Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/C516966/1
Title:	TUNA: Theory Underpinning Nanotech Assemblers (Feasibility Study)
Principal Investigator:	Stepney, Professor S
Other Investigators:	Cavalcanti, Professor ALC Polack, Professor FAC Schneider, Professor SA Treharne, Professor H Welch, Professor P Woodcock, Professor JCP
Researcher Co-Investigators:	Professor P Welch
Project Partners:
Department:	Computer Science
Organisation:	University of York
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	06 January 2005	Ends:	05 January 2007	Value (£):	60,867
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Modelling & simul. of IT sys. New & Emerging Comp. Paradigms Theoretical biology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Nanites are tiny robots, with components that can be one billionth of a metre in size, and which cooperate to cause macroscopic effects; nanotech assemblers are nanites that build things atom by atom. We will study the feasibility of developing huge collections of nanites that behave safely. We face the following challenges. (1) To look at ways of building computer models of nanites, how they communicate with each other, and how they may be controlled. (2) To find ways of knowing when our models of nanites do what they are supposed to do. (3) To work out what resources are needed to run these models on a computer. (4) To suggest ways that lawyers and experts can be certain that that these nanites work safely. In carrying out these investigations, we plan to use models of nanites that work like artificial blood cells, and we will study how they stop cuts bleeding.The really interesting thing about these artificial blood cells is that they are very simple, and yet they work together to do something that is very complicated. It is impossible to see from one nanite what hundreds of thousands of them will do when they work together. So, we will simulate their behaviour on a network of computers to see if we have got the ideas right and to make sure that they work safely. There has been a lot of work on the construction of advanced devices based on collections of nanites, but no effort has been made into assuring their safety. We propose to make a contribution on this area.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.york.ac.uk