Month: April 2001

from the thanks-for-the-(molecular)-memory dept.
An article in the May 2001 issue of Technology Review Magazine details a patent for a molecular electronics device granted to the well-known team from HP Laboratories: Philip Kuekes, R. Stanley Williams and UCLA chemist James Heath ("Molecular Memory," by D. Rotman). According to the article, the HP research group received an initial patent on a molecular memory device in October 2000; and "a series of related patents covering everything from molecular logic to how to chemically assemble these devices is pending." You can view the patent (U.S. Patent 6,128,214) online.

Coverage of the work by the HP Labs research team has appeared in Foresight Update 42.

from the engineering-the-future dept.
Mechanical Engineering Magazine continues its year-long series focusing on nanotechnology. The latest installment ("Not without engineering," April 2001) is recommended by Giff Constable, who saw a notice about it in Tim Harperís TNT Weekly newsletter. GC writes: "For those heavily involved in nanotech issues, it will be old hat, but I thought it was one of the better written overviews I've seen, speaking as the non-scientist I am. The article was written by Arun Majumdar (professor and vice chair for instruction in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley [and] also member of the ASME Nanotechnology Steering Committee).
Note: The above URL may change. You can access the Mechancial Engineering Magazine site at http://www.memagazine.org.

This series emphasizes the growing interest in a variety of engineering disciplines in the challenges of developing molecular nanotechnology. Past articles in the ME series appeared in the January and February, issues.

from the bordering-the-beltway dept.
A quick look of nanotechnology activity in and around the U.S. capital can be found in this short article in Washington Techway ("Nanotechnology: The tiny world of atoms," by A. Daniels, April 9, 2001). The article presents a regional view of nanotech policy and research in Washington, D.C. and nearby academic and government research centers in Virginia and Maryland. The article quotes Senior Associate Richard Smith, director of forecasts in science, technology, and engineering for Coates & Jarratt, Inc., in Washington, as well as officials from NSF, NIST, and MITRE.

Note: in the accompanying illustration of Drexlerís design for a fine-motion controller, the caption erroneously states "Drexler . . . has constructed a detailed molecular manipulator". This is incorrect. The FMC has only been modeled, not constructed . . . yet.