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Continue reading “Transhumanism: Could we live forever? BBC News” »

Scientists at The University of Manchester have created the world’s first ‘molecular robot’ that is capable of performing basic tasks including building other molecules. The tiny robots, which are a millionth of a millimetre in size, can be programmed to move and build molecular cargo, using a tiny robotic arm.

Each individual robot is capable of manipulating a single molecule and is made up of just 150 carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms. To put that size into context, a billion billion of these robots piled on top of each other would still only be the same size as a single grain of salt. The robots operate by carrying out chemical reactions in special solutions which can then be controlled and programmed by scientists to perform the basic tasks.

In the future such robots could be used for medical purposes, advanced manufacturing processes and even building molecular factories and assembly lines. The research will be published in Nature on Thursday 21st September.

Continue reading “Scientists create world’s first ‘molecular robot’ capable of building molecules” »

Thankfully, no one’s out there systematically murdering lawyers. But advances in artificial intelligence may diminish their role in the legal system or even, in some cases, replace them altogether. Here’s what we stand to gain—and what we should fear—from these technologies.

How legal representation could come to resemble TurboTax.

Scientists have developed tiny robots than can drill into deadly cancer cells, blasting them open.

An epidemiological survey has found there were about 400 million patients needing new teeth in China, but the number of qualified dentists was lagging behind demand.

In March this year the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of a robot system named Yomi designed to assist human surgeons when fitting implants.

Successful procedure raises hopes technology could avoid problems caused by human error and help overcome shortage of qualified dentists.

Continue reading “Chinese robot dentist is first to fit implants in patient’s mouth without any human involvement” »

Microsoft’s first mission statement envisioned a computer on every desk and in every home, but Bill Gates also had another goal: that computers would someday be able to see, hear, communicate and understand humans and their environment.

More than 25 years and two CEOs later, Microsoft is betting its future on it.

Summary: Nanodocs? #Swallow #the #doctor? The authors of a recent research study, says soon we will be able to “swallow the surgeon.” Using medical #nanobots to diagnose and treat disease from inside the body. Study authors documented recent advances in nanotechnology tools, such as nanodrillers, microgrippers, and microbullets – and show how #nanodocs have tremendous potential in the areas of precision surgery, detection, detoxification and targeted drug delivery.

Summary: Nanodocs? Swallow the doctor? The authors of a recent research study, say the concept of “swallow the surgeon” – or using medical nanobots to diagnose and treat disease from inside the body – may be closer than we think. Study authors document recent advances in nanotechnology tools, such as nanodrillers, microgrippers, and microbullets – and show how nanodocs have tremendous potential in the areas of precision surgery, detection, detoxification and targeted drug delivery. Cover photo: The old way to swallow the surgeon. Credit: R. Collin Johnson / Attributed to Stanford University.

Imagine that you need to repair a defective heart valve, a major surgery. Instead of ripping your chest cut open, a doctor merely injects you with a syringe full of medical nanorobots, called nanodocs for short. You emerge from the ‘surgery’ unscathed, and your only external wound is the puncture hole from the injection.

Continue reading “Four Ways We Can ‘Swallow the Doctor’” »

The cost of drug discovery and subsequent development is a massive challenge in the pharmaceutical industry. A typical drug can cost upwards of $2.5 billion and a decade or more to identify and test a new drug candidate[1].

These costs have been increasing steadily over the years, and pharmaceutical manufacturers are constantly seeking ways to improve efficiency to save time and money and speed up research progress.

Automation in the lab is one example; tasks that were traditionally carried out by technicians can now be done by machines. Increasingly sophisticated assays to detect new drug candidates have also helped to slash development time. Now a new ally has arrived to aid drug development – artificial intelligence – and a powerful ally it is.