Nanotechnologies are methods of processing matter at the level of separate atoms. Traditional production methods use batches of matter with more than billions of atoms. It means, even the most precise devices produced so far, look like irregular mash on atomic level. Transition from manipulating matter to manipulating separate atoms is a quantum leap ensuring unprecedented accuracy and efficiency.
In 1959, Richard Feinman, a Nobel Prize winner, predicted in his speech humanity in future would be capable of synthesizing anything as soon as it learns to manipulate separate atoms. In 1981, the first tool for atom manipulation appeared: a tunnel microscope invented by scientists of IBM. It turned out that this microscope made separate atoms both visible and relocatable. Thus, the principle possibility of manipulating atoms was shown, which meant that anything could be assembled out of them.
Nanotechnologies are usually divided into three fields:
manufacture of electronic circuits, elements of them containing few atoms
creation of nanomachines i.e. mechanisms and robot devices of molecule size
immediate manipulations with atoms and molecules and assembly of anything out of them.
Due to impetuous progress in such technologies as optics, nanolithography, mechanochemistry and 3D prototyping, nanorevolution is likely to happen within the next decade. As soon as it happens, the nanotechnology will render enormous influence on practically all spheres of industry and society.
In 1992, in his speech before the US Congress Commission, Dr. Eric Drexler depicted the image of foreseeable future, where nanotechnologies would change our world. Famine, diseases, environmental pollution and other urgent problems of humanity would be eliminated. Practically everything what is needed for life and activity of humans, could be produced by molecular robot devices directly from atoms and molecules of the environment. Foodstuff would be made of soil and air in the same way they are synthesized by plants; silicon-based microcircuit — from sand. Evidently, production of this kind would be far more profitable and ecofriendly, than existing industries and agriculture.