According to the type and structure of the carriers, nanomedicines are primarily classified into liposome, antibody–drug conjugate, inorganic nanoparticle, polymer nanoparticle, dendrimer, micelle, polymer–drug conjugate, virus-derived vector, nanocrystal, cell-derived carrier and protein-bound nanoparticle.

The most prevalent categories of nanomedicines available in the market or in different phases of clinical trials include liposomes or lipid-based nanoparticles (33%), antibody–drug conjugates (15%), polymer-drug/protein conjugates (10%), and polymeric nanoparticles (10%).

Nanomedicine is the most promising use of nanorobotics. Its applications cover several fields, such as the creation of vaccines, medication delivery, wearable equipment, diagnostic and imaging equipment, and antimicrobial products.

In in-vitro diagnostics, nanomedicine could increase the efficiency and reliability of the diagnostics using human fluids or tissues samples by using selective nanodevices, to make multiple analyses at subcellular scale, etc.

Nanoliposomes present a greater surface area and have acceptable stability profile to preserve their size within nanometric scales, e.g., as small as 20–100 nm (small liposomes) and >100 nm (large liposomes). These carriers are mainly composed of lipids and phospholipids.

Liposomes protect the loaded drug molecules from external degradation, and their similarity to biological membranes provides unique opportunities to deliver drug molecules into the cells or their sub-cellular compartments.

They have been used in the manufacture of filters that refine crude oil into diesel fuel. Nanocrystals can also be layered and applied to flexible substrates to produce solar panels.

With typical dimensions in the range of 1-100 nm, these nanocrystals bridge the gap between small molecules and large crystals, displaying discrete electronic transitions reminiscent of isolated atoms and molecules, as well as enabling the exploitation of the useful properties of crystalline materials.

Nanocrystals are composed of one domain with a finely distributed size and have a distinctive, unvarying shape. On the other hand, nanoparticles can have either an amorphous structure or a crystalline structure, which includes either polycrystalline phase or single domains.

The properties of some nanomaterials make them ideal for improving early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases or cancer. They are able to attack cancer cells selectively without harming other healthy cells. Some nanoparticles have also been used to enhance pharmaceutical products such as sunscreen.

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles which exhibit size and composition-dependent optical and electronic (optoelectronic) properties. QDs are ultrasmall, typically falling in the size range between 1.5 and 10.0 nm.

One relatively simple approach to improve drug dissolution and solubility properties is formulation as nanocrystals. Drug nanocrystals are solid nanosized drug particles surrounded by a stabilizer layer; sometimes they are also referred to as solid micelles.

Quantum dots is a term referred to semiconductor particles. Nanocrystal can be defined as any inorganic entity in which there is a crystalline arrangement of constituent atoms or ions. A nanoparticle can be of any material of nanodimensions in all directions.

Quantum dots (QDs) or semiconductor nanocrystals are semiconductor particles a few nanometres in size with optical and electronic properties that differ from those of larger particles via quantum mechanical effects.

The multifunctionality of QDs allows for the simultaneous detection and treatment of diseases, making them ideal theranostic agents. In theranostic applications, QDs can serve as imaging agents that provide real-time visualisation of disease processes and deliver therapeutic agents directly to the site of interest.

QDs possess unique optical properties that make them potential candidates as luminescent nano-probes and carriers for biological applications. Drugs can be loaded into QD nano-carriers for drugs by the means of dissolving, dispersing, adsorption and coupling, etc.

General antimicrobial mechanism of quantum dots (QDs). QDs produce antimicrobial effects through destroying cell walls/membranes, inducing free radicals, binding with genetic material, and inhibiting energy production.

Nanoparticles is typically used for particles in the nm size regime, while quantum dots are those nanoparticles that are in “quantum size regime” characterized by the discretization of the energy levels inside the material.