from the battle-porn dept.
Foresight Advisor John Gilmore sent notice of a piece on the CNET News.com website ("Nanotech's call to arms", by Tiffany Kary, 27 March 2002), that takes a look at the newly founded Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and includes a brief interview with Ned Thomas, a professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT and the recently appointed director of the ISN.
Thomas notes during the interview that the somewhat controversial illustration of a nanotech-enabled battle uniform that accompanied the press release announcing the establishment of the ISN at MIT (see Nanodot post from 15 March 2002) was created by his daughter "in a couple of days". Some interesting commentary on the illustration was made in an article about the ISN that appeared the London Financial Times ("MIT comes to Washington's defence", by Victoria Griffith, 24 March 2002):
Administrators and professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology could be seen fawning earlier this month over a comic strip female superhero – not for her generous proportions but for the hope she holds for the US army.
The Wonder Woman-style figure is the chosen illustration for the university's new joint venture with the US military. The initiative – dubbed the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnology – aims to create "smart" armour for soldiers in battle.
Despite the ribbing over the illustration, the FT article also provides some useful background information on the new ISN.
