Today I was privileged to serve as Co-Chair of the Clean Water session at the IEEE San Francisco Bay Area Nanotechnology Council‘s annual meeting “Nanotech: From Promise to Reality“. This year’s theme was Creating a Sustainable Environment. Our session’s first speaker was Olgica Bakajin of Lawrence Livermore, who is using carbon nanotubes to filter water.… Continue reading Nanotechnology and centrifugal force for clean water
In the postal mail today was the paper copy of a 6-7 July 2006 conference report: “The Risk Governance of Nanotechnology: Recommendations for Managing a Global Issue” (link to PDF) held at the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue last summer. This well-run and highly international meeting is the highest profile meeting to include consideration… Continue reading Nanotechnology risk governance to include weapons
The University of South Carolina has released a survey of nanotechnology researchers’ views on various nanotech issues. For example, most agreed that: Nanotechnology will draw more students into science, engineering and math than would otherwise have chosen to study in these fields. I think this is already true — after all, students have been reading… Continue reading Nanotechnology researchers speak out
The U.S. National Academy of Engineering wants input on what should be the Grand Challenges in engineering over the next century. Let’s let them know: nanotechnology! Specifically, nanotech leading toward, and achieving, productive nanosystems. Heck, they can just follow the Technology Roadmap for Productive Nanosystems. The IEEE has a summary. You have until August 17,… Continue reading Nanotechnology: Productive Nanosystems as a Grand Challenge?
Here at Foresight we like to present a balanced picture of nanotechnology, pushing for the benefits and heading off downsides. To do this, it’s necessary to discuss those nanotech downsides especially when someone asks about them. Earth & Sky asked me, and put the audio on the web: Upcoming, said Peterson, are issues of privacy… Continue reading Nanotechnology podcast: near, mid, and long term
Ralph Hermansson writes about nanotechnology safety in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. He had interviewed me for the piece: Bacteria-proof forks and knives. Pants that never get stains. Computer chips with a considerably better memory, making conventional chips seem almost senile. Sports equipment made of materials that are much harder yet more lightweight than today. Science… Continue reading Nanotechnology: Blobs, Shapes & Chunks must be treated differently
We’ve mentioned Russian activity in nanotechnology here before, but I hadn’t quite realized the scale of Russian nanotech plans until this article in RIA Novosti: First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, who is in charge of high-technology development, said in June the government would allocate 200 billion rubles ($7.7 billion) to develop nanotechnology until 2015.… Continue reading Nanotechnology: Successor to US/Russia space race?
Jim Lewis’s Weekly News Digest (see Join Email List at upper right) brings to our attention a New Scientist piece on work by Mihri Ozkan of UC Riverside and colleagues in the US and Italy combining quantum dots and viruses to make nanoscale memory devices: The researchers have successfully performed a number of read-write-erase cycles… Continue reading Nanotechnology moves toward nanomachines and nanorobotics
This Friday, July 6, is the deadline for early registration for 3rd Annual Symposium on nanotech put on by the IEEE SF Bay Area Nanotechnology Council. The focus this year is on “Creating a Sustainable Environment,” especially with respect to clean energy and clean water. As a longtime IEEE member, I’m glad to see the… Continue reading Nanotechnology for clean energy, water: IEEE event
There’s still time to get your nominations in for this year’s top nanotechnology researcher, student researcher, and communicator or publication: The Productive Nanosystems conference will detail the pathways leading to the ultimate in manufacturing, and the Feynman Prizes recognize this year’s most impressive achievements toward that goal,” said Dr. Pearl Chin, President of Foresight Nanotech… Continue reading Nanotechnology researcher, student, communicator nominations due tomorrow
