NANOROBOTS TREATMENT FOR AIDS IN FUTURE

P.Muthukumaran#1, K.Koushik*2
1 II year, E&I, Sri Sai Ram Engineering College (Affiliated to Anna University, Chennai), West Tambaram,Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India 2 II year, E&I, Sri Sai Ram Engineering College (Affiliated to Anna University, Chennai), WestTambaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
1

muthu.sec@gmail.com

ABSTRACT While much speculation has been published on possible far-future applications of nanotechnology using advanced materials and manufacturing techniques, relatively little has been published on applying existing engineering technology to the problems in order to create a solution that can be incrementally improved as the technology becomes available. In this paper, I want to describe a mobile robot that can be created with existing technology that can be used to seek out and destroy viruses within the human body that cannot be accessed by other means. The construction and use of such devices would result in a number of benefits. Not only would it provide either cures or at least a means of controlling or reducing the effects of a number of ailments, but it will also provide valuable empirical data for the improvement and further development of such machines. Practical data garnered from such operations at the microscopic level will allow the elimination of a number of false trails and point the way to more effective methods of dealing with the problems inherent in operation at that level.

NANOROBOTS: THEY?

WHAT

ARE

A nanorobot is a tiny machine designed to perform a specific task or tasks repeatedly and with precision at nanoscale dimensions, that is, dimensions of a few nanometers (nm) or less, where 1 nm = 10-9 meter. Nanorobots have potential applications in the assembly and maintenance of sophisticated systems Nanorobots are nanodevices that will be used for the purpose of maintaining and protecting the human body against pathogens. They will have a diameter of about 0.5 to 3 microns and will be constructed out of parts with dimensions in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers. The main element used will be carbon in the form of diamond / fullerene nanocomposites because of the strength and chemical inertness of these forms. WHY NANOROBOTS? Medical technology will be the first application to reap the benefits of nanorobot applications. As such, a majority of the nanorobots currently being developed are designed to perform specific tasks at the molecular

level. Nanorobots are numerous other potential medical applications, including repair of damaged tissue, unblocking of arteries affected by plaques, and perhaps the construction of complete replacement body organs. materials, reliability, sensitive response threshold, minimum side effects, verification of progress, and precision. The big goal is to provide solutions previously unavailable for healing, monitoring, and regeneration of the body. THEME OF THIS PAPER: If the applications of nanorobots come into force then it is possible to develop a machine that would be a cure to the life killing disease, AIDS. My idea was a prediction and it may take probably more than 20 years to come into practice. A nanorobot is a small device enough to navigate through the human circulatory system, an incredibly complex network of veins and arteries. The robot must also have the capacity to carry medication or miniature tools. Assuming the nanorobot isn't meant to stay in the patient forever, it also has to be able to make its way out of the host. The robot monitors the human body,

Nanorobots hold promise for a strong presence in medicine to come. It proves essential when damage to the human body is highly selective, subtle, or time-critical. Their characteristics provide faster medical treatment, versatility, superior building travels to the appropriate system and provides a dose of medication directly to the infected area. Probably here it is the HIV virus which when affects or enters into the body the robots should identify it, either intimate to an external controller or destroy the virus. The nanorobot should be designed such that it should communicate with an external computer. The affected person or a medical specialist can control the actions of the robot using this computer. Hence whenever a foreign particle (i.e., the virus) enters into the blood stream it can be destroyed or captured by the nanorobots and hence effect of virus particle is cancelled. The nanorobots should contain a rotor to control the movement, propellers to control the direction of movement, fins to move, and sensors to monitor the environment and medicines(payload) if necessary. Typically it can be as in the following figure1, figure2.

Figure1: A typical nanorobot and camera.

Figure2: Robot with a payload results showed that nanorobots have a better chance of finding a target in smaller vessels. Also, the use of both chemical and thermal biosensors greatly improved the nanorobots efficiency compared with random motion.

To construct a robotic system, the researchers tested several cases where the nanorobots used different strategies to detect proteins, and in vessels with varying diameters. As expected, their

In addition to sensing, the simulation will hopefully provide interactive tools for many challenging aspects of nanorobot design, such as control methods, manufacturing approaches, actuator (motor) design, and more. The researchers are currently using the simulation for tests in laparoscopic surgery, diabetes, cancer, brain aneurysms, cardiology, military biohazard defense, and drug delivery. The development is highly

collaborative, with advances depending on future improvements in nanoelectronics, new materials, and genomics research, genetic programming and many medical applications.

The typical operations of the robot can be explained as in the following flow chart,

This chart implies that the nanorobots introduced in the blood stream will continuously monitor the blood stream, and if any virus found it immediately reports it to the neighboring nanorobots and also to an external system(if necessary). Then it performs the necessary action according to which it has been programmed or act according to the instruction given by external system. The external system or the nanorobot may itself contain the genomic

database which helps in identifying the HIV virus. HOW HIV VIRUS WORKS:

Viruses, like HIV, don't have cell walls or a nucleus. Basically, viruses are made up of genetic instructions wrapped inside a protective shell. An HIV virus particle, called a virion, is

spherical in shape and has a diameter of about one 10,000th of a millimeter. The structure of HIV can be as in the following figure3.

Figure3: Structure of HIV virus

Once the HIV virus enters the body, it heads for the lymphoid tissues, where it finds T-helper cells. Let's look at how the HIV virus infects immune system cells and replicates:

Binding - The HIV attaches to the immune cell when the gp120 protein of the HIV virus binds with the CD4 protein of the T-helper cell. The viral core

enters the T-helper cell and the virion's protein membrane fuses with the cell membrane. Reverse transcription - The viral enzyme, reverse transcriptase, copies the virus's RNA into DNA. Integration - The newly created DNA is carried into the cell's nucleus by the enzyme,

viral integrase, and it binds with cell's DNA. HIV DNA is called a provirus. Transcription - The viral DNA in the nucleus separates and creates messenger RNA (mRNA), using the cell's own enzymes. The mRNA contains the instructions for making new viral proteins. Translation - The mRNA is carried back out of the nucleus by the cell's enzymes. The virus then uses the cell's natural protein-making mechanisms to

make long chains of viral proteins and enzymes. Assembly - RNA and viral enzymes gather at the edge of the cell. An enzyme, called protease, cuts the polypeptides into viral proteins. Budding - New HIV virus particles pinch out from the cell membrane and break away with a piece of the cell membrane surrounding them. This is how enveloped viruses leave the cell. In this way, the host cell is not destroyed.

GENES IN HIV VIRUS: HIV has just nine genes (compared to more than 500 genes in a bacterium, and around 20,000-25,000 in a human). Three of the HIV genes, called gag, pol and env, contain information needed to make structural proteins for new virus particles. The other six genes, known as tat, rev, nef, vif, vpr and vpu(in HIV-I) or vpx(in HIV-II), has code for proteins that control the ability of HIV to infect a cell, produce new copies of virus, or cause disease. PRESENT METHODS: TREATMENT

Anti-retrovirals should only be used in combination (usually 3 drugs often from at least 2 classes). Currently, the three available drug classes are:

Till now there is no complete cure for AIDS. One of the current and popular treatment is anti-retroviral therapy is designed to attack HIV and prevent the virus from multiplying. In this treatment large quantities of pills must be taken at precise times, sometimes to within a fifteen minute interval. Some pills must be taken with water, some with food, and some on an empty stomach. Even slight deviations from the schedule can result in the virus rapidly becoming drug resistant.

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) were the first antiretrovirals used to treat HIV infections. They keep HIV from reproducing by interfering with an enzyme called reverse transcriptase which is required early in the replication process. The first such drug (AZT or Retrovir) was approved in 1987. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) also interfere with reverse transcriptase and keep HIV from multiplying. Protease inhibitors (PIs) interfere with the enzyme "protease" (which cuts the long ribbons into viral pieces, see above) and keep HIV from budding out of the CD4 cells.

In order for anti-retroviral therapy to be effective, the drugs must be used taken very consistently and correctly. Correct use means that the drugs must

be taken at appropriate intervals (with or without food as indicated), at correct doses and in correct combinations. But anti retroviral therapy has resulted in 90% failure. The current treatments often have significant and occasionally lifethreatening side effects. TREATMENT NANOROBOTS: USING

in retro viruses and the genes vpu and vpx are found only in HIV. Hence if a nanorobot is programmed to identify any of the above genes, immediately the robot can attack the virus and destroy the virus. Another type known as GDEPT(gene directed enzyme producing therapy) which involves in activation of a particular enzyme to destroy the target cell whenever a particular gene is encountered by the enzyme. Consider the ribosome, a structure within the cell where proteins are assembled. The genetic material that arrives from the nucleus is a string of nucleic acids, and it functions much the way a computer tape does. The ribosome moves along the string of DNA and precisely positions amino acids that correspond to the nucleicacid sequence. The resultant string of amino acids forms a new protein. Thus the ribosome serves as a precise nanoscale assembler. And similar to ribosome, the scientists are racing build nanorobots which can do the same. Thus it results in reprogramming of HIV which can deactivate the virus. The gene sequences taa, tag, and tga in HIV are special; they are called "stop codons". If one of these sequence is encountered, it ends protein synthesis. This sequence is achieved by the rearrangement done by nanorobots. Also in the case that if the virus attacks the host cell, the robot can particularly destroy the enzyme reverse transcriptase (present in HIV) which is required to convert the host into virion. And my last suggestion is introduction of artificial antibodies implies that the nanorobots can act as antibodies, and which when attacked by a HIV virus, will destroy the virus. It is predicted
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The methods which I have predicted to treat AIDS, which may either cure, or reduce the risks completely and preventing the attacks of the virus, are the following. Immediate destruction of the Virus whenever it is identified. Nanorobots interfere the action of HIV by destroying an enzyme called reverse transcriptase (present in HIV) which is required early in the replication process as anti retroviral drugs does at specific times. (Or drug delivery is achieved by nanorobots at precise times) Reprogram the genes using nanorobots. Introduction of artificial antibodies (nanorobots which can act as antibodies) HOW WORKS: HIV has just nine genes. Three of the HIV genes, called gag, pol and env, contain information needed to make structural proteins for new virus particles. The other six genes, known as tat, rev, nef, vif, vpr, vpu and vpx, code for proteins that control the ability of HIV to infect a cell, produce new copies of virus, or cause disease. The genes gag, pol, env are found only

that the nano robots can act along with antibodies and antigens in eradicating the disease causing agents such as viruses and bacteria. Till now there are many applications of nano robots in medicine which are very successful. This includes Tumors such as cancer Arteriosclerosis fatty deposits in blood vessels Blood clots leading to stroke blockage of blood vessel due to a blood clot Diabetes high or low sugar level Kidney stones salt deposits forming stones in kidney The above complaints have been successfully treated using nano robots. Tumors and fatty particles and blood clots are destroyed using nano robots without any harm to the human tissue or cells. The greatest achievement is that in the treatment of cancer by nanorobots. The robots uses laser which destroys the mutating cells without affecting human cells. Also the nanorobots monitor sugar level for diabetic patients and if it goes low or high it sends a message to the patients. (Both Cancer and diabetic patient monitoring has been successfully tried by Adriano Cavalcanti, who published the methods of above in the journal Recent Patents on Nanotechnology - Bentham Science, see Ref) Hence in a similar way the HIV virus can be treated as mutant cell and can be destroyed.

METHODS OF TREATMENT BY NANOROBOTS: The following are the various treatments that are used currently for various treatments of complaints such as cancer, kidney stones, blood clots etc These methods can be used as such or slightly modified in treating AIDS.
o

o o o

Physical removal - a blade, probe or edge of some sort can be used to physically separate deposits. Resonant microwaves/ infrared rays apply microwave/infrared or ultrasonic energy at random frequencies. Chemical - not seem to effective, since the device could not carry large quantities of chemicals. Heat- use of heat energy. Microwave use of microwave radiation. Ultrasonic - An ultrasonic signal, which can be generated by a piezoelectric membrane. Laser This would involve using a high-powered laser diode to burn away cancer cells.

The figure4 shows a nanorobot destroying a cell using its arms. The physical arm of the robot may produce heat or laser or microwaves or any chemicals or simply destroys the cell using a small probe or knife.

Figure 4: A nanorobot destroying a cell

POWER One major requirement for our nanorobot is, of course, power. We have to be able to get sufficient power to the nanorobot to allow it to perform all of its required operations. There are two possible paths we can take for this. The first is to obtain the power from a source within the body, either by having a self-contained power supply, or by getting power from the bloodstream. Nanorobots satisfy their energy requirements via the chemical combination of oxygen and glucose, both of which are plentiful in the human body. The second possibility is to have power supplied from a source external to the body. CONTROL SYSTEM We need to steer the nano robot to where the sensors tell us it needs to be. As always, the two choices are internal control and external. If the nano robot is permanently introduced into the body to circulate and remove unwanted tissues as they are detected, this requirement is largely unnecessary. Externally it can be controlled using sensors and microwaves. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS: The nanorobot exteriors is a diamondoid material to which may be attached an artificial glycocalyx surface that minimizes fibrinogen (and

other blood protein) adsorption and bioactivity, thus ensuring sufficient biocompatibility for the nanorobot to avoid immune system attack. The nanorobot lives in a world of viscosity, where friction, adhesion, and viscous forces are paramount and the gravitational force here is relatively negligible. It can also survive in various temperatures, pH values due to the inertness of the construction materials. MEANS OF RECOVERY FROM THE BODY: Given sufficiently accurate control of the nanomachine, this is not a problem; we can just retrace our path upstream. However, it would be a lot easier, and recommended, to steer a path through the body that traverses major blood vessels and winds up at a point where we can just filter the nanomachine out of the bloodstream. This will reduce the possibilities for difficulties, and also cause less wear and tear on the nanomachine. Of course, either scenario is a possibility, depending on where the actual operation site is. Another possibility is to have the nanomachine anchor itself to a blood vessel that is easily accessible from outside, and perform a small surgical operation to remove it or another nanorobot can direct the failed nanomachine to a path to go outside the human body.

CONCLUSION: As can be seen from the above, most or all of the engineering technologies to create a series of practical and effective nanorobots already exist. Rather than keep our eyes fixed on the far future, let us start now by creating some actual working devices that will allow us to cure some of the most deadly ailments known, as well as

advance our capabilities directly, rather than as the side effects of other technologies. A concerted development effort could have a working model of the nanorobot ready within a year or two, and this would certainly advance the development of nanotechnology.