Must-See Nanotech Movie
A new "must-see" short film has been produced using computer animation to assist in visualizing nanosystems and molecular manufacturing. Productive Nanosystems: from Molecules to Superproducts is a collaborative effort of animator and engineer John Burch and pioneer nanotechnologist Dr. K. Eric Drexler, made possible through a challenge grant from Mark Sims and NanoRex.
The four-minute film depicts an animated view of a nanofactory and demonstrates key steps in a process that converts simple molecules into a billion-CPU laptop computer. The movie file is 60+ MB. It will take a while to download, but it’s definitely worth it.
UPDATE: Due to strong demand to see the film, the bandwidth on the first download site was exceeded. This site is another download option for the movie file (86.1 MB).
Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology future movies
1. Would the final product really unfold and selfassembly such as the billion CPU laptop is doing in the movie?
2. If so... how does that work? When I hold two pieces of plastic together, they do not stick because not enough molecules are making contact with another...
3. Was it a good idea to produce a billion CPU laptop? Don't you think that will make people put this in the 'fantastic fantasy' category?
Other than that it was a cool movie. Very clear.
Posted by: Jay | July 13, 2005 at 06:07 AM
1) Yes, if it was designed to do so. It would be relatively simple to equip the extruded product with a set of actuators and springs to complete its assembly automatically after removal from the nanofactory.
2) This can be done in one of two ways: either through mechanical means like an "expanding ridge joint" (see http://www.jetpress.org/volume13/Nanofactory.htm#s3.2), or with covalent bonding. Outside the nanofactory, the former might be preferable to avoid joint contamination. Alternatively, the product could be extruded from the nanofactory inside a "balloon" and complete its assembly process in that protected space before the balloon is opened.
3) Maybe, but showing a computer only incrementally more powerful than today's models would have given a false impression of the nanofactory's capabilities. On the other hand, they could have shown something far more "fantastic" than a laptop computer being produced; so I think they made a good intermediate choice.
Posted by: Mike Treder, CRN | July 13, 2005 at 09:15 AM
Your bandwidth has been exceeded and it is not possible to download the movie.
Posted by: Daniel | July 14, 2005 at 01:47 AM
Daniel, I've posted an update with another source for the movie file.
Posted by: Mike Treder, CRN | July 14, 2005 at 08:16 AM
maybe someone who has it already could seed it on legaltorrents.com or some other similar site ?
Posted by: psycho | July 14, 2005 at 09:43 PM
it is interesting to think what they could think. or make. but what could they imagine? what would they dream up (the resultant life forms ?} i assume that they would have whole new categories of thought, and new understandings of conciousness.
Posted by: harold macdonald | July 22, 2005 at 05:38 AM
Link to the video: http://amfilms.hash.com/search/entry.php?entry=1066 (43.32MB)
Posted by: zonemen | July 23, 2005 at 09:58 AM
after look this page i m very happy because i m also in a production house
and we are doing some work upon this concept
thanx
Posted by: poonam | October 28, 2005 at 09:30 AM