For those of us interested in longer-term nanotechnology issues, CRN has released a set of eleven essays by visionary writers, most of whom will be familiar names from their having participated in Foresight conferences over the years: Kurzweil, Ray – “Nanotechnology Dangers and Defenses” Freitas, Robert A. Jr. – “Molecular Manufacturing: Too Dangerous to Allow?”… Continue reading Long-term nanotech explored in CRN essays
From the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, via ag-IP-News: a “Nanotechnology Customer Partnership meeting will be held on March 28, 2006 in the Madison Auditorium, North Side, located at 600 Dulany Street, in Alexandria, Virginia. This Nanotechnology Customer Partnership initiative is designed and developed to be a forum to share ideas, experiences, and insights between… Continue reading US Patent office open to nanotech user input
Longtime reader Eoin Clancy from the UK brings our attention to a piece in Nature (1.6 MB pdf) by senior reporter Declan Butler on the prospect of ubiquitous sensing and computing: “Everything, Everywhere: Tiny computers that constantly monitor ecosystems, buildings and even human bodies could turn science on its head…Computers could go from being back-office… Continue reading Ubiquitous nanometric sensing & computing
From New Scientist, news of an achievement at University of Tokyo: “the first combination of two molecular machines is an important step on the long path to nanodevices sophisticated enough to, for example, perform repair functions within our cells. ” ‘The next step is to integrate multiple molecular machines’ into much bigger devices, says Kazushi… Continue reading First molecular machine combination made in Japan
There are few goals that more of us share than that of losing weight, now that the problem of obesity is spreading (sorry) far beyond the US. NutraIngredients.com brings us news of a new nanoscale product for which the manufacturer claims to have scientific evidence of efficacy in weight loss: “AquaNova has developed a new… Continue reading Nanotech finds killer app: weight loss…maybe
Earth & Sky brings us comments on nanosurveillance: “Nanotechnology experts have suggested that nano sensors — tiny devices too small to see with the unaided eye and able to monitor sounds and physical conditions — could be put into paint and sprayed on a wall. “David Guston [Director of the Center for Nanotechnology in Society… Continue reading Nanosurveillance comments from Arizona State, Bell Labs
From Alan Boyle, science editor at MSNBC, news of DNA self-assembly work at the lab of Eric Winfree of Caltech: “A computer scientist has developed a method to weave stringy DNA molecules into nanometer-scale, two-dimensional patterns ranging from smiley faces to a map of the Americas. “Experts say the ‘DNA origami’ procedure laid out by… Continue reading DNA origami from Caltech may be useful for nanoscale factory
Foresight Participating Member Mark Sims of Nanorex brings to our attention a new version of the five-minute film Productive Nanosystems: from Molecules to Superproducts posted at Google video. The description: “Visualizing productive nanosystems and molecular manufacturing is a major challenge in communicating the power of this technology. To help address this problem, Nanorex (http://www.nanorex.com )… Continue reading New version of Productive Nanosystems film released
From Live Science, a summary of a recent paper in PNAS: “Scientists partially restored the vision in blinded hamsters by plugging gaps in their injured brains with a synthetic substance that allowed brain cells to reconnect with one another, a new study reports. “If it can be applied to humans, the microscopic material could one… Continue reading MIT: Nanotech repairs brain damage in hamsters
In the U.S., patent rights from federally-funded grants to university researchers generally go to the universities. Sometimes, the research professors benefit personally, depending on the school. This situation results from the Bahy-Dole Act of 1980. Most observers regard this act as an improvement over what came before, but it’s not clear that it is the… Continue reading Malaysia to split nanotech IP three ways
