Self-Assembling Robots

This video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvpEfAPXn4 (hyperlink button not working again?), is a very interesting video about artificial self-assembly, done by small robots.  Scientists are trying to develop robots that can self assemble to do tasks that are too dangerous for humans.  The robots are very small, and the video shows a good demonstration of how they can currently self-assemble.  The lofty goals made by scientists include hope that the robots could help rescue crews search for people trapped under rubble in earthquakes, and hope that the robots could use their own software and even heal themselves.  It's a very interesting work in progress.

Posted at 03:50AM Nov 12, 2008 by Jacob Brennan in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[1]

Self assembly of chemical bonds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqjcCvzWwww&feature=related

This video gives a quick explanation of the molecular forces that cause ionic and covalent bonds.  Here we see that the atoms try to achieve the most stable energy state by completing the octet.  We know from chemistry that the most stable state is the state of lowest energy for the system.  This next video gives a rather monotonic explanation of how energy is minimized by bonding.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKk_TUSEhTY  Of course, we assume that the atoms are close enough that it is preferable for them to bond with each other (obviously, as r->infinity, the energy is not minimized by bonding.)

PS  I happened upon this video while looking at self-assembly, and it's rather interesting - robots that self assemble. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvpEfAPXn4

Posted at 12:21AM Nov 08, 2008 by Victor Brozovsky in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Properties and Applications of Nano Particles

Nano Technology Video

This video details  the research of scientists at the University of California-Berkley in regards to nanotechnology.  One very interesting point that is discussed is the fact that changing the size of particles has radical effects on their behavior.  Having nano particles greatly increases the surface area per unit volume, which increases the reactivity of the material and thus its behaviors.  It also discussed their fascination with self-assembling nano particles and the mechanics and functions of the systems (comparing them to motors, rotaries, etc).

These scientists are hoping to apply their research in nano technology to finding a new clean energy.  Specifically, they are searching for a way to replace heavy, fragile silicon solar cells with cells that are polymer-based.  

Posted at 12:20AM Nov 08, 2008 by Mary Burroughs in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Beating Heart

I found this video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhEtuXMR-rY
It is an animation of a rabbit heart experiencing ventricular fibrillation.  The part of the video that i liked the most was the the colorful lines that change throughout the video.  they represent the electric currents that are resultants from the charges emitted from the nodes.  The website that posted the video onto youtube is also rather interesting.  It has numerous other simulations like the one stated above and interesting information.  http://thevirtualheart.org/

Posted at 01:16AM Nov 06, 2008 by thomas stuart mccawley in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Another Self-Assembling Model

Video Link

These modules move around in water somewhat like bumper cars at a carnival. They move randomly through the water but on occasion, follow the path of the wall. Depending on the shape, they can self assemble into obvious configurations. At low voltages, analogous to low temperatures in other self-assembling structures, the modules have can attach to one another to find their configuration. At a higher voltages, the configuration can only come together properly if each module comes together at once, which is more unlikely. This kind of modeling is important in understanding biological self-assembling structures.

Posted at 05:46PM Nov 05, 2008 by Adam Keith in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

self assembly of a bolaamphiphile

http://www.youtube.com/v/SNh_TMeeBGo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param

This is a video of the self assembly of a bolaamphiphile. You can see that the different regions seem to group with their particular colors. Even so, they still develope a definite shape and pattern. Electromagnetic forcesare at play in this video. It seems that the groups with similar properties bind with eachother, but only to certain degrees.

Posted at 01:10PM Nov 04, 2008 by Detric Robinson in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a cardia arrhythmia that occurs when the heart beats irregularly - either too fast or too slow.  In this video, the measurements and methods used to find such a defect are explained in a very simple, yet thorough manner.  It also breaks down the pathway taken by the heart's electircal system, and also what effects it has on the heart and the person.  I found the video helpful, because the animation and the script really do break it down to where it is easy to see what causes such reactions and disorders.

Posted at 12:08AM Nov 04, 2008 by Molly Wright in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Kinesin Self Assembly

"link":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=686qX5yzksU&feature=related This video explains the process of self assembly for a Kinesin protein. The purposes of this process is to move organelles around in the cell. Attractions between ATP and the Kinesin make this possible. It releases ADP and draws in ATP to fuel its movement. Its movement is random throughout the cell until it runs into a microtubule that it can move along. This process demonstrates how complicated nanotechnology is and how detailed every process within the cell is.

Posted at 11:33PM Nov 03, 2008 by Samantha Baughman in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Phyllotaxis

Video 1
Video 2
Website
Phyllotaxis deals with the arrangement of organs on plants. The preferred angle of one of these spiral patterns is 137.5 degrees, and it's often called the Golden Angle. There are two positioning mechanisms in phyllotaxis. One tells primordia how far apart they should be on the stems axis. The other specifies where the the primordia should develop on the circumference of the stem. Both of the videos are from a program that demonstrates spiral phyllotaxis. The website contains some pictures of plants that display phyllotaxis, basic information about phyllotaxis and a helpful applet.

Posted at 03:31PM Nov 03, 2008 by Brooke bernard in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Working to Fabricate Nanostructures with DNA

This is an interesting article I found detialing a novel method of nanoparticle self assembly guided by DNA molecules. DNA makes self assembly easier because of its many interactive properties, and these scientists took it one step farther, placing neutral, non-complementary DNA on the particles as well as a double helix to provide repulsive forces that limited the size of the particle. They also created more stable arrangements by heating and cooling the DNA, allowing the individual particles to disconnect and reconnect, minimizing energy while maintaining entropy, just as we did with the Ising Model.

The short article is here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313202938.htm

Posted at 11:26AM Nov 03, 2008 by Garik Cruise Sadovy in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Self-Assembly

This two videos (video 1   video 2) demonstrate how different system can self-assemble. Self-assembly is one of the big driving factors in our discussions and applications in biology and life science. Self-assembly is what allows structures in cells and organisms to form, and these videos help demenstrate this phenomenon.

Posted at 01:16PM Oct 30, 2008 by Timothy Michael Dannenhoffer in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Magic Sand

The magic sand in this video describes the hydrophobic effect. Since the sand is hydrophobic, it wants to avoid water. Therefore, when the sand is placed in water is forms a glob in order to decrease the surface area in contact with the water.

Posted at 12:37AM Oct 30, 2008 by Brooke bernard in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[15]

Self-assembling robots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvpEfAPXn4

What you will see in the video above is man's attempt to create a system that nature had perfected more than a million years hence. It is common knowledge that viruses self-assemble; in fact, it is necessary for them to do so. Protein that have been "hi-jacked" by virus DNA will self-assemble to create capsids, allowing the viruses to escape the host cell and gain the freedom to go infect other cells. Many even wonder if the first virus self-assembled itself from free-floating DNA and protein molecules in the primordial ooze (I've always wanted to write that).

Posted at 10:06PM Oct 26, 2008 by Asia Murphy in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]

Entropy in Protein Folding

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaaiepNVyvE

This video explains how entropy is involved in protein folding. When protein is unfolded, its entropy is high, as there are many ways to arrange the protein chain in a manner that is unfolded. The chain wants to maintain high entropy, so to fold it, which would put it in a lower entropy state, the protein chain must have a force applied to it. The video also goes into the entropy in the water around the protein. This video is quite informative, football metaphors and all.

Posted at 08:41PM Oct 26, 2008 by Nathan Combs in MediaHunt4  |  Comments[0]