Creation of Nanorobots: Both State-of-the-Science and State-of-the-Art

Over the last decade, remarkable achievements in nanofabrication technology has led to the development of hybrid intelligent systems including the nanomechanical devices powered by the chemical energy sources or biomolecular motors. In this context, nanorobotics has emerged as a highly-advanced technology for designing the fully functional smart devices or robots at nano scale. Development of these highly-controlled and functional nanostructures for sensing, information processing, signaling, and actuation may provide remarkable breakthroughs in medicine such as the improved imaging or targeted therapeutic interventions. Besides the detection and destroying the toxic materials and ecosystem restoration, the stimuli-responsive nanorobots may be used for the diagnosis or treatment of cardiac disorders, traumatic injuries, diabetes, and bacterial or viral infections. These molecular tools with nanoscale resolution facilitates early diagnosis in cancer and precise localization of anticancer agents leading to the minimal side effects. Nanorobots may easily traverse the human body and repair the cells or assist an improper functioning organ. These tiny devices integrated with wireless locomotion, external or internal power supply, artificial intelligence, and smart sensors may also be used for targeted delivery of genes or drugs into the single cells or tissues, tele-operation, or patient monitoring. Indeed, development of the medical nanorobots with a wide range of capabilities is a proof of concept and art in modern science and a breakthrough in nanotechnology which has been highlighted in the present manuscript

A Hierarchal Planning Framework for AUV Mission Management in a Spatio-Temporal Varying Ocean

The purpose of this paper is to provide a hierarchical dynamic mission planning framework for a single autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to accomplish task-assign process in a limited time interval while operating in an uncertain undersea environment, where spatio-temporal variability of the operating field is taken into account. To this end, a high level reactive mission planner and a low level motion planning system are constructed. The high level system is responsible for task priority assignment and guiding the vehicle toward a target of interest considering on-time termination of the mission. The lower layer is in charge of generating optimal trajectories based on sequence of tasks and dynamicity of operating terrain. The mission planner is able to reactively re-arrange the tasks based on mission/terrain updates while the low level planner is capable of coping unexpected changes of the terrain by correcting the old path and re-generating a new trajectory. As a result, the vehicle is able to undertake the maximum number of tasks with certain degree of maneuverability having situational awareness of the operating field. The computational engine of the mentioned framework is based on the biogeography based optimization (BBO) algorithm that is capable of providing efficient solutions. To evaluate the performance of the proposed framework, firstly, a realistic model of undersea environment is provided based on realistic map data, and then several scenarios, treated as real experiments, are designed through the simulation study. Additionally, to show the robustness and reliability of the framework, Monte-Carlo simulation is carried out and statistical analysis is performed. The results of simulations indicate the significant potential of the two-level hierarchical mission planning system in mission success and its applicability for real-time implementation

Application of Carbon Nanotubes for Controlled Release of Growth Factors or Endocannabinoids: A Breakthrough in Biomedicine

Carbon nanotubes, the nanostructures with immense potential in various scientific fields such as the regenerative medicine, have emerged as innovative nanosreservoirs with multimodal functionality and application in theranostic sessions. The superior mechanical properties, high thermoelectrical conductivities, or improved solubility and biocompatibility have made CNTs as suitable candidates for biosensing, high-resolution imaging, tissue-engineering, and delivery of a variety of compounds with poor solubility or short half-life. These advanced nanovectors which promote neuronal growth and functional connectivity, have shown great theranostic potential in the central nervous system disorders. Several pioneering works have shown the ability of CNTs for controlled release of drugs or growth factors into the brain. Over the last decade the neurotropic and metabotrophic effects of nerve-growth factor, brain-derived neurothropic factor and endocannabinoid system and their involvement in the mechanism of action of a wide variety of drugs have been the focus of intense research. In order to overcome the rapid degradation and/or non-specific distribution of nerve-growth factor or endocanabinoids, conjugation with CNTs has led to the prolonged effects of these modulating factors. Based on their unique properties, the appropriate application of functionalized CNTs may indeed revolutionize the current biomedical interventions that has been highlighted in the present review

Resveratrol: More than a phytochemical

In recent years, alternative and complementary medicine including the plant-based drugs with antioxidant and neuroptotective effects has attracted a growing interest. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound which is found in various plant species, has emerged as a promising nutraceutical with therapeutic potentials in neuropsychiatric, cardiometabolic and cancer diseases, also aging. The abundance of research providing promising findings about the multi-spectrum therapeutic applications of resveratrol and its encouraging potential to treat or prevent chronic and age-related disorders has raised a considerable number of clinical trials. Recently, resveratrol is implicated the biology of nerve growth factor (NGF), a critical player in the maintenance of neuronal growth and function. Furthermore, resveratrol affects the endocannabinoid signalling (eCBs) which exerts modulatory effects in the survival signalling pathways, neural plasticity, and a variety of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. The therapeutic effects of this ubiquitous signalling system in Alzheimer`s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, mood and movement disorders, spinal cord injury, and stroke have been well-documented. In the present review, the implication of NGF and eCBs in the mechanism of action of resveratrol, that may be of therapeutic significance in neurological and non-neurological disorders, is highlighted. Biomed Rev 2015; 26: 13-21

Nanoparticles reshape the biomedical industry

Over the last decades, increasing interest has been attracted towards the nanotechnology which provide a set of promising research tools and theranostic approaches. Tremendous research efforts in nanofabrication technology have led to the production of biocompatible nanostructures and advanced carriers with various configurations for protection of the loaded biomolecules or drugs against the metabolism or excretion. Furthermore, controlled delivery and targeted therapy may result in the improved therapeutic effects against a variety of diseases and reduced adverse effects of drugs. The efficiency of protein drugs may be negatively affected by their limited transportation within the body and short half-lives. Application of nanoparticles may significantly improve the pharmacological profiles of protein drugs. In neurology, high-resolution imaging techniques, nanoengineered materials capable of interaction with the nervous systems, and nanopharmaceuticals with minimal toxicity and improved bioavailability may be of great theranostic significance. This may provide remarkable breakthroughs in the pharmaceutical industry and health-care system. In the present review, the significance of nanotechnology and modeling approaches in health-care system has been highlighted

Magician simulator — A realistic simulator for heterogeneous teams of autonomous robots

We report on the development of a new simulation environment for use in Multi-Robot Learning, Swarm Robotics, Robot Teaming, Human Factors and Operator Training. The simulator provides a realistic environment for examining methods for localization and navigation, sensor analysis, object identification and tracking, as well as strategy development, interface refinement and operator training (based on various degrees of heterogeneity, robot teaming, and connectivity). The simulation additionally incorporates real-time human-robot interaction and allows hybrid operation with a mix of simulated and real robots and sensor inputs