Nanonetworking

- Overview

“There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom” - R. Feynman 

Nanonetworking is one of the newest research trends in communication networks. The field has been made possible by recent advances in nanostructures and
nanotechnology, as well as the deeper understanding and the ability to exploit the inherent biological processes of living organisms. Nanoscale communication is defined in IEEE P1906. 

Classical communication paradigms need to be revised for the nanoscale. The above scientific advances have paved the way for the two areas of nanonetworking research i.e., (a) biological/molecular nanonetworks and (b) electromagnetically-based nanonetworks. In the former, communication is achieved through biological/molecular mechanisms, mostly via use of genetically modified bacteria or other microorganisms. 

In electromagnetic (EM) nanonetworks, artificial nanomachines communicate using electromagnetic radiation emitted by nanoantennas. In both areas, the nanonetwork or nanoscale network is a set of interconnected nanomachines (devices a few hundred nanometers or a few micrometersat most in size), which are able to perform only very simple tasks such as computing, data storing, sensing and actuation. 

Nanonetworks are expected to expand the capabilities of single nanomachines both in terms of complexity and range of operation by allowing them to coordinate, share and fuse information. With the advent of breakthroughs in nanotechnology and nanomaterials, we now have access to micro/nano nodes that are performing simple tasks in many fields and applications. 

However, a single node working independently is generally not adequate for high-impact applications of nanotechnology. Instead, these applications necessitate large group of nodes working in concert. Therefore, a demand for communication between micro/nano nodes at small scales become imperative to fully achieve the potential of nanotechnology. 

Nanonetworks can have a very significant impact in many areas, such as environmental research, surveillance, goods monitoring, Internet of Nano(bio)things, etc.  but are especially envisioned for medical practice. Potential applications in this area include personalized diagnosis, targeted and localized drug delivery, tumor cell detection and atherosclerosis (disease) detection.