Responsible Nanotechnology: 3D Spam?

In the “just one more thing to worry about” category, the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) blog has an article about what might happen if spammers figure out how to control the 3D nanofactories we will all have on our desks.

Nanotechnology describes microscopic man-made objects. Nanotechnology comes in many shapes and sizes. It began with soccer-ball-shaped cages made of 60 carbon atoms called buckyballs (buckminsterfullerene) and nanotubes the thickness of a hair. The MEMS and Nanotechnology Clearinghouse has articles on some interesting applications of nanotechnology including radio-controlled intra-cellular drug release systems, micro-detonators for the military and even a bio-artificial kidney.

One of the more practical applications of nanotechnology is likely to be a desktop box that builds 3D prototypes in plastic in much the same way as your desktop printer types documents. After creating a 3D design in your favorite 3D modeling program, tiny devices will build a plastic prototype right before your eyes.

Currently, this type of 3D protyping is done with lasers and a laser-cured epoxy by companies like Rapitypes®. I’m sure a nanotechnological solution is quite doable.

But could a spammer use this 3D prototype box to deliver spam? They haven’t used my printer! Well, yes they could. With a small javascript program embedded in a email, perhaps, or delivered as part of an activeX control on a site that offers printable coupons. I don’t know why the spammers aren’t pursuing this. They certainly were quick to take advantage of advertising by fax!

Anyway, the same software that enables you to print coupons could also enable you to “print” 3D prototypes. A quick look at my spam folder convinces me that some pretty nasty stuff will be rising out of the box if spammers decide to hijack my 3D foundry. It gives me the willies.

A more sophisticated application of this 3D protypingtechnology would be a box that uses nanomachines to build your own nanomachine designs. If spammers could get control of a desktop nanomachine foundry, there is no limit to the damage they can do.