release about Mr. Hubert?

    Apparently, Mr. Hubert is a brilliant engineer, a brilliant computer scientist, a brilliant concert pianist, and a brilliant inventor. Oh yeah, and a brilliant architect too. I bet he even cleans the floors in the mathematics wing at MIT, and lives in southie with his brilliant med student girlfriend...

    I know these press releases are designed to talk people up, but MIT's have to be the worst of all. Yeah, Mr. Hubert's a smart guy. No matter how smart he is, he's probably only brilliant at one of the above. There just isn't enough time in the day to be brilliant at everything.

    Sheesh...

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    Let's try not to let fact interfere with our speculation here, OK?
  4. www.Nanodot.org by BryanBruns · · Score: 4

    As the AC notes above, this may be nanoscale assembly, but it is not the molecular engineering with precise placement of individual atoms that Drexler talks about.

    BTW if you look at Eric Drexler's Engines of Creation cited above you'll see that he actually argues not for top-down regulation but for a synthesis of strategies to deal with dangers from nanotech.

    If you are interested in issues related to molecular nanotechnology, come on over and join us at www.Nanodot.org. Among other things we're currently having a discussion about regulation and nanotech.