© 1999 Robert A. Freitas Jr. All Rights Reserved.

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Nanomedicine, Volume I: Basic Capabilities, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 1999

5.2.4 Tessellating Nanodevice Aggregates: Nanotissues

Some of the most important applications of medical nanodevices involve cooperative activity by millions or billions of nanorobots in close physical proximity with each other. In such cases it may be essential that individual machines fit together snugly in a mosaic pattern, or periodic tessellation, across a surface to achieve an airtight or watertight seal. The most important additional complication is that biological surfaces are usually in motion. To accommodate such motion, nanorobots may use inflatable or expansible perimeter "bumpers" to achieve a continuously tight fit. Metamorphic surfaces are used to construct these bumpers (Section 5.4).

This Section discusses nanodevice aggregates whose tasks require them to completely occupy stationary or moving surfaces. Section 5.2.5 discusses optimum shapes for aggregated nanodevices whose tasks require them to uniformly fill volumes with nanomachinery.

Last updated on 17 February 2003