Design of Nano-Robots for Exposing Cancer Cells

Abstract

A proof-of-concept design of a nano-robot which can navigate, detect cancer cells in blood and actuate the release of drugs is discussed. The nano-robot was designed with blood energy harvesting capability and accumulation of electricity in a capacitor, which forms the main body of the nano-robot. Glucose hunger-based cancer detectors immobilized on the nano-robot, reduces its electrical resistance, when attached to a cancer cell. This mechanism, in-turn, allows electric current to activate a nano-electrical-mechanical (NEM) relay (mechanical transistor) to break the ceiling, exposing a drug identified by the immune system for cell elimination. This concept is in line with the effort to design an autonomous computational nano-robot for in-vivo medical diagnosis and treatment. A collective system of electrical manipulation, bio-detection and NEM actuation can visualize the programmability in the nano matters. The concept can also be considered as a step to bridge the gap between theoretical swarming/navigation techniques and a computational hardware for plausible implementation of the theory.