Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Nanotechnology In Biotechnology Applications
Nanotechnology In Electronic Applications
The world of electronics has been using many of the key methods shared by other nanotechnology disciplines for many years. As an example, think of the evolution of the video game. Nanotechnology has enabled arcade size video games of yesteryear like Pong, Frogger, and PacMan to be replaced with very sophisticated home Playstations, X-Boxes, and Game Cubes that play “life like” Madden 2005, Grand Theft Auto, and Halo 2 video games.
There are also a tremendous amount of other electronic applications out there that are effecting our every day lives. Just take a trip to your local electronics mega-store and you will see a multitude of these including: faster and more powerful computers, palm pilots (blackberries), flash drives, digital cameras and displays, cell phones, LCDs, LEDs, MP3’s, electronic ink displays, thin film batteries, and flexible electronics to name a few. All of these applications are possible and affordable due to the ability to work effectively and efficiently at the nano-scale.
Nanotechnology Consumer Products Application
The consumer world is exploding with “nanotechnology enhanced” products. Consumer products is an area where the experts are saying the most immediate nanotechnology impacts will be made and recognized by the majority of people in the world. Currently there are numerous products on the market that are the result of nanotechnology.
For the sporting enthusiast, we have tennis balls that last longer, tennis rackets that are stronger, golf balls that fly straighter, nano ski wax that is easier to apply and more effective than standard wax, and bowling balls that are harder; and these products are just scratching the surface. These products all use nanostructured materials to give them enhanced performance.
Speaking of scratching the surface, we also have nano car wax that fills in those tiny cracks more effectively and gives you a shinier vehicle. There are also nano products available to keep your eyewear and other optical devices cleaner, dryer, and more durable.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Reinventing Technology Assessment for the 21st Century
WASHINGTON—A new report from the Science and Technology Innovation Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars defines the criteria for a new technology assessment function in the United States. The report, Reinventing Technology Assessment: A 21st Century Model, emphasizes the need to incorporate citizen-participation methods to complement expert analysis. Government policymakers, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and citizens need such analysis to capably navigate the technology-intensive world in which we now live.
The U.S. Congress set a global precedent in 1972 when it created an Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), but then reversed course in 1995 by shutting down the OTA. In the meantime, 18 European Technology Assessment agencies are flourishing and have pioneered important new methods, including Participatory Technology Assessment (pTA). By educating and engaging laypeople, pTA is unique in enabling decision-makers to learn their constituents’ informed views regarding emerging developments in science and technology. pTA also deepens the social and ethical analysis of technology. European pTA methods have been adapted, tested, and proven in the U.S. at least 16 times by university-based groups and independent nonprofit organizations.
“We style ourselves as living in a ‘technological society’ and an ‘information age,’” notes report author Dr. Richard Sclove, “yet we lack adequate information about – of all things! – the broad implications of science and technology.”
As the pace of technological change quickens and the Obama Administration moves forward on its Open Government Initiative, the time is ripe to institutionalize a robust national TA capability incorporating both expert and participatory TA methods. The Internet and social networking capacities make it possible to organize such an endeavor on a distributed, agile and open basis, harnessing collaborative efficiencies and supporting broad public engagement.
“In the 15 years since OTA was closed, TA has progressed significantly in Europe. It is time for the U.S. to institutionalize a serious, continuous and nonpartisan capability to assess the broad social, ethical, legal, and economic impacts of emerging science and technology in areas such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, and earth systems engineering,” said David Rejeski, who directs the Wilson Center program.
In the report, Dr. Sclove recommends creating a nationwide Expert & Citizen Assessment of Science & Technology (ECAST) network that will combine the skills of nonpartisan policy research organizations with the research strengths of universities and the public outreach and education capabilities of science museums. Founding partners in ECAST include the Science and Technology Innovation Program at the Wilson Center,, the Boston Museum of Science, Arizona State University, ScienceCheerleader, and the Loka Institute.
Report author Richard Sclove, Ph.D. is founder and senior fellow of the Loka Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making science and technology responsive to democratically decided priorities.
The report can be downloaded at http://www.wilsoncenter.org/techassessment
2011 RISD Nanovation Winners Announced
Advancements in nanotechnology may one day save your life by improving safety in your car, providing water in the desert, or protecting firefighters in a burning building. The Rhode Island School of Design announced the winners of the 2011 Nanovation Prize, a competition that encourages design innovation made possible through nanotechnology. This year’s winners ranged from smarter crash test dummies to an innovative water harvesting system for arid climates.
The Nanovation Prize is designed to promote awareness of nano-scale science amongst design students. The top judged entry receives a cash award as well as help to further develop their invention toward commercialization. Laila Aukee, this year’s winner, envisioned a new coating for crash test dummies that uses microencapsulation technology to show bodily injury more effectively than existing technologies. An Honorable Mention went to Colette Bazirgan, who developed a water harvesting system patterned with hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions to draw moisture from the air in arid climates, and Megan Yuen received a Citation for firefighting gear tailored to be lighter and easier to move in while providing greater heat and impact protection.
Read more about the winners here.
Contaminated Site Remediation: Are Nanomaterials the Answer? First Map of Global Nanoremediation Sites Available Online
A new review article appearing in Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) co-authored by Dr. Todd Kuiken, a research associate for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN), focuses on the use of nanomaterials for environmental cleanup. It provides an overview of current practices; research findings; societal issues; potential environment, health, and safety implications; and possible future directions for nanoremediation. The authors conclude that the technology could be an effective and economically viable alternative for some current site cleanup practices, but potential risks remain poorly understood.
According to Dr. Kuiken, “Despite the potentially high performance and low cost of nanoremediation, more research is needed to understand and prevent any potential adverse environmental impacts, particularly studies on full-scale ecosystem-wide impacts. To date, little research has been done.”
In its 2004 report Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties, the British Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering recommended that the use of free manufactured nanoparticles be prohibited for environmental applications such as remediation until further research on potential risks and benefits had been conducted. The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) called for further risk research in 2005 while acknowledging environmental remediation technology as one of nanotechnology’s potential benefits.
Supplemental material published with the EHP review identifies 45 sites where nanomaterials have been used for soil and groundwater remediation, covering seven countries and 12 U.S. states. Most of the materials discussed are a form of nano-scale zero-valent iron that are injected into the ground in a slurry which provide a reducing environment that enables the breakdown of contaminants.
To coincide with the release of the EHP article, PEN has for the first time made publicly available an interactive, online map of global nanoremediation sites. The map shows which nanomaterials have been used where and includes detailed information on the contaminants treated and the nature of the treatment. It provides a unique source of information on the intentional release of nanomaterials into the environment to treat contaminated ground and water.
The EHP article is available online at: Environmental Health Perspectives
Putting Nanotechnology on the Map
WASHINGTON — Every state can now lay claim to the nanotechnology revolution.
Data released today by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) highlights more than 1,200 companies, universities, government laboratories, and other organizations across all 50 U.S. states and in the District of Columbia that are involved in nanotechnology research, development, and commercialization. This number is up 50 percent from the 800 organizations identified just two years ago.
While many of the original “Nano Metro” clusters—areas with the nation’s highest concentration of nanotechnology companies, universities, research laboratories, and organizations—have maintained their prominence in the field, areas such as Boston have moved up in the rankings, while others, such as Raleigh, N.C., have broken into the top-ranked locations for the first time.
This information is part of PEN’s interactive map displaying the growing “Nano Metro” landscape, powered by Google Maps®, and available online at www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/map. The map’s accompanying analysis ranks cities and states by numbers of companies, academic and government research centers, and organizations and technology focus by sector.
The top 4 states overall (each with over 75 entries) are California, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas. These states have retained their lead since the first analysis was released in 2007. Ohio has moved up four spots as the state with the sixth most entries. North Carolina has broken into the top 10 states for the first time.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have at least one company, university, government laboratory, or organization working in the field of nanotechnology.
The top 6 Nano Metros (each with 30 or more entries) are: Boston; San Francisco; San Jose, Calif.; Raleigh; Middlesex-Essex, Mass.; and Oakland, Calif. Boston and San Francisco have taken the lead from San Jose. Raleigh has moved into the top 5 Nano Metros (displacing Oakland).
The top 3 sectors for companies working in nanotechnology (each with over 200 entries) are: materials; tools and instruments; and medicine and health.
The number of universities and government laboratories working in nanotechnology is still substantial, as it was in 2007, with 182 identified.
“The rapid growth in nanotechnology activity across the United States illustrates the impact of continued and significant investments in nanoscience and nanoengineering by the federal government and private sector,” said PEN Director David Rejeski. “There is now not a single state without organizations involved in this cutting-edge field.”
The global market for goods based on nanotechnology is predicted to grow from $147 billion in 2007 to $3.1 trillion in 2015, according to the research and advisory firm Lux Research. “Given this expected continuation in growth, the ‘Nano Metro’ map remains a work in progress and will be further updated as more data becomes available,” according to Rejeski.
View the map here.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Nanotech-enabled Consumer Products Continue to Rise
WASHINGTON – Nanotech consumer products continue to grow at a consistent pace.
According to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) over 1,300 manufacturer-identified, nanotechnology-enabled products have entered the commercial marketplace around the world. The most recent update to the group’s five-year-old inventory reflects the continuing use of the tiny particles in everything from conventional products like non-stick cookware to more unique items such as self-cleaning window treatments.
“The use of nanotechnology in consumer products continues to grow on a rapid and consistent basis,” says PEN Director David Rejeski. “When we launched the inventory in March 2006 it contained 212 products. If the current trend continues, the number of products could reach 3,400 by 2020.”
Health and fitness items continue to dominate the PEN inventory, representing 56 percent of products listed. More products are based on nanoscale silver—used for its antimicrobial properties—than any other nanomaterial; 313 products (24 percent of the inventory) use silver nanoparticles. The updated inventory represents products from over 30 countries, including the US, China, Canada, Germany, and India. This update also identifies products that were previously available, but for which there is no current information.
“The initial goal of the inventory was to help educate consumers and encourage regulatory bodies to build internal capacity to track products. Unfortunately, as more and more nano-enabled products enter the marketplace, and despite ten years and billions of dollars of investment through the National Nanotechnology Initiative, oversight challenges for agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission still exist,” according to Dr. Todd Kuiken, a research associate with PEN.
With an ever increasing number of products becoming available from countries outside the U.S., environmental health and safety research strategies will need to be better coordinated. The release of the updated inventory preceeds a joint US-EU workshop, sponsored by the U.S. National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, which is designed to bridge environmental health and safety research strategies. Bridging NanoEHS Research Effort:/A joint US-EU Workshop will be held March 10-11 in Washington, D.C. To learn more visit www.nano.gov.
The PEN consumer products inventory includes products that have been identified by their manufacturer or a credible source as being nanotechnology-based. This update identifies products that were previously sold, but which may no longer be available. It remains the most comprehensive and widely used source of information on nanotechnology-enabled consumer products in the world.
The inventory is available at http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/consumer/ or download the findnano iphone application at http://www.nanotechproject.org/iphone/.
findNano App Puts Nanotech in Your Pocket
WASHINGTON – The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) has developed findNano, an application for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch that lets users discover and determine whether consumer products are nanotechnology-enabled. Nanotechnology, the emerging technology of using materials by engineering them at an incredibly small scale, has applications ranging from consumer electronics to improved drug delivery systems.
findNano allows users to browse an inventory of more than 1,000 nanotechnology-enabled consumer products, from sporting goods to food products and electronics to toys, using the iPhone and iPod Touch. Using the built-in camera, iPhone users can even submit new nanotech products to be included in future inventory updates.
The new application makes PEN’s unique Consumer Products Inventory more accessible for today’s consumers. The inventory, which was launched in 2006, is the leading source of information on manufacturer-identified nanotechnology consumer products around the world.
“The Consumer Products Inventory provides valuable insight into the world of nanotech consumer products, and now it’s even easier to access because of findNano,” says PEN Research Associate Patrick Polischuk. “This innovative tool satisfies the needs of citizen scientists, tech-savvy consumers, and those who are merely curious about whether products contain nanomaterials.”
The number of nanotech products in the inventory has risen from approximately 200 in 2006 to more than 1,000 today. But this is most likely an underestimate of the number of products using nanotechnology available worldwide. To help develop better estimates of the number of nano-based products in commerce, the iPhone app allows users to submit information on new products, including product name and where the product can be purchased.
Using findNano, users can take or select a photo of a possible nanotech product and submit it for inclusion in the PEN inventory. This feature will help consumers, researchers, and policymakers determine how—and where—nanotechnologies are entering the marketplace.
findNano is available as a free download for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and can be found in the iTunes App Store or at nanotechproject.org/iphone.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Nanotech-enabled Consumer Products Top the 1,000 Mark
WASHINGTON – Nanotech consumer products have now crossed the millennial threshold.
Over 1,000 nanotechnology-enabled products have been made available to consumers around the world, according to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN). The most recent update to the group’s three-and-a-half-year-old inventory reflects the increasing use of the tiny particles in everything from conventional products like non-stick cookware and lighter, stronger tennis racquets, to more unique items such as wearable sensors that monitor posture.
“The use of nanotechnology in consumer products continues to grow rapidly,” says PEN Director David Rejeski. “When we launched the inventory in March 2006 we only had 212 products. If the introduction of new products continues at the present rate, the number of products listed in the inventory will reach close to 1,600 within the next two years. This will provide significant oversight challenges for agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and Consumer Product Safety Commission, which often lack any mechanisms to identify nanotech products before they enter the marketplace.”
Health and fitness items continue to dominate the PEN inventory, representing 60 percent of products listed. More products are based on nanoscale silver—used for its antimicrobial properties—than any other nanomaterial; 259 products (26 percent of the inventory) use silver nanoparticles. The updated inventory represents products from over 24 countries, including the US, China, Canada, and Germany. This update also identifies products that were previously available, but for which there is no current information.
The release of the updated inventory coincides with a public hearing on the agenda and priorities of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) where project director David Rejeski testified. The CPSC, with a staff of fewer than 400 employees, oversees the safety of 15,000 types of consumer products.
Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor for PEN, noted that “the CPSC deserves credit for focusing on nanotechnologies. The resources available to the agency to address health and safety issues are negligible compared to the over $1.5 billion federal investment in nanotechnology research and development.”
The inventory is available at http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/consumer/
The PEN consumer products inventory includes products that have been identified by their manufacturer or a credible source as being nanotechnology-based. This update identifies products that were previously sold, but which may no longer be available. It remains the most comprehensive and widely used source of information on nanotechnology-enabled consumer products in the world.
Download project director David Rejeski’s testimony before the CPSC here.
Energy And Nanotechnology
A solution to the global energy problem will require revolutionary new technology, as well as conservation and evolutionary improvements in existing technologies. Efficiencies in the use of energy will come from many advances, but particularly from revolutionary new materials that are inexpensive, environmentally safe, and both stronger and lighter than steel. Transmission and storage of energy, particularly electrical power and hydrogen, is a major societal need, and holds the most promise in solutions with new nanotechnologies. It is in this area that we believe nanoscience can bring the most immediate benefits, with nanotubing and other nano-based materials creating new opportunities to transport electricity efficiently and at lower cost over very long distances.
The most dramatic, real and concrete long term benefit in energy research would be if the U.S. science community could deliver a breakthrough fuel system that could both allow society to avoid reliance on volatile Middle East oil supply while at the same time avoiding harmful emissions or other environmental impacts during the energy conversion process. Perhaps the greatest challenge, but most dynamic change toward these goals, would be if nanoscience could render the widespread collection, conversion and transmission of solar energy viable and affordable.