D-Bone
Dec 18th '06, 11:12 AM
Source: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5376
The Japanese have a fascination with robots -- clearly apparent from the abundance of Mecha-theme anime the country produces. Japan is also very good with miniaturization, which is shown in its consumer electronics and mainstream automobiles. Now put those two together, and you would likely come up with nanobots.
Scientists and researchers at the University of Tokyo are developing nanocables that convert light into electricity, and could one day be used to power nanobots. The nanocables are 16 nanometers in diameter, just micrometers long, and share characteristics with the light-harvesting antennae found on some bacteria, according to NewScientist.
"This is the first example of a photoconducting nanostructure," says Takanori Fukushita, a member of the team that built the cables.
The cables convert light to electricity in a similar manner as solar panels, but on a much smaller scale. The scientists created cables out of special chemical compounds that shed electrons when hit with light. The jumping of electrons causes a small positive charge that can be harnessed to create a current.
Researchers say that they still need to create more efficient cabling materials before the technology could be suitable for use on robots or machines. Franz W?rthner at the University of W?rzburg, Germany suggested that the technology could also be applied to living organisms, creating hybrid devices.
The idea of using nanocables to capture light into a solar cell was proposed over two years ago by engineers at UC Davis.
The Japanese have a fascination with robots -- clearly apparent from the abundance of Mecha-theme anime the country produces. Japan is also very good with miniaturization, which is shown in its consumer electronics and mainstream automobiles. Now put those two together, and you would likely come up with nanobots.
Scientists and researchers at the University of Tokyo are developing nanocables that convert light into electricity, and could one day be used to power nanobots. The nanocables are 16 nanometers in diameter, just micrometers long, and share characteristics with the light-harvesting antennae found on some bacteria, according to NewScientist.
"This is the first example of a photoconducting nanostructure," says Takanori Fukushita, a member of the team that built the cables.
The cables convert light to electricity in a similar manner as solar panels, but on a much smaller scale. The scientists created cables out of special chemical compounds that shed electrons when hit with light. The jumping of electrons causes a small positive charge that can be harnessed to create a current.
Researchers say that they still need to create more efficient cabling materials before the technology could be suitable for use on robots or machines. Franz W?rthner at the University of W?rzburg, Germany suggested that the technology could also be applied to living organisms, creating hybrid devices.
The idea of using nanocables to capture light into a solar cell was proposed over two years ago by engineers at UC Davis.