Greenpeace UK and Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration (IRC) in Nanotechnology at Cambridge University have set up a “Citizen’s Jury” to review risks and opportunities and give a “verdict” on nanotechnology by mid-September. Doug Parr, of Greenpeace, said: “We want to provide an opportunity for people to give their perspectives…at a time when we hope they can… Continue reading NanoJury UK to give verdict on nanotech
As previously mentioned, this year’s top prizes have been awarded in Victorian nanotechnology by NanoVic. But it’s worth calling particular attention to the postgraduate prizes for solar cells and drug delivery. (And when you read about “Victorian nanotechnology,” try not to think of The Diamond Age.) (Credit: Elaine Tschorn)
H2OIL Corporation President Richard Hicks brings to our attention perhaps the most confusing nanotech product website we’ve seen to date. The company has an impressive list of successes for its fuel additive product, but check out this wording of a recent announcement: “Our 14 years experience in producing nanotechnology fuel additives has helped us realize… Continue reading Nanotech fuel additive wins most-confusing award
Andrew Wheeler brings to our attention work at Max Planck Institute on how to make the best use of molecular motors: “Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam and from the University of Amsterdam have now modelled and simulated the motor traffic for different compartment geometries and filament arrangements, and… Continue reading Researchers model molecular motor traffic jams
Posted by Robert Bradbury: Cornell scientists, headed by Harold Craighead, and researchers at Tel Aviv University have a forthcoming paper in Nano Letters regarding the use of nanoscale cantilever oscillators to detect the presence of single DNA molecules weighing ~1 attogram (~995,000 Daltons). PhysOrg discusses it here. Uses may include detecting bacteria or viruses of… Continue reading An attogram of DNA to go please…
Posted by Robert Bradbury: PhysicsOrg is pointing out that IBM and Toppan are combining their expertise to push photomasks for lithography down to 45nm (the generation after current 90nm and next generation 65nm). At 45nm your current generation dual-core microprocessor may well become at least an 8 core microprocessor. For people who are unfamiliar with… Continue reading Step-by-step, nanometer by nanometer…
Posted by Robert Bradbury: Mike Treder writes “Nanotechnology’s long-expected transformation of manufacturing has just moved closer to reality. A new analysis of existing technological capabilities, including proposed steps from today’s nanotech to advanced molecular machine systems, was released today by the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology“. The study, “Molecular Manufacturing: What, Why and How,” performed by… Continue reading Moving closer to "real" molecular manufacturing
Posted by Robert Bradbury: Jonathan Despres writes “Computer science student to compete in world semifinals of microsoft competition HOUSTON, May 11, 2005 – Building and controlling a team of nanorobots to seek and destroy infected tissue within a simulated terminally ill patient, a University of Houston computer science student and his teammate have advanced to… Continue reading Saving virtual lives with nanorobots
Posted by Robert Bradbury: It isn’t nanoassembly but it is real diamond. ScienceBlog is discussing how the Carnegie Institution’s Geophysical Laboratory can produce 10-carat (half-inch thick) single-crystal diamonds using CVD. Unlike previous work it appears that this is flawless & colorless diamond. They believe the method may be adaptable to growing up to 300 carat… Continue reading Really big diamonds!
Posted by Robert Bradbury: Brian Wang writes “The first scalable robot to have built an exact copy of itself could herald a fundamental rethink of how robots may be used to explore other planets. Hod Lipson and colleagues at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, built their self-replicating device using small mechanical building blocks that… Continue reading Self-replicating robots and degrees of self replication
