Technology has been making our live easier and smoother. As new devices arrive in the market, the use case excels to newer dimensions. Newer electronic devices are becoming smaller, and thinner by the day. As a result, demand for everyday devices to be smarter and data intensive is increasing. Consumers are always on the hunt for next cutting edge devices. More money for research to bring these technologies are funneled by both government and private corporations. In an attempt to produce smaller devices, nanotechnology was born. “Nano” actually means to dwarf in Greek and scientifically means 10-9. Nanotechnology is a leading to a broad spectrum of uses in the physical world. In an ethical standpoint, these technologies are ethically moral under utilitarianism and consequentialism.
In the technological fields, making devices smaller is the challenges. The pre historic computers such as the ENIAC spanned 2.4 meters by .9 meters (7.87ft by 2.95ft). Whereas computers today come in the size of a wrist watch. As more innovations and breakthrough in research come about devices become more portable than previous. Innovations and need for smaller and thinner devices are ever growing. It’s always jaw dropping to see devices smaller than the previous models. Only in technological world where the value for smaller devices are in high demand.
Everything from wrist watches to rings are becoming smart gadgets. Smart devices are simple electronic devices that has the capability to collect data and connect to other devices via Bluetooth, wifi, or other protocols to send and receive data. The smart devices can be commonly found as fitness trackers as wrist watches, home monitoring devices, cell phones, Tv, and etc. To create these devices, nanotechnology is the solution. Bringing a desktop computer into a size of a chocolate bar is the challenge. Since these devices are made to make the user’s life easier and connected.
The next step in TV technology to bring a wide array of colors and clarity to the user’s eyes is Quantum dots. This advancement in TV allows nano crystals layered on top of an LCD pixel to emit a fine tuned spectrum of colors. These crystals “are tiny phosphorescent crystals that glow when you shine light on them.” (What the hell are quantum dots, and why do you want them in your next TV?) As they shine, the color gambit on the TV looks more vibrant but the power conception is lowered. This method allows the TV to emit more true tone colors like pure whites. Quantum Dot is a preferred technology by Samsung TV manufactures where they claim that this is the future.
Another use case, in is graphene. Graphene, commonly found in graphite (led pencils), are layers of carbon sheets that can conduct electricity. Since graphene are only nanometers in size, it has the ability to be “200 times stronger than steel” (Nanotechnology World). Graphene is paving the world of miniature electronics. With more research into graphene uses, "It is all an ongoing study, with no final results" says Professor Kenneth Dawson, director of the Centre for BioNano Interactions (Nanotechnology world).
Graphene itself opens many use case scenario. Its chemical makeup and the abundance in nature, graphene is becoming the commonly used bacterial in nanotechnology for plethora of fields. All smartphones released are either using LCD or OLED technology to operate the touchscreens. The standard screen are stiff, thick, and not flexible. Graphene enables engineers to create flexible displays that can be brighter and probable use could be e-paper in the future. Since graphene offers large surface area that can conduct electricity and yet keeps its strength, it is used in biosensory devices to monitor “glucose levels, haemoglobin levels, cholesterol and even DNA sequencing” (Graphenea). Other areas graphene is widely used is in ultrafiltration, composite materials, photonic cells, and even in batteries. It can be scaled especially to the atomic level and still retains its property. With the miniaturization, the door to greater possibilities from multitude of fields was finally open. One of the doors that promises a brighter future for us all is through medical.
Nanotechnology has been in development more keenly in the biotechnological fields. We as humans always aspire to live a long and healthy life. Since we are immortals, we sadly have deadlines. To prolong such dates, medicine has given humans a guiding light. Medical advancements have in the raise especially in the molecular level. Past passive medications, research have started in biomedicine and nanotechnology. Through nanotechnology medical aid can be provided in the cellular level. Through nanotechnology, smart delivery system can be implemented to direct medicine to targeted areas. Even to attach cancer, smart tablets with camera specifically identify tumors cells in the body. Another form of nanotechnology for medical uses is through biosensors.
With the right nano delivery system, mediciens can be transported and to the right delivery point in the correct dosage. With the current medicines there are many side effects since the chemicals are delivered to all areas than the affects cells. “Researchers are also continuing to look for more effective methods to target nanoparticles carrying therapeutic drugs directly to diseased cells” (Nanotechnology in drug delivery). Universities like College London, Oregon State, and Clemson are working on specific drug deleivery nano technology. Not too distant in the future, a tablet swallowed will travel its way to the exact affected spot and will be side effects and restriction free.
Chemists all around the world are working on robots to be created in the nano scale. These robots or nanobots are designed to enter the body and combat cancerous cells, remove foreign materials, and even fix internal blood clots. Through these methods “chemotherapy can now be applied directly to cancerous tumors, delivering treatment to the affected area only, rather than having toxic chemicals wash through the body, destroying the immune system, as well as the cancer” (The Amazing Technology). This is a revolutionary break through, since cancerous cell will be no longer a threat, rather curable disease.
The next advancement in nanotechnology is nanofibers. These are fibers that has diameters less than 1000nm, which are no visible to the naked eye. Nanofibers can be used to combat internal blood clots and created dressings for minor wounds in vital organs and even create organs. “Currently, the surgical meshes used to repair the protective membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord are made of thick and stiff material, which is difficult to work with. The lead nanofiber mesh is thinner, more flexible and more likely to integrate with the body's own tissues, says MacEwan” (Nanotechnology in medicine). These nanofiber mesh can be used to make the surgery and the healing process much faster.
As analyzed, nanotechnology is the next step in the quantum future. There are billions of dollars funded to bring this innovation to the market and standard use. Through the use of nanotechnology, an untapped world has been revealed and opened up greater possibilities. As mentioned above nanotechnology is in constant research more smart devices, medical tools, and replacement for current technologies are in constant development. We have only started to explore its possibilities, and the search only started recently. From all the findings, the outcomes are only projected to be positives. Under consequentialism, the technology promises to produce new opportunities and much feasible upcoming. As these technology becomes more prominent, the potential for this technology to be successful increases.
Because of the work and effort to produce these nano-tools, the cost is currently high. As these technologies become widely used and researched, the cost will depreciate slowly. Due to the cost and the complexity of nanotechnology, currently it’s scarce. The probability of finding nano-devices in homes are only handful. By with any new innovations, as cost becomes reasonable the products will become a household name. At the basis, nanotechnology is only produced to make us, pedestrian’s life safer and smoother. Under the utilitarianism’s perspective nanotechnology holds multi utility purposes. Rather than selective people, nano-devices are made to be beneficial to all. Regardless age, both medical and consumer oriented nano-devices can make people’s life more fesable. Especially in the medical aspect the nanotechnology brings a different venue to cure dieses.
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