Scientists have developed the world’s smallest, fastest and longest-running tiny synthetic motor to date that can fit inside a cell and spin as fast as a jet engine.
The nanomotor is an important step towards developing miniature machines that could one day move through the body to administer insulin for diabetics when needed, or target and treat cancer cells without harming good cells, researchers said.Engineers from the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin focused on building a reliable, ultra-high-speed nanomotor that can convert electrical energy into mechanical motion on a scale 500 times smaller than a grain of salt.
Mechanical engineering assistant professor Donglei “Emma” Fan led a team of researchers in the successful design, assembly and testing of the high-performing nanomotor in a nonbiological setting.