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Gaming the Future: The Book!

Category: Nanoscale Bulk Technologies

From Texas A&M: nanotech to rapidly identify bacteria

From Texas A&M Engineering News: "A group of Texas A&M University researchers have developed a novel nanotechnology to rapidly detect and identify bacteria. Using a nanowell device with two antenna-like electrodes, the scientists can detect the electric-field fluctuations that result when a type of virus called a bacteriophage infects a specific bacterium, and then identify the bacterium present…'Our ultimate aim is to have a biochip where hundreds of nanowells and their preamplifiers are integrated. Each nanowell covers a different phage, and if a relevant bacterium is present, the corresponding nanowell will signal and identify the bacterium. This would be a pen-size biolab that would be able to identify hundreds of bacteria in five minutes.' "

Corporate engagement in nanotechnology

RobertBradbury writes "Well, it finally appears that large corporations are about to seriously engage in the nanotechnology area. A recent article by Manufacturing and Technology News indicates that Motorola is aware of the trends and is taking advantage of them. They are attempting to develop nano-velcro for chip connection technologies. This contrasts with recent efforts by Sun to develop capacitive chip interconnects (which also have advantages). These are not exclusive technologies and may well complement one another once they are fully developed. It should of course be noted that these are still top-down vs. bottom-up technologies for the design and manufacture of nanoscale materials But step by step, inch by inch we are going there."

The Self-cleaning NanoHouse

Roland Piquepaille writes "In "Technology at your service," Australian IT looks at how some emerging technologies will improve our lives. The list goes from solar-powered robotic lawn mowers, network-controlled appliances such as microwaves or air-conditioners, to even full houses. For example, in the MajikHouse, all the home's systems, such as heating, electricity or entertainment are wirelessly controlled via touchscreen panels and smart phones. There is also the NanoHouse, co-developed by CSIRO and the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). The NanoHouse is a new type of ultra-energy efficient house using the new materials being developed by nanotechnology such as self-cleaning glass or dye solar cells. The NanoHouse is currently a concept going from one exhibit to another. But prototypes should appear in 2007 while manufacturing should start around 2009. Read more about the NanoHouse here for other details and references."

Self-assembling 3D Nanostructures

Roland Piquepaille writes "Chips holding 10 terabits of data? Copper as strong as steel? Ceramics tough enough to be used in car engines? All this will be true in five years, thanks to two new methods to create self-assembling 3D nanostructures. These methods used pulsed laser deposition to create layers of nanodots organized in a matrix. These arrays of nanodots are consistent in shape and size — 7 nanometers with nickel for example. But the real beauty of these methods is that they can be applied to almost any material, like nickel for data storage or aluminum oxide for ceramics. These methods also reduce drastically imperfections, leading to future superstrong materials. Read more here for other details and an image of a single nickel nanocrystal, or nanodot."

BBC Reports on Nanotech / Hydrogen energy

Dr_Barnowl writes "The BBC reports on the hydrogen economy in today's Tech column, with an article that shines a positive light on nanotechnlogy; while the focus is on solar hydrogen production, nanocrystalline materials manage to bathe in the reflected glow. The public perception of green energy is a good one, and nanotech can only benefit from being associated with it."

Nanotech Hits the Roads

Roland Piquepaille writes "When you hear the word 'nanotechnology,' I bet you immediately think about nanochips or ultra-small medical devices. But do you know that nanotechnology is starting to be used in highways, bridges and other buildings? In "Small Science Will Bring Big Changes To Roads," a very long article from Better Roads Magazine, you'll discover that "research in structural polymers could lead the way to guardrails that heal themselves, or concrete or asphalt that heal their own cracking." Nanotechnology is also used to design better steel or concrete. And there are even nanosensors in place on the Golden Gate Bridge to monitor its behavior. The nanotechnology revolution is on its way, even if self-healing potholes and guardrails are still science fiction. This long article discusses nanotechnology advances in concrete and cement, self-cleaning traffic signs or better steel. This shorter overview contains selected excerpts about embedded nanosensors, self-healing pavements and smart dust."

New Nanomaterial for Future Magnetic Fridges

Roland Piquepaille writes "Magnetic refrigerators offer significant advantages when compared with current vapor-compression ones, such as gains in energy efficiency, lower cost of operation or elimination of environmentally damaging coolants. Unfortunately, all the materials which have been tested in the last fifty years suffer from hysteresis losses, lowering the energy available for cooling. But now, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers have found a solution, reported in "Nanomaterial Yields Cool Results." By adding a small amount of iron to a gadolinium-germanium-silicon alloy, they enhanced the cooling capacity by 30 percent. This very significant step may help move the promising technology of magnetically generated refrigeration closer to market. This overview contains more details and references."

Nano Tetrapods With Tunable 'Legs'

Roland Piquepaille writes "A team of chemists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), working with computer scientists, has discovered a new kind of adaptable nanoscale compounds. They previously devised tetrapods, structures with four 'arms' or 'legs', from materials such as cadmium telluride. But they now found that by using different materials, like selenium, tellurium or sulfur, to produce crystals of different cadmium compounds, each 'leg' could acquire different electronic properties. After isolating these 'legs,' they were able to produce 'nanorods' with specific properties. In "Nanotech Branches Out with New Discovery," NewsFactor Network says that this discovery will have important consequences, leading to the development of new solar cells, quantum computers or simply very small and fast transistors. This overview is more technical and contains additional references. You'll also find an image showing you the kind of nano tetrapods built at LBNL."

Nanoscale wires with interesting properties

RobertBradbury writes "Chongwu Zhou at USC has demonstrated a combination of chemical vapor deposition and pulsed laser deposition that can produce multi-material nanowires (diameters 30-100 nm, length up to 3000 nm). News here. The process appears to be able to produce the nanowires in quantity (from a nanoscale perspective). Interestingly the material that determines the properties of the wire is on the outside rather than the inside of the cable as is the case with coax and glass fiber.

Now of course if the high temperature superconductor varient of these wires could be positioned and bonded in place on semiconductor chips one would have a new and interesting method for connecting the transistors on the chips. I've seen claims that some types of buckytubes are good conductors — but are they anywhere close to HTSC?"

Everybody's Getting Into The Act: Taiwan

John Heron writes "As reported today in the Taiwan Economic News, Taiwan is setting up a nano-industry association 'as part of the government's plan to boost output value of the island's industry using nanometer technology to NT$300 billion (US$9.1 billion at US$1:NT$) in 2008.' From the examples given in the article, field emission displays (FED) and optical disk technology improvements, I'd guess this is more marketing for material science under a different name rather than a molecular manufacturing initiative, but it is another government jumping on the nanotech bandwagon."

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