Standard Caveat - Even though this essay appears on the SAG website it is represented as solely the opinion of Mike Deering, and is not endorsed by the SAG organization or the individual members of the SAG Board of Directors. It is the policy of the SAG to present a diversity of opinion on the Singularity.
Molecular Nanotechnology - the complete control over the structure of matter at the atomic level.
Singularity - the explosion of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and computer technology.
Molecular nanotechnology is the capability to build or modify any material object by adding or removing individual atoms under complete external control. Nanotechnology is performed by assembler nanobots. Assembler nanobots are molecular scale machines that can make anything from individual atoms in accordance with a design supplied by an external computer. Assembler nanobots are made by other assembler nanobots, which is kind of a chicken and egg problem. We don't currently have assembler nanobots. People working in the nanotechnology field are very certain that we will have them soon. We already pick and place individual atoms with atomic force microscopes (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopes (STM). We have machines that can produce DNA molecules of any specified design. Experimental computer circuitry is already at the molecular level. Mature molecular nanotechnology is the endpoint of a long history of miniaturization of mechanical and electrical systems. Kurzweil is fond of saying that all forms of engineering are reducing in size by 5.6 per dimension per decade. Few people hearing this fully understand the implications of this statement. What it means is that we are guaranteed by a long history of miniaturization trend data to reach mature molecular nanotechnology by 2020 or sooner (the trend is accelerating).
Miniaturization is the root force behind the Singularity. Computers powerful enough to support general intelligence are based on it. Tools for the reverse engineering of the human brain are based on it. Tools for the development of molecular biotechnology are based on it. Of the three Singularity technologies, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and molecular biotechnology; nanotechnology is leading the charge to the Singularity event. Nanotechnology is at the heart of every R&D frontier. The economic and military advantages are driving investment and research efforts in nanotechnology beyond all other areas of development. Every industry is involved.
INDUSTRIAL NANOMANUFACTURING
In order to keep costs down and simplify design, industrial nanotechnology will do things, which just happen to make nano accidents virtually impossible. Nanobots will have much simpler computers capable of processing a very limited number of instructions that will be fed to them constantly via a broadcast local area network from a central computer. Products will be made in stages by specialized nanobots from off-the-shelf generic pre-assembled subassemblies. Nanobots will operate in a highly controlled environment with no contaminates, plenty of subassemblies and an external electrical power supply. Outside of this environment they are useless and harmless.
According to Eric Drexler the science is done. Now it is just a matter of engineering.
The announcement of the production of the first assembler nanobot will trigger the Singularity event.
Steps Towards Molecular Manufacturing By Markus Krummenacker.
Molecular Nanotechnology and the World System By Thomas McCarthy.
Singularity Action Group website frames version.