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Gaming the Future: The Book!

Author: Foresight Editor

Determining hardness of nanoscale materials

waynerad submitted this article from the Christian Science Monitor ("It's a small, small, small world", by Laurie Toupin, 14 May 2002) which he describes how an "MIT researcher uses atomic-force microscope (AFM) to determine the hardness of nanoscale materials. The NanoMechanical Technology Laboratory at MIT is using a diamond-tipped 'nano-indenter' to determine how materials behave at nanoscale dimensions. The nano-indenter measures the 'load' (force) being pushed into the sample and how deeply the diamond point goes into it, which gives enough information to calculate how stiff the material is, how strong it is, when it will fracture, and how much load it will take before it permanently deforms [breaks]."

U of L Chemical Engineers' Process Grows Crops of Nanowires

Judith Hughes at the University of Louisville (Kentucky, USA) submitted this press release on 13 May 2002: "U OF L CHEMICAL ENGINEERSí PROCESS GROWS CROPS OF NANOWIRES

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ñ University of Louisville chemical engineer Mahendra Sunkara, doctoral student Shashank Sharma and their research group have developed a process for growing nanometer-scale wires that allows them to control more easily the minute wiresí size, structure and composition."

More information is available at the UL Chemical Vapor Assisted Materials Synthesis Lab in the Chemical Engineering Department

Neural regeneration from stem cells

Stuart Scott writes "It appears that these researchers may be on to something very interesting. http://www.hhmi.org/news/stevens2.html"

Editor's note: What Stuart is referring to is the news in a press relase from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2 May 2002), which begins:

Researchers have discovered that astrocytes ó brain cells once thought to be little more than a component of the supportive scaffold for neurons ó may actually play a starring role in triggering the maturation and proliferation of adult neural stem cells. The studies also suggest that growth factors produced by astrocytes may be critical in regenerating brain or spinal tissue that has been damaged by trauma or disease.

Scientists Produce Long, Hair-Like Nanotubes

Two submissioins on this item:

waynerad writes "For the first time, researchers have created a simplified method for making long, continuous, hair-like strands of carbon nanotubes that are as much as eight inches in length. This breakthrough, reported in the May 3 issue of Science, is a first step toward creating such products as microcables for electrical devices or mechanically robust electrochemical actuators for artificial muscles.

The researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and collaborators at Tsinghua University in Beijing found that chemical vapor deposition (CVD), a widely used technique to grow nanotubes, has a high yield of long strands when a sulfur-containing compound and hydrogen are added to the process."

And Brian Wang writes "For the first time, researchers have created a simplified method for making long, continuous, hair-like strands of carbon nanotubes that are as much as eight inches in length. This breakthrough, reported in the May 3 issue of Science, is a first step toward creating such products as microcables for electrical devices or mechanically robust electrochemical actuators for artificial muscles. The researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and collaborators at Tsinghua University in Beijing found that chemical vapor deposition (CVD), a widely used technique to grow nanotubes, has a high yield of long strands when a sulfur-containing compound and hydrogen are added to the process. Researchers have previously created nanotube fibers with more complex methods, but because CVD is commonly used to make nanotubes, it would be easily adaptable and more efficient for synthesizing the long strands for practical applications. This new method produced nanotubes that measured 20 centimeters, much longer than conventional nanotubes, said Pulickel Ajayan. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-05/rpi -spl050102.php"

improved version of heisenberg uncertainty principle

brianwang writes "Michael Hall and Marcel Reginatto of the Physical-Technical Institute in Braunschweig, Germany, have published a paper with an expression that looks like Heisenberg's original relation, but gives the exact uncertainty in the measurements of position and momentum. Hall says it is an equation rather than an inequality, which is "a far stronger relation". So strong, in fact, that in a paper published this month in Journal of Physics A, have managed to derive the basics of quantum mechanics from it, including the Schrödinger equation that describes the behaviour of quantum-mechanical wave functions. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns999 92209 It implies a tight relationship between uncertainty and energy that makes it easier to understand why, in quantum mechanics, systems have a minimum kinetic energy even if there aren't any forces acting. "There's a kind of quantum kinetic energy that comes from the uncertainty," he says. What's more, the new uncertainty equation makes it possible to estimate the minimum energy that a given quantum system should have. This is useful in cases when it's not possible to calculate the lowest energy levels precisely, particularly in complicated systems such as atoms with many orbiting electrons."

New Nanomed device: Replace Blood

ChrisPhoenix writes "Robert Freitas and I have published a paper on a rather aggressive nanomedical device that lines your blood vessels and replaces the blood. The paper covers benefits, requirements, installation, and more, with tons of medical information from Robert's amazing bank of knowledge. It's almost a megabyte and has 587 references. You can find it at The Journal of Evolution and Technology.

Vasculoid: A Personal Nanomedical Appliance to Replace Human Blood.
Robert A. Freitas Jr. and Christopher J. Phoenix

ABSTRACT

The vasculoid is a single, complex, multisegmented nanotechnological medical robotic system capable of duplicating all essential thermal and biochemical transport functions of the blood, including circulation of respiratory gases, glucose, hormones, cytokines, waste products, and cellular components. This nanorobotic system, a very aggressive and physiologically intrusive macroscale nanomedical device comprised of ~500 trillion stored or active individual nanorobots, weighs ~2 kg and consumes from 30-200 watts of power in the basic human model, depending on activity level. The vasculoid system conforms to the shape of existing blood vessels and serves as a complete replacement for natural blood. This paper presents a preliminary theoretical scaling analysis including transport capacity, thermal conduction, control and biocompatibility considerations, along with a hypothetical installation scenario and a description of some useful optional equipment. A discussion of repair procedures and various applications of the personal vasculoid appliance is deferred to subsequent papers.

(I'll be doing a Friday night SIG on this at the upcoming Senior Associate Gathering.)"

Debate on U.S. ban on human cloning intensifies

Gina Miller writes "In Dispute Over Cloning Experiments Intensifies, The New York Times reported on the debate in the Senate, as of March 6, 2002, on a proposal to ban all human cloning, including therapeutic cloning (also called 'somatic cell nuclear transfer', or SCNT), in which nearly microscopic balls of a few hundred cells are produced to provide stem cells for medical treatments that might cure diseases that are today incurable. The total ban has already been passed by the House and is being pushed by Pres. Bush. Actor Christopher Reeve argued passionately that therapeutic cloning should go forward because '…we have a moral responsibility to help others. Time is absolutely critical.' Supporting Mr. Reeve was Nobel laureate molecular biologist Paul Berg and Jerry Zucker, a movie producer who hopes that therapeutic cloning will provide a cure for the diabetes his daughter suffers from. Proponents of a ban railed against 'human embryo hatcheries.' United Press International Opposition grows to total ban on cloning provides additional detail about the same Senate testimony, quoting Reeve 'I'm here today because I'm very concerned we're about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory … It is amazing to me that we have to be here today, because it's so clear that embryonic stem cells … are a miracle that could be available to us, yet there's a fear factor in this country that's really very disturbing to watch.'

A month later, as reported by Reuters on April 10 (Bush Backs Ban of All Human Cloning) and by The New York Times on April 11, 2002 (Bush Makes Fervent Bid to Get Senate to Ban Cloning Research) Bush urged the Senate to pass the bill outlawing all forms of cloning. A counter plea from 40 Nobel laureate scientists urged support of legislation that would allow therapeutic cloning."

Read more for an extensive set of links to background pieces on the developing debate over human cloning.

Singularity Institute releases 'Levels of Organization'

Eliezer Yudkowsky writes "The Singularity Institute has released a draft of the paper "Levels of Organization in General Intelligence", to appear as a chapter in "Real AI: New Approaches to Artificial General Intelligence" (Goertzel and Pennachin, eds., forthcoming). A flat-file version is available (382K).

Everyone has been patiently waiting for science to cough up a general theory of intelligence. This paper contains the Singularity Institute's shot at the problem. The paper's goals are to describe intelligence as a complex supersystem of interdependent, internally specialized subsystems; to structure our understanding of cognition using levels of functional organization; and to integrate our understanding of general intelligence with our understanding of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and evolutionary theory. The final part of the paper also includes a discussion of recursive self-improvement and seed AI."

Europeans establish Nanobusiness Association

from the nanocommerce dept.
An article on the Small Times website ("New European association will try to move nano from the lab to market", by Genevieve Oger, 17 April 2002) reports on the establishment of the European Nanobusiness Association (ENA), a group meant to advance Europeís role in nanotechnology, and encourage the emerging nanotech economy in Europe. ìOur end goal is the commercialization of nanotechnology in Europe,î said Tim Harper, chief executive of the nanotechnology consulting group CMP Cientifica and the new associationís executive director. ìHow do we make sure that good European research in this area doesnít end up getting exploited in the United States or in the Far East?î

According to the article, îThe associationís key objective is to act as a matchmaker of sorts, or at least an introduction service. The idea is to connect nanotechnology researchers with industry types who have the know-how and business sense to turn ideas and scientific discoveries into viable businesses. Underlying the venture is an oft-repeated criticism about Europeís innovation track record. Despite its top-notch facilities and research, Europe is seen as having difficulty translating its scientific and technical prowess into commercial successes.î

Harperís comments about making sure good European research doesnít end up getting exploited in the U.S. or Far East notwithstanding (though presumably he would not be opposed to it being marketed in those regions?), the new ENBA has formal ties to the U.S.-based NanoBusiness Alliance (NBA) in the United States and the Asia-Pacific Nanotechnology Forum (APNF). The European association has partnered with both. Mark Modzelewski, the founder and executive director of the NanoBusiness Alliance, also sits on the advisory board of the new European group.

Article in Winston-Salem Journal provides a few choice bits

A lengthy article in the Winston-Salem (North Carolina) Journal ("Small Miracles: Micromachines are being developed that may offer mankind great benefits – or threaten its very existence", by Kevin Begos, 14 April 2002) rehashes much of the mass media shorthand on nanotech weíve seen so often before: "Many researchers, government officials and venture capitalists are saying that over the next few decades, the effect of such inventions on society may dwarf what has happened in the computer or telecommunications revolutions. Skeptics see a dark side to such a future. Humans may well be able to make such products, they say — but may not be able to control them after they're unleashed on the world." We get warmed-over visions of advanced nanotech applications, Bill Joyís worries over human obsolescence, government funding, venture capitalists ñ the usual stew.

Read more for some of the more interesting bits.

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