Month: October 2003

Foresight President Christine Peterson's talk at Pop!Tech 2003, a conference held Oct. 16-19 in Camden, Maine, on "The Impact of Technology on People", presented Foresight's view on the "Sea Change" to be brought by technological transformation over the coming decades. She was quoted on the importance of investment in developing molecular nanotechnology (recently termed "zettatechnology") for the sake of curing diseases, safe-guarding security, protecting the environment, and easily traveling in space.

Gina Miller writes "The much anticipated follow up to Nanomedicine Vol. I is now available from author Robert A. Freitas Jr. These are the only comprehensive books on nanomedical devices and are 'must haves'. See press release below."

In a paper for the Royal Society's Working Group on Nanotechnology, Eric Drexler discusses the confusion surrounding the word 'nanotechnology' and suggests a clarifying addition to terminology in the field.

Mike Treder writes "A detailed design study for a personal-size nanofactory has been published by Chris Phoenix, Director of Research for Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN). The proposed nanofactory could rapidly manufacture a wide array of advanced products, including more nanofactories, while using minimal resources. 'Design of a Primitive Nanofactory' appeared in the peer-reviewed Journal of Evolution and Technology. The 84-page technical paper is the most comprehensive examination of nanofactory architecture yet produced."

Mike Treder writes "The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) is calling for the creation of a special administrative system to deal with the problems of molecular manufacturing. 'We don't need it today,' said CRN Executive Director Mike Treder, 'but it will take time to create, and the technology could arrive before we're ready.'"

avondale writes "I'm looking for undergrad programs specifically geared towards a 'well rounded' education in nanotechnology. I've only found one so far, at the Flinder's University in Adelaide, Australia… Which will cost me at least 60k in tuition and is on the other side of the planet. I'm willing to go that far to pursue my potential, but am looking for alternatives. My proposed field of study would be nanotechnology for health and wellness. If anyone knows of an applicable undergraduate program, please let me know. Thank you"

brettl writes "Question for a sci-fi story that would like to have some sci in the fiction. If an organ (or person) could be mapped at the molecular level, wouldn't the cost of nanofabricating an organ, a limb, or a person be equivalent to the cost of manufacturing any sort of organic product of equivalent mass (ie plastics)? Or would the complexity increase cost/time of manufacturing? Or would it not be possible at all? Would it be cheap? Also, opinions on how this would play out in reference to the current bioethics debate on cloning would be interesting. Thanks"

HLovy writes "So, what's a nice nanotech entrepreneur like James Clements doing in a place like this?

The founder of Nanosciences Inc., a man with impeccable business credentials, has apparently fallen in with a bad crowd, hanging out here with a bunch of "crackpot" scientists at last weekend's 11th Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology.

That's the sort of reaction Clements almost universally received from fellow nanotechnology business people when he told them he planned to attend this gathering. Foresight is a nonprofit collection of folks who have been dreaming for decades of a nanotechnology that has yet to exist. It's the one envisioned in 1986 by Eric Drexler in "Engines of Creation," of molecular assemblers that can rearrange atoms into any way permitted by the laws of physics, the nanotechnology that existed in theory before the "n" word morphed into sunscreen, pants and "nanobusiness."

"Crackpots," Clements said, and "too SciFi," were the comments he kept getting from other nanotech entrepreneurs. "I still find it absolutely amazing that one early-adoption population considers another early adoption population a bit too 'out there.' "

For the complete story, please see Small Times."