Presented is the concept of Integrative Technology, the intersection of the precision assembly of matter (nanotechnology), coupled with the functional building blocks of nature (biotechnology), and fused by the network flow of spatiotemporal information (informatics). The power of Integrative Technology is illuminated through an illustrative example; the engineering of nano-sized excitable vesicles with the ability to intrinsically process information. The fusion of the tools of nanotechnology and biotechnology to produce excitable vesicles is described, as is the mechanics of information flow that ultimately lead to the manifestations of emergent higher-order behavior. Finally, the potential of using systems engineered and produced from nanoscale components to create complex systems and materials that manifest embedded functional behavior is discussed.
Biomimetics Biotechnology