The World's Smallest Motor

Live Science ^ | 12 April 2005 | Bjorn Carey & Robert Roy Britt

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Scenes from a video of the actual motor.

Credit: Zettl Research Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California at Berkeley

Microelectromechanical systems or MEMS are micro versions of electrical gears, motors, switches, etc. that are used to significantly reduce the size of many of today's and future devices from all kinds of industries. Common uses include defense/munitions applications, computer hard drives, optics, and many others. The image above shows the top view of gear reduction unit.

CREDIT: Courtesy Sandia National Laboratories, SUMMiTTM Technologies, www.mems.sandia.gov

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Visit the source article for more links, pics, and animations.

[KidGlock]

Here is second place in the world's smallest motor:

[ClearCase_guy]

a surface-tension-driven nanoelectromechanical relaxation oscillator

Hey, is this from that phony paper submitted to the academic conference by MIT students?

[1FASTGLOCK45]

Good catch, anyone want to verify?

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Hmm, not sure.

BTW, sorry my link in the article (Watch it run) doesn't work. The link in the source article works.

[Psycho_Bunny]

One day a similar engine might power a tiny mechanical doctor that would travel through your body in the ultimate house call.

One word: "Viagratron"

I guarantee it.

[Teacher317]

Umm, what keeps it going?

Since the perpetual motion machine is impossible, what is wasted in the process, and how long can the motor run?

[Lazamataz]

Someday, some madman will generate a nanite that does two things:

1. Replicate.
2. Dissolve protein strands.

In a short amount of time, everything living on the planet Earth will melt.

[Lokibob]

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The flux capacitor works, I swear!

[black_diamond]

"a surface-tension-driven nanoelectromechanical relaxation oscillator"

That's the same principle that the Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator operates on.

[Sax]

Didn't the article say the application of electricity? (If I read it right.) It appears that it's power is not self-contained and must be applied to it.

[marktwain]

In a short amount of time, everything living on the planet Earth will melt.

Except, by that time, everyone on the planet will have access to the nanotechnology to protect against such insanity, developed to prolong and improve human life.

[Lazamataz]

Except, by that time, everyone on the planet will have access to the nanotechnology to protect against such insanity, developed to prolong and improve human life.

Except, of course, the madman designs a nanite meant to turn off such nanotechnological protections by unpluging the weeeeee little tiny power cord from the weeeeee little tuny electrical outlet.

[ClearCase_guy]

"The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson is an interesting science fiction book about a future with nanotechnology. There are "protocols" which guide what can and cannot be done. And there are pretty effective means to make sure that the protocols are followed. But, of course, there's always a way to cheat ...

[Teacher317]

Good catch. Thanks.

[Rocko]

Nanobump.

[SlowBoat407]

Is that anything like...

Nanu-technology?

[Sax]

[soundandvision]

This reminds me of the parody commercial played during Rush's show (if you listen to the stream from his website) about the 2008 Ford Excuse, Limited Edition..they made 12 to keep up with the demand.