Speculative

Biomimetic approaches

Functional approaches

Read and translate the texts.

Other approaches

Unit IX

1. Practice the following words:

Component [kəm'pəunənt], functionality [fΛnk∫ə'næliti], patent ['peitent], method ['meθəd], nature ['neit∫ə], inquiry [ink'waiəri], societal [sə'saiətl], synthetic [sin'θetik].

2. Study the vocabulary list:

functionality – функциональность

bionics – бионика

inquiry – исследование

speculative – теоретический

societal – социальный

drawback – недостаток

patent – патент

artificial – искусственный

exposure – обнародование

These seek to develop components of a desired functionality without regard to how they might be assembled.

· Molecular electronics seeks to develop molecules with useful electronic properties. These could then be used as single-molecule components in a nanoelectronic device. For an example see rotaxane.

· Synthetic chemical methods can also be used to create synthetic molecular motors, such as in a so-called nanocar.

· Bionics or biomimicry seeks to apply biological methods and systems found in nature, to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. Biomineralization is one example of the systems studied.

· Bionanotechnology the use of biomolecules for applications in nanotechnology.

These subfields seek to anticipate what inventions nanotechnology might yield, or attempt to propose an agenda along which inquiry might progress. These often take a big-picture view of nanotechnology, with more emphasis on its societal implications than the details of how such inventions could actually be created.

· Molecular nanotechnology is a proposed approach which involves manipulating single molecules in finely controlled, deterministic ways. This is more theoretical than the other subfields and is beyond current capabilities.

· Nanorobotics centers on self-sufficient machines of some functionality operating at the nanoscale. There are hopes for applying nanorobots in medicine, but it may not be easy to do such a thing because of several drawbacks of such devices. Nevertheless, progress on innovative materials and methodologies has been demonstrated with some patents granted about new nanomanufacturing devices for future commercial applications, which also progressively helps in the development towards nanorobots with the use of embedded nanobioelectronics concepts.

· Programmable matter based on artificial atoms seeks to design materials whose properties can be easily, reversibly and externally controlled.

· Due to the popularity and media exposure of the term nanotechnology, the words picotechnology and femtotechnology have been coined in analogy to it, although these are only used rarely and informally.

4. Compare two columns of words and find Russian equivalents (from the right column) to the following English words (from the left one):

1.теоретический подход	a. innovative materials
2. молекулы с полезными электронными свойствами	b. to seek to apply biological methods and systems
3. стремиться применять биологические методы и системы	c. applying nanorobots in medicine
4. изобретения нанотехнологии	d. molecules with useful electronic properties
5. применение нанороботов в медицине	e. artificial atoms
6. инновационные материалы	f. the inventions of nanotechnology
7. искусственные атомы	g. speculative approach

5. Arrange synonyms in pairs:

To use	to produce
to manufacture	to utilize
conformation	research
diverse	structure
investigation	single
individual	theoretical
to enhance	to demonstrate
to exhibit	to increase
speculative	various

7. Answer the following questions:

1) What is functional approach?

2) What does molecular electronics seek to develop?

3) What is bionics?

4) What does speculative approach seek to?

5) What does speculative approach make emphasis on?