Programming Nanotechnology: Learning from Nature

DNA computing: Molecules reach consensus.

The intersection of computer science and molecular biology is a fertile ground for new and exciting science. Two notable examples of this are molecular computing and molecular programming. Molecular computing is the use of molecules, and typically biological molecules, to create programmable autonomous computing devices1–7. Whereas molecular programming is the use of computer programming langua...

Keep nanotechnology in mind.

Machine learning — the implementation of computational tasks that involve learning from experience — is inevitably inspired by the working principles of biological brains. However, the von Neumann architecture characteristic of conventional computers is intrinsically different from the brain’s architecture. Aside from macroscopic differences such as the overall digital nature of the signal proc...

Just a Cog in the Machine? The Individual Responsibility of Researchers in Nanotechnology is a Duty to Collectivize

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) provides a framework for judging the ethical qualities of innovation processes, however guidance for researchers on how to implement such practices is limited. Exploring RRI in the context of nanotechnology, this paper examines how the dispersed and interdisciplinary nature of the nanotechnology field somewhat hampers the abilities of individual researc...

Probe microscopy: images from below the surface.

Programmable chemical controllers made from DNA.

Biological organisms use complex molecular networks to navigate their environment and regulate their internal state. The development of synthetic systems with similar capabilities could lead to applications such as smart therapeutics or fabrication methods based on self-organization. To achieve this, molecular control circuits need to be engineered to perform integrated sensing, computation and...