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Nanorobots for Drug Delivery?

Posted by Zonk on from the best-way-is-the-nano-way dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "The idea of using nanorobots to deliver drugs and fight diseases such as cancers is not new. But there are still lots of issues to solve before nanorobots can diagnose our diseases and treat them. Now, an international team of researchers has designed a software and hardware platform of a nanorobot to be used in medical applications. The researchers think their nanorobots could become available around 2015. 'The proposed platform should enable patient pervasive monitoring, and details are given in prognosis with nanorobots application for intracranial treatments. This integrated system also points towards precise diagnosis and smart drug delivery for cancer therapy.'"

9 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Pager # PLZ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Anyone have this nanobot's pager number?

    1. Re:Pager # PLZ? by reboot246 · · Score: 3, Funny

      If this works, the next thing will be nanorobots delivering pizza and Chinese food. I just wonder how they can see over the steering wheel and reach the pedals.

  2. I for one welcome our new nanobot overlords by GravitonMan · · Score: 4, Informative

    But seriously, it is ridiculous for these reporters to make such outlandish claims about nanotechnology. Its been 15 years since nanoparticle drug delivery was tested in cells, and we are just beginning phase 1 clinical trials in germany and US on magnetic nanoparticles. Regardless of the FDA implications of nanobots, the actual impact will be very small in the next 20 years, perhaps it could report of blood pressure or flow rate using RFID, but its not going to have robotic arms that will wield a sword and evicerate a cancer cell.

  3. Re:Nanobots deliver drugs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    balloons in the ass are a good high? filled or unfilled? air or helium? thx!

  4. Brilliant ! by Joebert · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Man will never catch those little guys. It's probably going to take me a year to get a buz though.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  5. Congratulations, friend. by bigstrat2003 · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is the geekiest post I've ever seen on slashdot. I have tears of sublime joy in my eyes right now, you made my night.

    --
    "16MB (fuck off, MiB fascists)" - The Mighty Buzzard
  6. Where do I sign up? by Plazmid · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man, the borg sure do have a good health care plan, where do I sign up?

  7. Re:Interference by Falstius · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Considering how quickly cellphone frequencies (900MHz and up) are absorbed by tissue, I don't see how this is a viable solution. Most implanted devices communicate at 100MHz or less. There is a 400MHz band available for these types of applications, but I haven't seen it widely used yet. The article has pretty much zero details but it looks like the guy does purely conceptual work and should be taken with a grain of salt.

    Anyway, the real problem with these things is how to power them. Once we have nanorobots that work off blood sugar, that will be exciting. That might be a good time to become paranoid too.

  8. Available around 2015! by Lisandro · · Score: 3, Funny

    Cool! Just in time for cold fusion power!

    And Duke Nukem Forever, you know. Gotta do something while those little fellas get their work done.