Internet of Nano Things
The internet of nano-things (IoNT) is a network that connects a collection of very small devices to transport data. The internet of nano-things is similar to the internet of things. The only difference is that the devices present inside it are miniaturised and small enough to be classified as nanoscale. This scale ranges from .1 to 100 nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a metre).
For highly specialized applications, we can use various nanotechnologies included within an IoNT system. In a smart factory one can monitor temperature, humidity, gaseous pollutants, water quality, and possible carbon emissions from exhaust systems using IoNT devices. Vehicles connected with miniaturized sensors can exchange data such as environmental or spatial data. This data will improve the safety and accuracy of vehicle-assistance systems.
Nano Technology
Nanotechnology is a field of research and innovation concerned with building ‘things’ – especially, materials and devices – on the scale of atoms and molecules. A nanometre is one-billionth of a meter: ten times the diameter of a hydrogen atom. The diameter of a human hair is, on average, 80,000 nanometres.
Since its conception, nanotechnology has brought improved and efficient solutions to a variety of health, industrial, agricultural, and military applications. Nanotechnology results in the development of nano-machines, which are small components made up of an ordered set of molecules that perform certain jobs.
The connectivity of nanosensors and nanodevices with the Internet has resulted in the development of an IoT-based next-generation standard known as “Internet of Nano Things” (IoNT). It includes a combination of nano machines connected via internet. So lets take a look what the term nano machine meant.
Nano Machines
The ultimate end result generated using nanotechnology techniques for miniaturization and manufacture of devices is “nano-machine”. An organized set of molecules results a nano-machine that can perform simple computational, sensing, and desired activities. We can also utilize nanomachines as a foundation for the creation of nanobots, nano-processors, nano-memory, and nano-clocks.
The above diagram shows how the concept of nano machines came into existence. Now lets take a look at nano machines architecture.
Nano-Machine Architecture
A nano machine includes following components:
- Control Unit: The control unit acts as the machine’s nano-heart and central nervous system. It executes all the instructions necessary to complete the required task. It also serves as a storage unit for all data saved by the nano-machine which the users can access.
- Communication Unit: This unit is responsible for sending and receiving data at the nanoscale.
- Reproduction Unit: The reproduction unit fabricates each component of the nano-machine from external elements and efficiently assembles them to form the nano-machine.
- Power Unit: The Power Unit is in charge of providing power to all of the nanomachine’s components. It gathers energy from a variety of external sources such as temperature, light, etc. to prepare for the next task of consumption and distribution.
- Sensors and Actuators: Sensors and Actuators serve as a link between the nanomachine and the outside world. Sensors used in nanomachines include temperature, chemical, clamps, motor sensors,etc.
Nano Communication
Nano-machines communication is classified into two types:
- Electromagnetic waves communication
- Molecular communication
Electromagnetic waves (EM) communication
Electromagnetic waves (EM) communication is the most frequent method of interconnecting microelectronic devices. These waves can travel via wires or air with negligible losses. However, because nanomachines are so small, connecting a huge number of them is impossible. We can build Nano-scale antennas for very high frequency co-channeling to achieve bidirectional wireless communication.
Because of their size and current complexity, transceivers are currently difficult to integrate into nanomachines. The nano-output transceiver’s power will be insufficient to establish a bidirectional communication link. Information transmission may take place from a microdevice to a nanomachine through electromagnetic communication. But not from nanomachines to microdevices or among nanomachines.
Molecular communication
The most promising method for nano-networking is molecular communication. Information is encoded onto information molecules by Sender Nano devices (e.g. DNA, proteins). We can convey the information within a DNA component. Ability to build communication systems and networks from natural biological components and processes.
In molecular Nano networks, routing at the micro gateway is query based.
The transmitter node, the receiver node, the messages, the carrier and the medium are the five different components. The process of communication involves following steps:
- The message is encoded onto molecules by the transmitter.
- The transmitter inserts message into the medium by releasing molecules into the environment or attaching them to molecular carriers.
- From the transmitter to the receiver, the message travels.
- The receiver detects the message.
- The receiver decodes the chemical communication into useful data like response, data storage, actuation commands, etc.
Network Architecture of Internet of Nano Things
The Internet of Nano Things (IoNT) is gaining traction in a number of domains. The following components are the most important parts of the Internet of Nano Things Architecture, regardless of the application areas:
- Nano-Nodes: Nano-nodes are the tiniest and simplest nano devices that perform functions such as processing and data transfer over short distances while having limited memory. Biological sensors embedded in the human body are referred to as Nano-Nodes in Body Sensor Networks.
- Nano-Routers: In comparison to nano nodes, nano-routers have a lot of computing capacity and operate as aggregators of data from nano-nodes. Nano-routers are also important for controlling nano-nodes through the exchange of control commands.
- Nano-Micro Interface Devices: These devices collect data from nano-routers and transmit it to the microscale and back. They function as hybrid devices, allowing them to communicate at the nanoscale using nano communication techniques as well as with traditional communication networks utilising regular network protocols.
- The gateway allows for remote control of the entire nanothings network through the Internet. Consider the Body Sensor Network: With the deployment of a Gateway, all sensor data from the human body may be accessible by doctors from anywhere in the world over the Internet.
Applications of Internet of Nano things
Healthcare
Internet of nano things helps to develop a Body Sensor Network (BSN) using in-body nano-sensors that can monitor any patient’s health and biological activity. The data collected by nano-sensors can be viewed on a wearable device by patients as well as doctors. Using IoNT, doctors and patients can access critical healthcare data in real time. Such data can be immensely useful in creating medical reports and understanding the effect of certain treatments on a patient.
Agriculture
The Internet of Nano Things technology can be used to implement precision farming by tracking crucial data about crops and soil. Nanosensors can collect real-time data of crop health and growth, soil moisture and quality and usage of pesticides and insecticides. With the help of IoNT, farmers can collect accurate data about crops and take necessary measures to increase their yield.
Environmental monitoring
The impact of climate change and global warming can be experienced across the globe. Due to the effect of climate change, a mammal has already become extinct in Australia. Hence, reducing the impact of climate change and global warming is the need of the hour.
Food products quality control
Nanosensors can be utilized to check the quality of food products. For example, a nanosensor installed in a soda bottle can check the viscosity of the liquid and detect whether any sediment is present in the drink or not. Also, nanosensors can ensure whether every bottle has the required volume of ingredients. Similarly, food manufacturers can monitor the quality of various food products with the help of IoNT. With the help of data acquired by nanosensors, food manufacturers can understand how long their food products can be preserved.
Smart homes and factories
Internet of Nano Things can make smart homes and factories smarter. For instance, in case there is a gas leak in a smart home, nanosensors can detect this gas leak and notify the homeowner as well as emergency services such as the fire department and ambulance. Additionally, nanosensors can maintain specific temperatures, identify harmful gases, and monitor carbon emissions in factories. Hence, Internet of Nano Things can help ensure safety in factories as well as in homes.
Challenges of Internet of nano-things
Following are the challenges the internet of nano-things face during implementation:
Privacy and security
As nanodevices collect large volumes of confidential data, concerns regarding privacy and security need to be addressed. The users of Internet of Nano Things infrastructure need to have the information regarding who has access to their data and how their data will be used. Also, the collected data needs to be stored in a secured location with encryption and state-of-the-art cybersecurity protocols. If left unsecured, cybercriminals can illegally access this confidential data. In the case of a cybersecurity attack, users may want to know who will be held responsible and which mitigation strategies can be executed. Hence, IoNT developers need to consider these issues before the mass production and utilization of IoNT devices.
Compatibility
Compatibility is a major challenge in developing medical nanosensors. Developers have to ensure that these nanosensors will not have any side effects on a patient’s body and support uninterrupted connectivity with wearable devices. For this purpose, designers and developers may have to find and research a wide range of materials that can be compatible with the human body. However, finding such materials will require extensive testing, making the entire process time-consuming and error-prone.
Conclusion
Nanotechnologies, nanomachines, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the Internet of Nano Things (IoNT) all will have a significant impact on improved development in the near future practically in every industry. Researchers are presently developing nano machines that use IoNT for live deployment in a variety of domains in the near future.
We should customize the nanotechnologies included into an IoT system according to the application. A smart factory, for example, will use IoNT devices to track temperature, humidity, gaseous fumes, water quality, and maybe carbon emissions from systems’ exhaust.
Connected automobiles equipped with such miniature sensors, for example, could forecast proximity, surrounding conditions, and position data to help ensure the safety and accuracy of vehicle-assistance systems.
In a smart city application of network of nano-devices and the types of technologies integrated are responsible for monitoring dangerous gas or particulate concentrations. With devices planted at various sites across the city to monitor pollution level in order to protect the health and safety of the population. It becomes easy to detect the areas of improvement.
