they can't control movement yet. the speed depends on the temperature... browninan motion provides the force... direction might be controlled by using a special surface (tracks), or maybe by using a magnetic field, if you can position metal atoms on the car-- or whatever other clever thing they come up with.
ck On Wed, Oct 26, 2005 at 09:05:52AM -0700, kalyan wrote: > Read the linked NYTimes article. Very nice... > > But how does one control movement. Or where does the power come from? > > --Kalyan > > "Christopher M. Kelty" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > btw, http://frazer.rice.edu/nanotech = "my class" > > ck > > On Tue, Oct 25, 2005 at 05:09:19PM +0530, Udhay Shankar N wrote: > > CKelty, have you run into these folks? > > > > Udhay > > > > http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=14095&hed=The+Buckymobile+is+Born > > > > The Buckymobile Is Born > > > > Researchers at Rice University have built a > > one-molecule car, complete with working chassis, axles, and wheels. > > > > October 21, 2005 > > > > Rice University scientists have constructed a car > > a little wider than a strand of DNA, complete > > with rotating wheels, functioning axles, and a chassis. > > > > The design details of the worlds smallest > > vehicle will be published in a future edition of > > the journal Nanoletters, according to a statement issued Thursday. > > > > Scientists working on single-molecule machines > > with a mechanical function have created molecules > > that resemble motors, switches, turnstiles, > > gears, gyroscopes, and even elevators. > > > > While other groups have created single molecules > > shaped like automobiles, these have moved by > > slipping and sliding across a surface. > > > > In contrast, the Rice University nanocar has > > carefully designed carbon-rich sections of the > > molecule that provide a pivoting suspension and freely rotating axles. > > > > Its wheels are hollow spheres composed entirely > > of carbon atoms, known to chemists as > > buckminsterfullerenes (named for the inventor > > Buckminster Fuller), or buckyballs for short. > > > > Out for a Test Drive > > > > This means that the nanocar functions much like a > > real automobile, moving forward at an angle of 90 > > degrees to its axles as its wheels turn. > > > > Wed eventually like to move objects and do work > > in a controlled fashion on the molecular scale, > > and these vehicles are great test beds for that, > > said James M. Tour, the Chao Professor of > > Chemistry and professor of mechanical > > engineering, materials, and computer science at Houstons Rice University. > > > > Proving that we were rollingnot slipping and > > slidingwas one of the most difficult parts of > > this project, said Kevin F. Kelly, assistant > > professor of electrical and computer engineering. > > > > The car is approximately one twenty-thousandth > > the width of human hair. Therefore, the > > researchers had to prove it could roll on its > > wheels using a highly sensitive microscope called > > a scanning tunneling microscope. > > > > They took pictures with the microscope every 60 > > seconds to follow the cars progress over a > > heated gold surface and then pulled the car > > backwards. The latter test showed it was easier > > to drag the nanocars in the orientation that > > their wheels rolled, as opposed to pulling them sideways. > > > > The Rice University group has also made a > > nanotruck capable of carrying some cargo, albeit tiny loads. > > > > The National Science Foundation, Welch > > Foundation, and Zyvex, a Richardson, Texas-based > > nanotechnology company, funded the research. > > > > > > -- > > ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com)) > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.
