Friday, January 2, 2009
100 Years
Old friend and Access Nanotechnology colleague Jack Uldrich is spreading the "Jump the Curve" message via YouTube, which I believe is a very smart move. Prior to this move to video you could read a lot of Jack’s very well considered and insightful words on the Internet. NOW you can hear him speak his mind; a much more enlightening medium, in my opinion.
One clear message that I have picked up is Jack’s reminder that in the next 25 years we will likely experience as much or more change (advances) in technologies than we did in the past 100 years. We’re talking exponential rate of change, especially in our understanding of the nanoscale; that’s a doubling each and every 6 – 18 months. "The year 2025 will be as different from today as today is from 1900." That alone should make you stand up and take notice.
Sign up for his Channel; I just did.
http://www.youtube.com/user/juldrich
http://access-nanotechnology.com/
Neil Gordon Goes to Market
Old friend and Access Nanotechnology colleague Neil Gordon, formerly of the Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance, is now at the helm of a company that will soon have an actual nanotechnology-enabled product. Neil’s new company, Early Warning, is in the sensor business. Biohazard Early Warning System, that is.
Neil’s background in the development and commercialization of diverse high technology products in information technology, aerospace and defense, engineering-construction, and nanotechnology sectors will serve him well in his new position as President and Chief Executive Officer.
His focus has shifted from nanotechnology to the application of nanotechnology in preventing the transmission of biohazards. Why? Biohazards kill 18.4 million and sicken over 1 billion people each year.
Expect to see their water testing product line in the winter of 2008/09.
From their site: "Early Warning has an exclusive license from NASA to commercialize its revolutionary nanotechnology-based biosensor developed for space applications. The biosensor works when a single strand of nucleic acid comes into contact with a matching strand of nucleic acid attached to the end of an ultra-conductive nanotube. The matching strands form a double helix that generates an electrical signal which is used to determine the presence of specific microorganisms in the sample. Because of their tiny size, millions of nanotubes can fit on a single biosensor chip allowing identification of very low levels."
Personally, I have very high expectations of success for both Neil, Early Warning, and their nanotechnology-enabled products.
http://access-nanotechnology.com/
http://www.earlywarninginc.com/
Neil’s background in the development and commercialization of diverse high technology products in information technology, aerospace and defense, engineering-construction, and nanotechnology sectors will serve him well in his new position as President and Chief Executive Officer.
His focus has shifted from nanotechnology to the application of nanotechnology in preventing the transmission of biohazards. Why? Biohazards kill 18.4 million and sicken over 1 billion people each year.
Expect to see their water testing product line in the winter of 2008/09.
From their site: "Early Warning has an exclusive license from NASA to commercialize its revolutionary nanotechnology-based biosensor developed for space applications. The biosensor works when a single strand of nucleic acid comes into contact with a matching strand of nucleic acid attached to the end of an ultra-conductive nanotube. The matching strands form a double helix that generates an electrical signal which is used to determine the presence of specific microorganisms in the sample. Because of their tiny size, millions of nanotubes can fit on a single biosensor chip allowing identification of very low levels."
Personally, I have very high expectations of success for both Neil, Early Warning, and their nanotechnology-enabled products.
http://access-nanotechnology.com/
http://www.earlywarninginc.com/
He's Back!
"...where my nano obsession began back in 2001, when I helped launch one of the first nanotech magazines and Website. Small Times has asked me to return as a contributing editor and blogger" says Howard Lovy, most recently holding forth at his blog, Nanobot.
Howard will be a once-again-welcome voice at an excellent resource for both new and old nanotechnologistas. His interpretation of the nanospace and subsequent writings continue to be a must-read for stakeholders.
Along with his wit and wisdom, I look forward to reading more of Howard’s insightful analysis and commentary.
Howard will be a once-again-welcome voice at an excellent resource for both new and old nanotechnologistas. His interpretation of the nanospace and subsequent writings continue to be a must-read for stakeholders.
Along with his wit and wisdom, I look forward to reading more of Howard’s insightful analysis and commentary.
Nano Trees
3-dimensional Si composite nanostructure, taken with a scanning electron microscope, by Ghim Wei Ho.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Nano Today Cover Competition
Spiraling pine tree-like PbS nanowires are evidence of nanowire growth driven by screw dislocations without the help of metal catalysts. Screw dislocation drives the rapid growth of the nanowire tree trunk and causes the lattice of the trunks to twist (called "Eshelby Twist") and their epitaxial branches to spiral. See Science 2008, 320, 1060.Matthew J. Bierman, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
In the Blink of an Eye
Drexler's original definition of nanotechnology was "the ability to
construct shapes, devices and machines with atomic precision and to
combine them into a wide range of products inexpensively." Since then,
however, nanotechnology has come quite a ways from this purely
theoretical understanding, according to Rocky Rawstern, editor of
Nanotechnology Now.
Says Rawstern, "I have seen Mercedes-Benz using nanoparticle paint
that helps prevent wear and other companies make [nanotech] golf balls
that reduce slice, nanopowder aluminum for better rockets, stainless-
steel metal for injection-molding, nanosilver particles for anti-
bacterial and disinfectant agents, fullerenes (nanoparticles of
tungsten disulfide) as lubricants, and the list goes on."
According to Rawstern, there are several contemporary definitions of
nanotechnology, of which at least three were "created by different
groups, each with their own agenda."
"Nanotechnology has evolved via a terminology drift and purposeful
misapplication to mean anything smaller than microtechnology," says
Rawstern, "but without referring to mechanisms that have been
purposefully built from nanoscale components, as was originally
intended. This 'evolved' version of the term is more properly
labeled "nanoscale bulk technology,' while the original meaning is now
labeled "molecular nanotechnology' or 'molecular manufacturing (MM).'"
In addition to Drexler's theoretical definition is a working format is
maintained by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, a federal
research and development program established to coordinate nanoscale
science, engineering and technology, which includes:
charlatans of the world, who have hijacked the term and are using it
to promote products that are neither nanoscale mechanisms nor
nanoscale materials" by any industry definition.
"Read the news most any day and you will find one or more nano-posers
promoting their wares, none of which are "nanotechnology' in any
meaningful sense of the term," he says. "Their definition: anything we
can slap the label nanotechnology on and get away with."
Inner Space
If Rawstern sounds a little irked, it's not because the field of
nanotechnology is expanding at an exponential rate (some analysts
predict the nanomaterials market will reach $1.4 billion in 2008);
rather, the financial and resource investment necessary to adequately
fund successful nanotech research is too great to squander on
pretenders.
Yet for all this hype, Rawstern says, this technology remains on the
drawing board, not purposefully pursued by any known entity, but
promoted by several. "It has yet to be proven, primarily because there
has been no substantial investment in developing a proof of concept,"
he adds.
What's To Come
The intermarriage of nanotechnology and imaging promises to be a long and prosperous one, with glimpses of additional advances, from imaging to interventional techniques, coming as fast as research allows. Sitharaman, for one, hopes his work will lead to cellular-level diagnosis of treatment efficacy and possibly even spur development of future medicine delivery systems.
"The rational leap of this technology should be to attach antibodies and peptides to these contrast agents to treat diseases," says Sitharaman. "You can attach different kinds of molecules to the fullerene for a more specific sequencing approach. Since they show such high relaxivity rates, we should hopefully be able to look at individual cells."
Of a similar mind is Rawstern, who also believes nanotechnology will expand its presence into the field of drug delivery systems, aided by imaging advances.
"In the next five years, I expect to see human trials on gold nanoshells come to a conclusion regarding their viability," says Rawstern. "They represent a potential end to the scourge of many cancers and an end to the suffering of thousands, if not millions, in the coming decade. Nanosuspension technology, which makes poorly soluble drugs with increased absorption rates, also looks promising. There are many more possibilities; more than anyone would have guessed only 10 years ago."
"No informed person doubts that developments at the nanoscale will be significant," says Rawstern. "We debate the time-frame, the magnitude and the possibilities, but not the likelihood for large-scale change. The least-speculative views suggest that we're in for changes of an order that justifies – if not demands – our undivided attention. Will we be ready?"
construct shapes, devices and machines with atomic precision and to
combine them into a wide range of products inexpensively." Since then,
however, nanotechnology has come quite a ways from this purely
theoretical understanding, according to Rocky Rawstern, editor of
Nanotechnology Now.
Says Rawstern, "I have seen Mercedes-Benz using nanoparticle paint
that helps prevent wear and other companies make [nanotech] golf balls
that reduce slice, nanopowder aluminum for better rockets, stainless-
steel metal for injection-molding, nanosilver particles for anti-
bacterial and disinfectant agents, fullerenes (nanoparticles of
tungsten disulfide) as lubricants, and the list goes on."
According to Rawstern, there are several contemporary definitions of
nanotechnology, of which at least three were "created by different
groups, each with their own agenda."
"Nanotechnology has evolved via a terminology drift and purposeful
misapplication to mean anything smaller than microtechnology," says
Rawstern, "but without referring to mechanisms that have been
purposefully built from nanoscale components, as was originally
intended. This 'evolved' version of the term is more properly
labeled "nanoscale bulk technology,' while the original meaning is now
labeled "molecular nanotechnology' or 'molecular manufacturing (MM).'"
In addition to Drexler's theoretical definition is a working format is
maintained by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, a federal
research and development program established to coordinate nanoscale
science, engineering and technology, which includes:
- development of research and technology at the atomic, molecular or macromolecular levels, in the length scale of approximately 1 nm to 100 nm range
- creation and use of structures, devices and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small and/or intermediate size
- ability to control or manipulate on the atomic scale
charlatans of the world, who have hijacked the term and are using it
to promote products that are neither nanoscale mechanisms nor
nanoscale materials" by any industry definition.
"Read the news most any day and you will find one or more nano-posers
promoting their wares, none of which are "nanotechnology' in any
meaningful sense of the term," he says. "Their definition: anything we
can slap the label nanotechnology on and get away with."
Inner Space
If Rawstern sounds a little irked, it's not because the field of
nanotechnology is expanding at an exponential rate (some analysts
predict the nanomaterials market will reach $1.4 billion in 2008);
rather, the financial and resource investment necessary to adequately
fund successful nanotech research is too great to squander on
pretenders.
Yet for all this hype, Rawstern says, this technology remains on the
drawing board, not purposefully pursued by any known entity, but
promoted by several. "It has yet to be proven, primarily because there
has been no substantial investment in developing a proof of concept,"
he adds.
What's To Come
The intermarriage of nanotechnology and imaging promises to be a long and prosperous one, with glimpses of additional advances, from imaging to interventional techniques, coming as fast as research allows. Sitharaman, for one, hopes his work will lead to cellular-level diagnosis of treatment efficacy and possibly even spur development of future medicine delivery systems.
"The rational leap of this technology should be to attach antibodies and peptides to these contrast agents to treat diseases," says Sitharaman. "You can attach different kinds of molecules to the fullerene for a more specific sequencing approach. Since they show such high relaxivity rates, we should hopefully be able to look at individual cells."
Of a similar mind is Rawstern, who also believes nanotechnology will expand its presence into the field of drug delivery systems, aided by imaging advances.
"In the next five years, I expect to see human trials on gold nanoshells come to a conclusion regarding their viability," says Rawstern. "They represent a potential end to the scourge of many cancers and an end to the suffering of thousands, if not millions, in the coming decade. Nanosuspension technology, which makes poorly soluble drugs with increased absorption rates, also looks promising. There are many more possibilities; more than anyone would have guessed only 10 years ago."
"No informed person doubts that developments at the nanoscale will be significant," says Rawstern. "We debate the time-frame, the magnitude and the possibilities, but not the likelihood for large-scale change. The least-speculative views suggest that we're in for changes of an order that justifies – if not demands – our undivided attention. Will we be ready?"
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