The US NSF has announced a program to support fundamental research leading to complex nanosystems.
A new DARPA program seeks to bridge the gap from atoms to macroscale product manufacture in two steps, the first of which is from atoms to micrometer-scale feedstocks. DNA origami may be part of the solution.
Register by Sept. 5 to attend a Proposers Day webinar on either Sept. 9 or 11 to learn the technical objectives of DARPA’s new “Atoms to product: Aiming to make nanoscale benefits life-sized” program.
Just when it seemed like debate over the National Nanotechnology Initiative was a thing of the past (see Foresight’s disappointment in 2008 here), disagreements regarding re-authorization and budget cuts are prompting politicians and researchers to take a detailed look at what the program supports and what it is achieving. Witnesses to the House Research Subcommittee… Continue reading The NNI Debate of 2014
Reviewing Eric Drexler’s Radical Abundance, Phil Bowermaster provides an informed and insightful overview of the controversies that greeted the proposal for a nanotechnology aimed at developing a practical technology for atomically precise manufacturing. Along the way he shows how Drexler’s outlook evolved from 1986 to 2013.
The concern of the US GAO for a gap in nanomanufacturing is well-placed, but it is only half of the problem with the limited US vision of the impact of nanotechnology on the future world economy.
Materials scientists have pursued the question of why vertically aligned carbon nanotube forests show much lower modulus values than expected. Now researchers from Georgia Tech have found that the nanotubes they fabricate contain kinks that dramatically diminish modulus value. In other words, the nanotubes are not straight; therefore, they are not stiff. The government-funded research… Continue reading Nanotubes aren't stiff if they aren't straight
Nanotechnology draws from physics, chemistry, engineering, computation, etc., and this multi-disciplinary nature has served as a major speed bump in achievement of envisioned nanotech goals. There has been substantial concern that the U.S. is lagging behind other countries in nanotech R&D. Now researchers, companies, and politicians are coming together to create a much-needed physical hub… Continue reading Building a hub for nanotech advancement
Recently we pointed at a Forbe’s interview with Eric Drexler, in anticipation of his pending new book Radical Abundance. The book has shipped, and Drexler’s tour schedule now includes a few stops on the coasts of the U.S: New York: May 6th Los Angeles: May 8th & 9th Seattle: May 9th Find exact times and… Continue reading Drexler's book tour extends to U.S. May6-9
In anticipation of Eric Drexler’s new book, Forbes contributor Bruce Dorminey interviews him about the meaning of nanotechnology and its revolutionary prospects. Selected excerpt: … In what fields would APM cause the most pronounced economic disruption and the collapse of global supply chains to more local chains? The digital revolution had far-reaching effects on information… Continue reading Nanotechnology revolution: An interview with Eric Drexler
