System, apparatus and method for sensing, detecting and effecting in a micro-to-nano environment

Abstract

An apparatus that is μm- or nm-scale in size and can include integrated circuitry logic based on sub 10 nm SIA transistor nodes, a sensing subsystem, a deciding subsystem, an effecting subsystem, and a power harvesting system is described. The sensing subsystem can identify pathogenic entities, including disease associated cells (for example, cancer cells, autoimmune cells, or pathological microbes) or viruses. The sensing subsystem can include at least one pad constructed of an electrically conductive material and linkers attached to the at least one pad. Each linker can also be attached to a targeting agent (for example, an antibody fragment) or a reference agent. Upon the binding of a targeting agent with an entity of interest, the information is transferred to the logic circuitry, which processes the binding event information and decides whether the entity is disease associated (e.g., a disease associated cell or virus) and requires delivery of therapeutic agents or other treatment.