Comments on: The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing (2): Exploiting Improved Methods and Building Blocks http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/ The Trajectory of Technology Mon, 21 May 2012 05:21:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” (Richard Feynman, Pasadena, 29 December 1959) http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-3481 “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” (Richard Feynman, Pasadena, 29 December 1959) Tue, 01 Jun 2010 03:47:27 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-3481 [...] Part 4 — The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing (2) [...] [...] Part 4 — The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing (2) [...]

]]> By: Molecular Manufacturing: The NRC study and its recommendations http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2542 Molecular Manufacturing: The NRC study and its recommendations Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:05:27 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-2542 [...] As I’ve discussed, this capability could be exploited to pursue a spiral of improvement in materials, components, and molecular machine systems. [...] [...] As I’ve discussed, this capability could be exploited to pursue a spiral of improvement in materials, components, and molecular machine systems. [...]

]]> By: Eric Drexler http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2460 Eric Drexler Fri, 01 Jan 2010 01:11:58 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-2460 @ Chris Phoenix — I should clarify what I had in mind in my comment above. There’s obviously much more to do than integrate existing components, in part because the components in question weren’t made for the purpose. There are, however, demonstrations of all the necessary <em>kinds</em> of devices, in the sense of basic functions; these include the actuators that you mention. Aside from demos, the important point is that commonplace nanoscale materials and phenomena would, if properly configured, provide sets of components that can fulfill the engineering requirements for implementing, among many other things, extraordinarily capable productive nanosystems. I’m tempted to say that no scientific breakthroughs are necessary, but science reporting comes close to reporting new omelets as breakthroughs in breakfast science, so I’m sure there will be thousands of them (and some even useful). @ Chris Phoenix — I should clarify what I had in mind in my comment above.

There’s obviously much more to do than integrate existing components, in part because the components in question weren’t made for the purpose. There are, however, demonstrations of all the necessary kinds of devices, in the sense of basic functions; these include the actuators that you mention.

Aside from demos, the important point is that commonplace nanoscale materials and phenomena would, if properly configured, provide sets of components that can fulfill the engineering requirements for implementing, among many other things, extraordinarily capable productive nanosystems.

I’m tempted to say that no scientific breakthroughs are necessary, but science reporting comes close to reporting new omelets as breakthroughs in breakfast science, so I’m sure there will be thousands of them (and some even useful).

]]> By: Chris Phoenix http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2456 Chris Phoenix Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:08:13 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-2456 1) What about molecular actuators? They'd vastly increase the design space, but there don't seem to be a lot of them ready to be integrated. Recent work from IBM on self-assembling DNA staple structures to lithographed surfaces in particular positions and orientations would seem to enable addressing individual actuators electrically. 2) Some of the complexity of the ribosome is for efficiency. Early artificial "ribosome analogs" would not have to be nearly as efficient. Chris 1) What about molecular actuators? They’d vastly increase the design space, but there don’t seem to be a lot of them ready to be integrated. Recent work from IBM on self-assembling DNA staple structures to lithographed surfaces in particular positions and orientations would seem to enable addressing individual actuators electrically.

2) Some of the complexity of the ribosome is for efficiency. Early artificial “ribosome analogs” would not have to be nearly as efficient.

Chris

]]> By: Eric Drexler http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2431 Eric Drexler Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:06:14 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-2431 @ Valkyrie Ice — Yes, and I am persuaded that the necessary science is in surprisingly good shape. There is no new <em>and necessary [kind of]</em> component or phenomenon that hasn’t been demonstrated. <i>[I say more about what I mean by this in a comment below.]</i> The great and fundamental problem is institutional and cultural. Although there are research institutions that collectively have ample technical resources, these institutions are configured to do lab-level research, and have no way to undertake the design, task breakdown, coordinated problem-solving, component testing, system assembly, testing, and iterative design and process revision that are necessary to do engineering. In other words, without architects, plans, and masons, all the bricks and mortar in the world won’t make a house. This is related to <a href="http://metamodern.com/2009/06/22/the-antiparallel-structures-of-science-and-engineering/" rel="nofollow">“The Antiparallel Structures of Science and Engineering”.</a> @ Valkyrie Ice — Yes, and I am persuaded that the necessary science is in surprisingly good shape. There is no new and necessary [kind of] component or phenomenon that hasn’t been demonstrated. [I say more about what I mean by this in a comment below.]

The great and fundamental problem is institutional and cultural. Although there are research institutions that collectively have ample technical resources, these institutions are configured to do lab-level research, and have no way to undertake the design, task breakdown, coordinated problem-solving, component testing, system assembly, testing, and iterative design and process revision that are necessary to do engineering.

In other words, without architects, plans, and masons, all the bricks and mortar in the world won’t make a house.

This is related to “The Antiparallel Structures of Science and Engineering”.

]]> By: Valkyrie Ice http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2416 Valkyrie Ice Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:56:05 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-2416 I have been spending a lot of time recently following many of the trends in research which you have written about here, and thinking very much the same things you have pointed out. You did so in a far more precise and informative way than I would have been able too. Thank you. I have been following the development of nanotechnology for twenty years now, and seeing the beginnings of real progress is extremely exciting. Hopefully the mental bug you described will be overcome quickly. I have often been asked why I believe that nanofacturing will become a real technology, and tell them to look in a mirror. As an example of the most sophisticated nanomechanical system on the planet, I've never doubted that we would overcome all the inherent difficulties to true mechanosynthesis. It's always simply been a matter of time. With these new breakthroughs, I think that time might have just gotten significantly shorter. I have been spending a lot of time recently following many of the trends in research which you have written about here, and thinking very much the same things you have pointed out. You did so in a far more precise and informative way than I would have been able too. Thank you.

I have been following the development of nanotechnology for twenty years now, and seeing the beginnings of real progress is extremely exciting. Hopefully the mental bug you described will be overcome quickly. I have often been asked why I believe that nanofacturing will become a real technology, and tell them to look in a mirror. As an example of the most sophisticated nanomechanical system on the planet, I’ve never doubted that we would overcome all the inherent difficulties to true mechanosynthesis. It’s always simply been a matter of time. With these new breakthroughs, I think that time might have just gotten significantly shorter.

]]> By: Basement development? Big leaps? http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2415 Basement development? Big leaps? Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:58:24 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-2415 [...] 4 — The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing: (2) Exploiting Better Methods and Building Bl...    [...] [...] 4 — The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing: (2) Exploiting Better Methods and Building Bl…    [...]

]]> By: The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing: (1) Foldamers and Brownian Assembly http://metamodern.com/2009/12/27/the-molecular-machine-path-2-exploiting-better-methods-and-building-blocks/comment-page-1/#comment-2414 The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing: (1) Foldamers and Brownian Assembly Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:28:48 +0000 http://metamodern.com/?p=6725#comment-2414 [...] 4 — The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing: (2) Exploiting Improved Methods and Building ...    [...] [...] 4 — The Molecular Machine Path to Molecular Manufacturing: (2) Exploiting Improved Methods and Building …    [...]

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