Tour Harvard's nanotechnology center — and fix website

Attendees at this year’s Lux Executive Summit (pdf) will get to tour Harvard’s Center for Nanoscale Systems. As an alumna of the rival school down the street (MIT), I suggest that while you’re there, you help tweak their website, which has one of the least impressive nano definitions I’ve seen: The term nanoscale refers to… Continue reading Tour Harvard's nanotechnology center — and fix website

Church of Scotland wants nanotechnology to respect certain limits drawn from…the arts?

Rocky Rawstern of Nanotechnology Now brings our attention to an article in The Scotsman on the views of Dr. Donald Bruce, head of the Church of Scotland’s Society, Religion and Technology Project. While there is much that we would agree with in Dr. Bruce’s position — for example, a concern about nanotechnology possibly leading to… Continue reading Church of Scotland wants nanotechnology to respect certain limits drawn from…the arts?

Nanotechnology risks & benefits, near- and long-term, debated at IRGC

The International Risk Governance Council held a meeting on nanotechnology in Zurich on July 6-7, 2006, to review and critique their white paper on Nanotechnology Risk Governance (PDF). Normally such events are just about the risks of near-term nanomaterials, but not this one. The IRGC is looking at all sides: both near- and long-term nanotechnology… Continue reading Nanotechnology risks & benefits, near- and long-term, debated at IRGC

Is opposing nanotechnology really being Friendly to the Earth?

Friends of the Earth Australia has published a special issue of their magazine titled Nanotechnology: Small Science, Big Questions! (4.3 MB PDF). It includes over 17 short pieces opposing or questioning the endeavor. On the upside, the group does appear to appreciate the magnitude of the changes that will eventually come from the more advanced… Continue reading Is opposing nanotechnology really being Friendly to the Earth?

Nanotechnology: alleviate poverty or reduce inequality?

The role of nanotechnology in the developing world is questioned by Prof. Guillermo Foladori of Mexico in his Nanotechnology Law & Business article “Nanotechnology in Latin America at the Crossroads” (free abstract, full PDF requires a fee or subscription). Prof. Foladori reminds us of nanotech’s potential to alleviate poverty: In recent years, governments, scientists, and… Continue reading Nanotechnology: alleviate poverty or reduce inequality?

Open-source research for nanotechnology?

The open-source research model continues to spread, now to biomedical research. An article by Sarah Everts in Chemical & Engineering News explores Open-Source Science, referencing a paper by Matthew Todd titled Open-Source Research—The Power of Us. For an earlier look at whether open source could work for nanotech, see Bryan Bruns’ article Open Sourcing Nanotechnology… Continue reading Open-source research for nanotechnology?

Beyond nanomanufacturing, Bottom-to-bottom nanotechnology

Those of you looking for insights on atomically-precise manufacturing may want to check out the Society of Manufacturing Engineers conference August 23-24, 2006 in Oak Ridge, TN: The Next Industrial Revolution: Nanotechnology & Manufacturing. In addition to plenty of coverage on near-term “top-down” nanomanufacturing, this meeting includes “bottom-up” assembly topics. Some speakers familiar to Foresight… Continue reading Beyond nanomanufacturing, Bottom-to-bottom nanotechnology

Manufacturing with nanotechnology: NSF-funded report now out

The U.S. National Science Foundation funded a report on nanomanufacturing, carried out by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences. Though an email announcement to participants stated that the full report is available free for download, all I can find is the 12-page abstract (PDF). [UPDATE: here’s the 75-page 1.9 MB pdf full report.] Two excerpts:… Continue reading Manufacturing with nanotechnology: NSF-funded report now out

Highlights of President's 2007 report on the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative

Of course most Nanodot readers will want to study this 76-page report (PDF) in great detail, but for the few who don’t quite get around to this task, here are some of the more ambitious parts: In the section on 2006 and 2007 Activities by Agency, NIST says they will continue to “devise ways to… Continue reading Highlights of President's 2007 report on the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative

Bill Joy suggests insurance as risk reduction mechanism for nanotechnology

In an essay on KurzweilAI.net reprinted from New Scientist, Bill Joy — whose Wired essay titled Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us touched off a big controversy — suggests insurance as a mechanism to reduce risk from powerful technologies including nanotech: We could use the very strong force of markets. Rather than regulate things, we… Continue reading Bill Joy suggests insurance as risk reduction mechanism for nanotechnology

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop