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Gaming the Future: The Book!

Category: news

University of Texas to offer nanotech PhD

Christine Peterson writes, commenting on the news that UT will offer new nanotechnology doctorate. "Brian Korgel, the education director for the Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology, announced the new PhD program. We like his definition: 'Nanotechnology is used to create complex devices at the molecular level'."

Nanosys to go public: $115 million offering

Christine Peterson writes, commenting on the news that Nanosys files papers for IPO. "Nanosys is one of the most prominent nanotech startups, and is planning an IPO, despite having no products: 'We do not anticipate that our first products will be commercially available for at least several years, if at all.' This is probably the beginning of the nano 'boom', which in venture capital cycles is eventually followed by a 'bust'. Let's just hope that it's a normal cycle and not an immense dot.com-style boom/bust."

Nanotechnology initiative at MIT

David Lackner writes with news of the MIT School of Engineering's Tiny Technologies Initiative. In addition to more generic nanoscale science projects, the research includes Nano-Mechanical Systems: "Examples of exciting projects include tiny microturbines, artificial muscles, and a nanorobot designed to manipulate individual molecules on materials' surfaces."

Nanotechnology a high priority for Pentagon

"Pentagon official says nanotechnology a high priority" reports that Clifford Lau, the senior science adviser in the Pentagon's office of basic research, said "Nanotechnology is one of the highest priority science and technology programs in the Defense Department," with the Pentagon spending $315 million in fiscal 2004 on all nanotechnology research. The specific projects cited are all near-term nanoscale science projects, mostly materials, like lightweight, radar-resistant nanocomposite materials for airframes and coatings to eliminate barnacle buildup on submarines. Foresight Founder and President Christine L. Peterson adds "This piece mentions that 'Pentagon interest in nanotechnology dates to the 1980s'. We at Foresight can back this up, as we were the only ones discussing nanotechnology back then, and we did indeed hear from military types quite early on."

Medical nanorobot meeting at USC

BioNEMS Symposium, May 22, 2004, Davidson Conference Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA. "A one-day symposium on the biomedical applications of nanoelectromechanical systems (bioNEMS), sponsored by the Center for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Southern California (USC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). …The emphasis throughout the day will be on nano (not micro) systems, and in vivo (not in vitro) applications. A full-fledged nanosystem (e.g., a nanorobot) is expected to have overall dimensions on the order of a micrometer but will be made from nanoscale components with sizes ~ 1-100 nm."

Laser based nanoscale milling

RobertBradbury writes "The Univ. of Michigan has announced the ability to do nanoscale milling (down to 20nm) using ultra-short laser pulses. Interestingly according to the abstract they aren't exactly sure how it works. This is a new approach to top-down nanotechnology (lithography is also top-down and is currently pushing towards 70nm). In contrast biotechnology, mechanosynthesis and complex chemical methods can be considered bottom-up methods. From a size scale perspective 20nm is slightly smaller than a ribosome and roughly the diameter of Eric's nanomanipulator arm described in Nanosystems (Figure 13.11). So a top-down milling machine methodology might allow the production of a scaled-up nanomanipulator arm which in turn could be used to produce increasingly smaller versions of itself."

NIH launches nanomedicine initiative

David Lackner writes with news of the project launch meeting for the NIH nanomedicine roadmap initiative: "The goals of the NIH Nanomedicine Roadmap Initiative are to 1) obtain a comprehensive set of measurements on molecules and assemblies of molecules, and use those measurements to understand molecular pathways and networks, and 2) use that knowledge to drive the design and development of new nanomachines and technologies to improve human health."

Tomalia pioneers dendrimers for nanotechnology

HLovy writes about the promise of dendrimers for near-term medical nanotechnology "Don Tomalia had his eureka moment back in 1979, when the Dow chemist first figured out how to make a synthetic molecule grow some scary-looking tendrils — actually, dendrites. … If I were a Hollywood casting director, I'd pick the dendrimer shape (not the neatly uniform buckyball) for my evil molecule. In reality, though, the dendrimer is far from evil. It might hold a key to fighting HIV or — and I think this is especially cool — can be set to self-destruct at the right moment for use as a targeted drug-delivery device. The full commentary can be found on The Tale of Tomalia"

Zyvex joins Working In Nanotechnology as Gold Partner

Richardson, Texas (April 2, 2004) – Zyvex Corporation, the first molecular nanotechnology company, signed up as a Gold Partner to Workingin-nanotechnology.com, the newly established global nanotechnology job, recruitment, and education site.

Nanotechnology Brainstorm Ahead – May 14-16

The Foresight Vision Weekend is only a month away. This is the place to speak openly and brainstorm with others who envision a revolutionary nanotechnology future. What aspect of our nanotech future most excites you — repairing the human body, ending chemical pollution, creating economic abundance, developing space resources, delivering basic necessities — like clean water — to the developing world…or how about a personal role in making all this happen?

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