Call off the search - nano bots will take it from here, but should we allow it?

A search party that can run 24/7 and guarantee no scene-contamination if / when anything is found. Just one example of where nano-technology [in the form of mini robots] could be deployed to assist investigations and efforts that require huge amounts of man-power while the activity remains somewhat mundane.

This team of search-bots could then be equipped with specific sensors vastly superior to the human equivalent [sight, smell, hearing, etc.] and put to work, covering jungles for missing persons, deserts for signs of life, or literally a needle in a haystack.

As technology continues to evolve and improve, the use of such robots is surely a near-term inevitability. For decades now healthcare providers have been making use of microscopic cameras inserted internally to report findings to doctors, enabling "keyhole surgery" so surgeons can operate while reducing scarring down to almost nothing.

Much like an army of ants, small scale robots could be sent out in swarms to cover great areas and report their findings remotely. While having the potential to provide a great service, the use of nanotechnology raises a number of critical issues. 

Political

Perhaps the most obvious issue with using nanotechnology - either in the form of robots or simply materials that are integrated into objects - is one of bad actors and / or rogue states engineering such systems or materials for nefarious purposes. Poisonous garments that are activated in certain climates / conditions could be used to assassination attempts, one Black Mirror episode showed a swarm of robot bees being hijacked and sent to kill individual targets. Then there is the less extreme, but no less alarming uses; if you have a mass of devices that can travel un-detected and report conditions there is an obvious application in the intelligence agencies the world over perhaps emergency electro-magnetic pulse buttons could become as common as our fire alarm break-glass units.

Environmental & Health

Looking at the environmental and health impact is just as concerning. These materials are microscopic - well nano to be precise - and as such they are liable to end up in almost any environment, deliberately or otherwise. Water and the animals living in it becoming contaminated by hoards of nanobots being flushed into the sea is something that could grow to the levels of the plastic issue if not tightly monitored. Animals or people becoming sick from inhaling foreign materials, small enough to make their way into the lungs and anywhere else they don't belong could cause long-term side effects and a slew of potential diseases if measures aren't taken to ensure safety.

This is why the use of nanotechnology needs regulation and understanding, with buy-in from governments all over the world. There are many emerging technologies out in the world with boundless potential for both good and bad. It is vital that our nations and governments learn from previous failings to understand technology, resulting in embarrassing courtroom scenes and redundant legislation.

Playing catch-up on regulating Facebook ads is one thing, but contaminated water supplies affect everyone, and they don’t care whether you are on instagram or not.