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Gaming the Future: The Book!

Category: news

Designed glass nanostructures from US/Japan/Korea team

from the glass-with-designed-holes dept.
Waldemar Perez brings to our attention Eurekalert news coverage of a Nature cover story: "The creation of three-dimensional 50-nanometer-size glass micropores have enormous implications for electronics and biotechnology. The new material could be used (according to scientists) to selectively package biomolecules like proteins or DNA, sense and remove biotoxins or toxic metals from the environment, and as 3-D biochemical enzyme factories." Excerpt from the Eurekalert story, which includes graphics: "The nanotechnology, the chemistry, and the processing make possible many different three-dimensional patterns, shapes and forms that can be organized at multiple-length scales in numerous ways…"

Quantum Dots may yield quantum changes in computer

from the nauseatingly-small dept.
As if nanotechnology won't be enough to deal with, it's looking increasingly as though quantum computers will play a big role in our future. Waldemar Perez writes "Interesting article on patent that could affect Quantum Dot-based electronics and non-linear optical devices for satellite shield protection against laser attacks, from Nebraska University. http://www.unl.edu/pr/science/111400ascifi.html"

First brain-machine interface tested in a monkey

from the we'll-have-wings-in-cyberspace dept.
Waldemar Perez writes "Scientists at Duke University and MIT tested the first ever neuro-implant in a monkey's brain for a brain-machine control interface. The monkey controlled a robotic arm 600 miles away performing such tasks as reaching for food. It holds great promise for prosthetic implants. http://www.eurekalert.org/releases/duke-mca111000.html" Excerpt: " 'One most provocative, and controversial, question is whether the brain can actually incorporate a machine as part of its representation of the body,' [the researcher] said. 'I truly believe that it is possible…If such incorporation of artificial devices works, it would quite likely be possible to augment our bodies in virtual space in ways that we never thought possible,' Nicolelis said."

MEMS news site based on Slash software

from the MEMSdot dept.
For the MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) fans among us, Jonathan Desp brings to our attention MEMS Center, a new MEMS portal based, as is Nanodot, on the Slash news-and-discussion software. Read More for his full post.

Buckytubes spun into tough carbon mesh in France

from the can-we-make-the-space-elevator-now? dept.
Bryan Hall writes "An article in Scientific American reports that scientists have developed a new process for spinning continuous carbon fibers and then tie them into tight knots without breaking. The article elaborates: 'Scientists used single-wall carbon nanotubes, in the form of bundles of a few nanotubes, as the raw material in their novel manufacturing process….And because the tubes were all aligned in the direction of flowing solution when they again stuck together, they formed a nanotube mesh. Slowly pulling the mesh from the bath made it collapse into a high-density ribbon. Nanotechnologists have suggested a number of potential applications for such materials over the years, ranging from tethers connecting satellites to Earth to nanotube-based supercapacitors and electrochemically driven artificial muscles. Now they have a seemingly reliable, readily scalable method for producing them.'
The full article shows photos of the process." CP: Thanks also to Robert Trombatore who also submitted this story.

Alcor offering vitrification — nanotech not needed?

from the glass-not-ice dept.
sjvan writes "Alcor is now planning on vitrifying rather than freezing all new neurosuspension patients. This represents a major improvement in the quality of preservation, and consequently the probability of recovery. Look here for more details." CP: In that piece, Fred Chamberlain writes that this new procedure may eliminate the need for molecular nanotechnology in reviving these patients.

Media Lab "Dreaming About Nano Health Care"

from the health-care-as-media dept.
coljac writes "Wired have posted this article about the Health Special Interest Group gathering held by MIT's Media Lab. The article showcases some recent advances, describes the 'wish lists' of the participants, and focusses on the move to home-based health care." An excerpt: "Perhaps the most far-reaching developments on display were found in the interface between wireless communications, biological sensors and nanotechnology [emphasis added]. The Lab's new recruit, Scott Manalis, now leads the nanoscale sensing vanguard — moving toward remote microscopic laboratories that conduct body chemistry and genetic tests from anywhere, including inside a person's body."

Feynman Prizes in Nanotechnology & Journalism Prize given

from the win-prizes-galore-in-nanotechnology dept.
We tried to wait until after the presidential election was over before sending out this press release. Who could guess that a week later would still be too early? Anyway, here it is: Uzi Landman of Georgia Tech won the Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology (Theoretical) and a team of three won the Experimental Prize: James Heath of UCLA with Phil Kuekes and Stan Williams of HP Labs. On the journalism front, the first-ever Foresight Prize in Communication went to Ron Dagani of Chemical & Engineering News. Harvard's Christopher Love won the Distinguished Student Award. Kudos to all. Read More for the full release.

Nanotech breakthrough made by high school student

from the girls-just-wanna-have-nanofun dept.
The Siemens Westinghouse Science & Technology Competition reports their regional results: "Heidi Hsieh, who competed in the individual category, developed a winning original research project entitled 'The Formation of Nanoscaled Super Zeolite-like Meso-Structures by Various Block Copolymer Matrices'…Her project, which uses nano-technology (smaller than microscopic), organizes structures into formations (similar to ping-pong balls in a package). These organized structures could impact the development of molecular electronics, robots and other molecular-sized machines. 'Miss Hsieh has pushed back the forefront of nano-technology,' said lead judge Richard D. McCullough, head of the chemistry department at Carnegie Mellon University. 'She has found a way to not only make hollow shells of molecules but also put them into ordered structures and change the size of these structures. Her project produced results that until now seemed next to impossible — but she's done it — and it's a real breakthrough!' [emphasis added] CP: If the head of CMU's chemistry dept. says it, I believe it. Good luck to Heidi in the competition finals being held this weekend.

U.S. Nat'l Nanotech Initiative funded at 85% for 2001

from the it's-still-a-lot-of-money dept.
Check out this Nov. 9 slide presentation by NSF's chief nanoadvisor, Mike Roco, entitled National Nanotechnology Initiative: From Vision to Implementation. Note the mentions of "nanosystems" on slides 21-22, and the funding summary on slide 12:
NSF: $97M in 2000; $150M in 2001, up 55%
Dept of Defense: $70M in 2000; $110M in 2001; up 57%
Dept of Energy: $58M in 2000 ; $93M in 2001; up 60%
NASA: $5M in 2000; $21M in 2001; up 320%
Dept of Commerce: $8M in 2000; $10M in 2001; up 25%
Nat'l Inst of Health: $32M in 2000; $39M in 2001; up 22%
TOTAL: $270M in 2000; $423M in 2001; up 57%
Clinton had requested $495 for 2001, so that's about 85% of his target. IMPORTANT: only a fraction of this funding is relevant to molecular machine systems. Care to make any estimates of that fraction?

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