Nanotechnology
Sun November 23, 2008 |
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Short description In a ceremony in the East Room at the White House on the morning of September 29, President George W. Bush awarded National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology to a group of 8 individuals recognized as leading researchers, inventors, and innovators. Article body In a ceremony in the East Room at the White House on the morning of September 29, President George W. Bush awarded National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology to a group of 8 individuals recognized as leading researchers, inventors, and innovators. Detailed information on each awardee's scientific research, released through the White House, suggested that nanotechnology and nanomedicine are gaining recognition as fundamental to the advancement of a range of scientific endeavors. The laureates included: Fay Ajzenberg-Selove, PhD (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia) was recognized for her pioneering contributions in nuclear physics that have advanced research into many applications, including energy generation from fusion, dating of artifacts, and nuclear medicine; her passion for teaching; and outstanding service to her profession. Ajzenberg-Selove is the author of Nuclear Spectroscopy and Energy Levels of Nuclei. Mostafa El-Sayed, PhD (Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta, GA), was praised for his seminal contributions to understanding of the electronic and optical properties of nanomaterials and their applications in nanocatalysis and nanomedicine; his humanitarian efforts in promoting the exchange of ideas; and his role in developing the scientific leadership of tomorrow. His lab is known for the development of the gold nanorod technology, and major foci currently are on the optical and chemical properties of noble metal nanoparticles and their applications in nanocatalysis, nanophotonics, and nanomedicine. The El-Sayed group has also been involved in the development of new techniques such as magnetophoto selection, picosecond Raman spectroscopy, and phosphorescence microwave double resonance spectroscopy. Leonard Kleinrock, PhD (University of California, Los Angeles), was honored for his fundamental contributions to the mathematical theory of modern data networks and for the functional specification of packet switching, which is the foundation of Internet technology. Robert Lefkowitz, PhD (Duke University, Durham, NC), was recognized for his discovery of the 7 transmembrane receptors, deemed the largest, most versatile, and most therapeutically accessible receptor signaling system, and for describing the general mechanism of their regulation, influencing all fields of medical practice. He is best known for his work with G protein-coupled receptors, and his research program is concerned with the molecular properties and regulatory mechanisms that control the function of plasma membrane receptors for hormones and drugs under normal and pathologic circumstances. Bert W. O'Malley, MD (Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX), was praised for his pioneering work on the molecular mechanisms of steroid hormone action and hormone receptors and coactivators, which has added significantly to knowledge of steroid hormones in normal development and in diseases, including cancer. His laboratory group researches fundamental mechanisms for regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. Their early work defined the primary molecular endocrine pathway by which steroid hormones act in target cells. Charles P. Slichter, PhD (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), was honored for establishing nuclear MR as a powerful tool to reveal the fundamental molecular properties of liquids and solids. Andrew J. Viterbi, PhD (University of California, San Diego), was recognized for his development of the maximum-likelihood algorithm for convolutional coding (known as the Viterbi algorithm) and for his contributions to Code Division Multiple Access wireless technology, which transformed the theory and practice of digital communications. David Wineland, PhD (National Institute of Standards and Technology; Boulder, CO), was honored for his leadership in developing the science of laser cooling and manipulation of ions, witii applications in precise measurements and standards, quantum computing, and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics; his impact on the international scientific community through the training of scientists; and his outstanding publications. National Science Foundation (C) 2008 The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved Source information Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
Nanotechnology 'will boost photovoltaics'
Short description Nanotechnology will help make solar photovoltaic technology far more efficient, according to a futurist and author of The Age of Intelligent Machines. Article body Nanotechnology will help make solar photovoltaic technology far more efficient, according to a futurist and author of The Age of Intelligent Machines. Speaking to Silicon.com, Ray Kurzweil said that nanotechnology was essential to solving the planets energy crisis and would help solar power become cheaper than fossil fuel power in five years time. "We're applying nanotechnology to solar panels and coming up with a new generation of solar panels that are much more efficient," he said. He predicted that the pay back period on photovoltaic panels would decrease as their price relative to that of fossil fuels decreased. "The crossover of the tipping point where solar energy will be less expensive than fossil fuels in almost every situation is within five years," Mr Kurzweil added. Meanwhile, scientists at the Future Chips Constellation at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York have devised a coating made from layers up to 100 nanometres thick that boost the efficiency of photovoltaic panels. They reduce the reflectivity of the panels, meaning they absorb 96.21 of the sun's energy instead of just two thirds as they did before. The discovery will also give consumers greater flexibility over where to place a photovoltaic solar panel. Source information deadirect.co.uk/News/Micro-Generation/November-2008/Nanotechnology-'will-boost-photovoltaics'?id=1318 Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
U.S. launches Wiki on nano health and safety
Short description The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is co-developing a collaborative Web site aimed at establishing standard methods for minimizing the environmental, health and safety risks of nanotechnology. Article body Nanoscale materials have alternatively been shown to offer promising new cancer therapies while at the same time causing cancer when not properly handled. Those concerns prompted NIST and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to create a Wikipedia-style community to establish safe nanotechnology development techniques. NCI recently began demonstrating a prototype Wiki aimed at creating and sharing technical details about nanotechnology safety. Clayton Teague, director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, called the Web site "very promising" as a means of enabling sustained cooperation among researchers. Market researcher Lux Research said the nanotechnology market could reach $3 trillion by 2015. New applications range from ultra-fine materials to molecular-sized electronic devices, but standards organizations have been hard pressed to keep up. The International Standards Organization has so far issued only two specs covering workplace health and safety practices and another covering nanotechnology terminology and definitions. Critics argue that the standards process is too slow, and a Wikipedia-style international collaborative effort is needed to address all health issues simultaneously. NCI and NIST hope the Wiki will attract scientists in an effort to speed the appraisal and adoption of safety standards. Contributors will initially focus on characterizing engineered nanoscale materials with feature sizes up to 100 nanometers. Since health and biomedial standards involve many approval cycles, NIST said standard reference materials will be agreed upon by consensus. Source information Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
Nanotechnology Tackles Brain Cancer - Free download
Short description NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer Monthly Feature December 2005 Nanotechnology Tackles Brain Cancer Brain cancer can be counted among the most deadly and intractable diseases. Often diagnosed after a patient exhibits symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, uncharacteristic behavior changes, or paralysis, the growing mass of a brain tumor will continue to squeeze out normal tissue and degrade the brain's function if left untreated. But treatment is elusive. Tumors may be embedded in regions of the brain that are critical to orchestrating the body's vital functions, while they shed cells to invade other parts of the brain, forming more tumors too small to detect Article body Nanotechnology Tackles Brain Cancer DOWNLOAD PDF - http://www.pdfku.com/download-pdf-257.html Source information Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
Future Nanotechnology Could Change Warfare in Places Like the Pakistani-Afghani Mountains
Short description What future military equipment might succeed in the mountains on the Afghan-Pakistani border? Article body What future military equipment might succeed in the mountains on the Afghan-Pakistani border? Why has Osama Bin Laden been able to successfully hide for years in the mountains on the Afghani-Pakistan border? Modern military equipment and strategies have failed in this rugged environment, first for the Russians and more recently for the U.S. Can a new high technology approach be devised, incorporating nanotechnology, that will enable the capture of Osama Bin Laden and his Al Quaida commanders? It may take years more, but the technology and strategy to carry out difficult operations like this are not far in the future. Here is a scenario that could occur in the future. An aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean launches a plane equipped with one or more specialized drones. The plane drops a drone over Northern Pakistan and the drone moves to within miles of a suspected al quaida hideout, where it drops a hundred or more mouse-sized robots over an area of several square miles. The drone then circles for the rest of the day to exchange radio signals with the tiny robots, which are equipped with GPS receivers and give their precise locations, which the drone relays back to an American base. The American base assumes control of the tiny robots and sends them scurrying and climbing, searching for their target. Nanotechnology will have maximum effectiveness when used with other technologies. Mouse-bots could provide excellent surveillance capabilities without a human presence. As they operate, the mouse-bots send back video and audio from their tiny cameras and microphones, as well as a variety of other measurements such as temperature and barometric pressure, and even airborne chemicals. When they find their targets a number of options are available. They can leave behind smaller insect-sized robots to relay back audio, video, and other data. They can deploy biological agents or nanobot weapons systems to sicken or kill chosen targets, or deploy nanobots which will seek and defuse weapons. It is possible that, someday, nanobots could chemically change fuses for explosives and ammunition into inert materials, rendering bombs and projectile weapons useless. Nanobots move extremely slowly on their own because of their small size, but could be carried to their destination by much larger microbots with more mobility. Slipping inside a rifle shell, for instance, would be no problem for nanobots, which are far too small to be stopped by normal seals. Smaller “bots” could be carried by the mousebots to increase their mobility and capabilities. When a mousebot comes to a cliff it must climb, for example, it deploys a much smaller robot that uses gecko-like technology to walk up the wall or cliff, towing a tiny but strong wire which it can attach or hook on above. Then the mousebot uses a tiny winch to pull itself up on the wire, after which it takes the gecko-bot back inside it for recharging and later use, respooling the tiny wire along the way. Tiny insect-sized flying bots, like tiny electronic dragon flies, can also be carried and deployed to provide better camera angles and audio reception. Wi-fi like networking would allow mouse-bots to relay data for control and surveillance purposes. The mouse-bots would be networked in such a way that they can relay their signals back when some of them are out of view of the drone. This allows them to operate in groups to explore caves and deep valleys while still under control of the American base. More mousebots can be dropped as needed to increase their numbers and extend their networks to less accessible places. Mousebots could be equipped to refuel themselves and other bots from a variety of sources. When the drone is low on fuel it flies back to the base and another drone takes its place, but the mousebots must be more self-sufficient to carry out prolonged missions. The mousebots would continue their activities until they run out of power, unless they find a vehicle or source of electricity, at which point they use magnetic and chemical sensors to locate the source of power and then connect to and recharge from it. Possibly one type of mousebot would be specially equipped for this, and could convey power to other mousebots either while it is connected to a power source or at a later time. Even if the power required for movement isn’t available, solar cells on certain mousebots might permit them to continue to transmit and receive data, acting as relay or repeater stations even after they don’t have the power to move any more. Such technologies have implications for our privacy as well as for the military and intelligence communities. Using such technology, a military or intelligence group could locate a wanted person, even in a place like the caves of Tora Bora in Afghanistan, without the target’s knowledge and without putting a single person at risk. Of course, such technology is, like most, much like a hammer - it can be used to build a house or it can be used to kill someone. Still, I believe such technologies will evolve, and soon. As a result, new ways will need to be devised as countermeasures, and sometimes used just to ensure one’s privacy against surveillance by unfriendly or nosy entities. Commercial applications will come quickly once such technology is declassified. At first such technologies as I described above will be used for high cost, high risk endeavors such as remote inspection of dangerous facilities, but eventually it will become more refined and less expensive until tiny advertising insects may be flitting over our shopping zones, projecting video into our eyes as was described in 1950’s science fiction (Slan by A. E. Van Vogt, if I remember correctly). It’s an exciting new world out there, and we need more scientific education and research, not less, if we are to meet the challenges of the present and future. Please demand that your government and corporate representatives support science and education-related initiatives, as improvement in our knowledge and capabilities will be needed to help us avoid major problems in the next century. Source information timprosserfuturing.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/future-nanotechnology-could-change-warfare-in-places-like-the-pakistani-afghani-mountains/ Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
Taking the NanoPulse -- Nanotechnology. It Makes a World of Difference.
Short description Here in the U.S., we're putting nanotechnology to work making everyday products better, from car parts to packaging, paint to skin cream. Article body Here in the U.S., we're putting nanotechnology to work making everyday products better, from car parts to packaging, paint to skin cream. Around the world, however, the brightest minds of this generation are focusing on nanotechnology as the solution to our very biggest global problems. The goal is nothing less than using nanotechnology to bring the basic necessities of life to every corner of the globe, raising the standard of living for every citizen of the world, and helping facilitate world peace with more universal abundance. Sound audacious? You bet. And I was fortunate enough to play a part in this next wave at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of The New Champions in Tianjen, China. Scientists, government officials and business leaders came from scores of countries on every continent, all seeking technology-based answers to the challenges that face all 6.7 billion citizens of our planet. I saw incredible cooperation between science and industry, developed and developing countries, each looking to nanotechnology as the accepted, adopted science most likely to address the most crucial needs facing us all: * Clean water. A simple, low-cost approach could save millions who die of malaria and other waterborne diseases. And imagine the quality of life improvement if clean water were readily available anywhere. * Cheap, clean energy. We're all looking for a way to erase our carbon footprint from the environment. However, for so many in the world, the lack of a power source denies them the boon of 21st century technology -- light, heat, communications, education. Nano-enabled solar panels, energy cells and other generation solutions are at the forefront of research, with conservation technologies close behind. * Clean air. It's a problem for all of us, but developing nations often suffer disproportionately because they lack environmental technologies. Nanotech could help. * Disease control. Nanotechnology could make medicines less costly and easier to use and store. * Food purity. Like clean water, a healthier food supply and better preservation techniques could prevent illness and increase life quality and expectancy. Based on conversations with my fellow conference participants, I predict these most pressing problems will be solved by the under-40 age group. Visionary scientists were well-represented in the Young Global Leaders, a group of 245 young executives, public figures and intellectuals from 65 countries recognized by the World Economic Forum for their leadership potential in shaping the future. And the geography represented by attendees? It matched the worldwide geography of the issues. The U.S., Europe, Asia and the other accepted knowledge centers were well represented, of course. However, the circle also included countries you might not expect, nations who see nanotechnology as their chance for progress by leaps and bounds: Palestine, Pakistan, Kenya, Turkey, and Costa Rica are just a few. Universities have developed centers of learning where scientists are creating home-grown nanotech cognoscenti. Financing is going into advanced manufacturing facilities and a work force to operate them. In the years ahead, every corner of the globe will be solving the problems we face and have the cost effective powerhouse manufacturing to make solutions into reality. Yes, change is coming. Nanotechnology is the central theme and catalyst. I hope you believe as I do, that it's going to make all the difference in the world. Scott E. Rickert is chief executive of Nanofilm, Ltd., located in Valley View, Ohio. Source information industryweek.com/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=17834&SectionID=1 Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
Philips to launch drug detection device
Short description Royal Philips Electronics NV said Thursday it has developed a handheld device that uses nanotechnology to detect marijuana, cocaine, Speed and other drugs in saliva within 2 minutes. Article body The Dutch company has struck a deal with Britain's Concateno PLC, Europe's largest drug testing company, to market the product to police, spokesman Steve Klink said. He would not give an estimate for how much the product will cost, or the company's sales target. He said the potential market was as large as that for roadside alcohol tests. "The car is stopped, a swab is taken and put in the device, and in 90 seconds you have a result," he said. "An officer could do it while standing next to the car's window." Laws vary by country, but Klink said he expected the test would be used mostly for screening, to detect drivers probably under the influence of illicit drugs. Philips said the device is faster and easier to use than roadside drug testing devices marketed so far using chromatography — the same technology used in pregnancy tests. Nanotechnology allows scientists to manipulate materials at the atomic or molecular level. The Philips device uses tiny particles that bind with drug molecules in saliva. The device then sweeps the drug-bearing molecules to a detection pad using magnetic fields, the company said. The company expects the first deliveries to customers in the second half of 2009, starting with Britain. Klink said the underlying technology is flexible and will be used in the future for medical tests. One use Philips is testing is to have the device detect a protein generated by damaged heart muscle. That could be used to tell whether someone suffering chest pains is having a heart attack, Klink said. Source information hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iJgnOQoM5j4xpSegrP9BO8PP9TMwD94IMHAG0 Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
New establishment for nanotechnology
Short description Nanotechnology is a vital area of national importance with applications across a wide spectrum from medicine to electronics to improving water quality worldwide Article body The George Washington University has announced the establishment of the GW Institute for Nanotechnology. This institute will draw on the expertise of the University's faculty members in mechanical, aerospace, electrical, computer, civil, and environmental engineering; physics, chemistry; and biochemistry. The institute is supported through special endowment funding designated for academic programs with the potential for a high level of intellectual distinction. Nanotechnology, a field at the intersection of science and engineering, involves manipulating matter at the nanoscale ( down to 1/100,000 the width of a human hair ) to create new and unique materials and products. As part of the institute's initial efforts, 16 faculty members from GW's School of Engineering and Applied Science and Columbian College of Arts and Sciences will jointly undertake research projects related to nanostructured materials and their properties, applications and devices incorporating nanostructures, computational modeling and analysis, and nanomanufacturing and metrology. Projects already underway include developing a system for nanopatterning and scanning tunneling microscopy, studying growth of carbon nanotubes, creating computational mechanical modeling of nanomaterials, researching nanomagnetics, and constructing filtration with nanostructure materials. "Nanotechnology is a vital area of national importance with applications across a wide spectrum from medicine to electronics to improving water quality worldwide," said David Dolling, dean of GW's School of Engineering and Applied Science and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. "National laboratories, federal agencies, and private sector corporations all recognize the as-yet untapped potential for discoveries in this emerging field, and we believe that our engineers and scientists will be among those who unlock some of its exciting secrets. The GW Institute for Nanotechnology facilitates their task by creating an infrastructure that fosters multi-disciplinary efforts and provides research support." Peg Barratt, dean of GW's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and professor of psychology, added, "Nanotechnology calls for an extremely diverse approach, and we have a breadth and depth of experts who can gather in a common interest to explore its possibilities. The institute will build our knowledge about matter on an atomic and molecular scale, and our professors will share that science-based analysis with students and with the world." Explaining the importance of work in nanotechnology to the University's engineering and science education programs, Ryan Vallance, GW professor of mechanical engineering and lead professor in the establishment of the institute, said, "Nanoscale phenomena are frequently incompatible with our classical intuition and experiences. Traditional engineering theories, like continuum mechanics, which engineers have used for over a century to design new devices, break down in nanotechnology. We have to now teach students additional physical, chemical, biological, and statistical principles that govern nanotechnology. The institute will help us incorporate nanotechnology into our educational programs, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels." Located in the heart of the nation's capital, The George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in Washington, D.C. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business, and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 130 countries. Ryan Vallance, GW Institute for Nanotechnology The George Washington University vallance@gwu.edu; 202-994-9830 For more news about The George Washington University, visit the GW News Center at gwnewscenter.org. Source information Source title Source Url Related company Second related company
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Products made from atoms - Nanotechnology
The properties of those products depend on how those atoms are arranged. If we rearrange the atoms in coal we can make diamond. If we rearrange the atoms in sand (and add a few other trace elements) we can make computer chips. If we rearrange the atoms in dirt, water and air we can make potatoes.
Todays manufacturing methods are very crude at the molecular level. Casting, grinding, milling and even lithography move atoms in great thundering statistical herds. It's like trying to make things out of LEGO blocks with boxing gloves on your hands. Yes, you can push the LEGO blocks into great heaps and pile them up, but you can't really snap them together the way you'd like.
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