Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation

by K. Eric Drexler

Book Overview

"Devices enormously smaller than before will remodel engineering, chemistry, medicine, and computer technology. How can we understandmachines that are so small? Nanosystems covers it all: powerand strength, friction and wear, thermal noise and quantumuncertainty. This is the book for starting the next century ofengineering." - Marvin Minsky

MIT Science magazine calls Eric Drexler "Mr. Nanotechnology."For years, Drexler has stirred controversy...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471575186
• ISBN13: 9780471575184
• Release Date: November 1992
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 2.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 7.0" x 10.1"

Customer Reviews

Super Ultra Excellent Book on Molecular Assembly, Molecular Replicators, and Molecular Manufacturing

This book is radically abundantly packed with tons of data, images, molecular models, and detailed text covering the major and minor areas of molecular manufacturing and has excellent sections and appendixes on nearly everything involved. I love this book. It is a wonder to read and behold and study. K Eric Drexler has outdone himself with this and the man is a God-given wonder. Nano Assemblers and Nano Replicators will be used with Nano Factories to produce goods through mass-customization. 3D printing and Nanotechnology will merge to create a revolution in personal production. Materials such as diamondoid composites using boron, carbon, silicon, nitrogen, oxygen, aluminum, and other materials will replace steel as steel replaced bronze; super-tough ceramic compounds that do not shatter will be made into ever-sharp knives and molecular engines and molecular motors will replace macroscopic bulk technology motors. Bulk Technology = thundering herds of atoms haphazardly mashed together. Molecular Technology = Surgically-precise assembly of atoms and molecules into precise finished goods. A place for every atom and every atom in it's place. Self Repairing, Self Healing, Self Replicating, Self Reproducing Machine systems and quantum electronic nanocomputers, mechanical rod-logic nanocomputers, and medical devices able to dissolve and "eat" away dangerous bacteria, viruses, and plagues will be the result. Imagine a knife-sword that is composed and fabricated from shatter-proof, crack-proof diamondoid composite (whether carbon or silicon or aluminum oxide based or fullerene based) that at the touch of a button can go from the size of a ball point pen and expand to the size of a six foot or ten foot long sword, with molecular-chainsaw edges that are based on molecular chain-drives made from diamondoid molecular chains that can shear and slice and cut through nearly any material. A "Mechanical Light Saber".

An astonishing tour de force.

It is rare to see an entire new field of study arise in science and engineering. It is even rarer to see it explored so lucidly by a single mind. "Nanosystems" is an astonishing tour de force. This book is not light weight. It is not going to be readable for people who do not already have a substantial background in the sciences. It is an in depth and extremely careful analysis of the possibility of the creation of molecular machines and the fundamental physical limits that technology faces. The pages are packed with well described calculations and everything is fully footnoted and referenced. Some people have criticized Drexler's vision, but is rare that the critics have actually read his work. In almost every case, he has already anticipated and discussed their objections in extraordinary detail. It is, in fact, amazing to see all the problems he has anticipated and analyzed, in depth and with great care. If you are serious about your interest in nanotechnology, you must read this book. It will take you quite some time, but the information you will gain is invaluable, and much of it is available nowhere else. My only criticism is that it is long past time for a new edition -- much has been learned in the last 15 years and it would be valuable to have it all collected in one place.

Excellent Resource for Molecular Nanotechnology

This book is highly technical and assumes the reader's familiarity with physics, chemistry and the like. It was worth studying. I highly recommend everyone reading this book as the subject matter is inspiring. This book describes the inner mechanics of our (hopefully not too distant) future.

A rare Fifth Star simply for its place in history.

Finally we may play with the "building blocks of matter" we've been hearing so much about. Here is an instruction manual, detailing the Elements, and their Interactions, while at the same time suggesting possible Design Models for construcion. Curious about the subject? Start with Drexler's Engines of Creation, instead. Maybe some other collections of theoretical applications to whet your appetite. Come back to this when you begin to see a bigger picture. Know some, want to know more? Definately read. But be warned, it is quite techincal when it is not being necessarily vague. This is a halmark. The basis of this book was Drexler's thesis for his doctorate in Molecular Nanotechnology, the first awarded (MIT 1991, I believe). Serious about the topic? You already have access to a copy...or should. You might very well be able to download significant portions from Foresight's website (it's an org.anization, not a com.mercial); but I would suggest supporting them with at least the price of the book. They seem to be committed to developing this Potential responsibly.

Comprehensive treatise on nanotechnology theory

An outstanding book exploring the possibilities of nanotechnology in amazing detail. Dense textbook equations and charts fill the pages, but somehow Drexler's well-written prose transitions between complex concepts and offers explanations of technical points.

Welcome to the new world of Nano!

Thank you, Eric. As an independent nanotech developer (the next Bill Gates?), I have been helped by Drexler enormously. Be afraid, this an ENGINEERING text and NOT light reading. All the best to all my competitors. Thanks again Eric. Keep the faith.