Liveblogging the Foresight Conference. Today is the last day of the research sessions, and Teri Odom of Northwestern just overwhelmed us with a quick summary of her work, both bottom-up and top-down. Normally I am a bottom-up fan, but I especially like her work using lithography to make pyramidal nanoparticles. Basically you make a layer… Continue reading Nanopyramids from Teri Odom
At last night’s Feynman Prize banquet, we awarded this year’s prizes. The Feynman Theory prize went to Christian Joachim of France, the Feynman Experimental prize to Christian Schafmeister of U. Pittsburgh. The Government Prize, in its first year, went to U.S. Congressman Mike Honda. The Communication Prize was awarded to Rocky Rawstern of Nanotechnology Now.… Continue reading 2005 Feynman Prizes, Government Prize, Communication Prize awarded
Ron Bailey has written up his differences with Alan Goldstein, which were explored at a debate at the Foresight Vision Weekend a few days ago. “Waiting until the ethicists catch up with scientific and technological progress is a recipe for technological stagnation. Slowing innovation is not cost free. It makes a difference to tens of… Continue reading NanoBioEthics: Advancing past the "Carbon Barrier"
Next up is co-chair of the Research sessions, Hiroshi Yokoyama, Director of the Nanotechnology Research Institute, part of AIST in Japan — one of the leaders of nanotech in Japan. He is an expert in liquid crystal nanotech but in this talk he is giving an overview of nanotech in Japan. A survey showed that… Continue reading Nano in Japan
Another view of the clean water panel at the Foresight Conference, from Michael Kanellos of CNET News.com: “What’s the biggest hazard for the future? Global warming? Oil shortages? “A small, but growing number of people think that a looming shortage of drinking water constitutes a much larger crisis. Water consumption is doubling every twenty years,… Continue reading Lack of clean water: the biggest hazard
Liveblogging the Foresight Conference. Now in progress is the clean water panel, moderated by Anthony Waitz of Quantum Insight. First up is Fred Tepper of Argonide, which makes nanoalumina filters which look like paper and are made in a paper mill, based on Russian technology. When the nanoalumina reaches 15% weight of the filter, over… Continue reading Nanotech for clean water
First after lunch was Volker Rieke from Germany, who explained that Germany is #2 (after US) in nanotech publications, and directed us to the Nano-map to find out what is happening in German nanotech. Now speaking is Helena Acheson, Head of Division, Science, Technology & Innovation Policy and Awareness Division, Forfás, a think tank for… Continue reading NanoGermany and NanoIreland
Just finished our Energy panel, which included Malcolm O’Neill, VP and CTO of Lockheed Martin. He said that Lockhee is “very interested” in “Higher performance and quality (through assembling atomically precise materials and devices)”. Why does their view matter so much? He also mentioned that Lockheed hires 6% of all the US graduates in science… Continue reading Lockheed Martin on nanotech
Today’s first talk is by Richard Smith of Nanotechnology Network on policy issuses. It’s a great overview of the issues, from where government money goes, to public perception and regulatory concerns, to how to cross the “Valley of Death” — the gap between research and a fundable business plan. He pointed out that most government… Continue reading Liveblogging the Foresight Conference
The Foresight Vision Weekend is off-the-record, so I’m not able to do real liveblogging. At the moment, we’re listening to Patrick Hopkins speak on “Who Will Hate Nanotechnology and Why?” There have been many great talks, but I’ll select just one as an example. Yesterday we heard from Peter Diamandis, Chairman of the X Prize… Continue reading Liveblogging the Foresight Vision Weekend
