Interesting article in Chemical & Engineering News on Harnessing Nanotechnology. Very often, the best sources for early stage R&D are specialty publications. By the time it hits the WSJ or NYT, its already in late stage development. If you do any early stage or venture investing, learn to love these sources!
You may not be aware that there is a National Nanotechnology Initiative being run by Uncle Sam, funded to the tune of nearly a billion dollars in research grants in 2005. Here are the focus areas:
NNI HAS NINE SPECIFIC R&D FOCUS AREAS
1. Nanostructured materials by design, led by NSF
2. Manufacturing at the nanoscale, led by NIST and NSF
3. Chemical – biological – radiological – explosive detection and protection, led by DOD
4. Nanoscale instrumentation and metrology, led by NIST and NSF
5. Nanoelectronics, -photonics, and ?magnetics, led by DOD and NSF
6. Health care, therapeutics, and diagnostics, led by NIH
7. Efficient energy conversion and storage, led by DOE
8. Microcraft and robotics, led by NASA
9. Nanoscale processes for environmental improvement, led by EPA and NSF.
Its no exaggeration to say that this is potentially the next industrial revolution . . .
Source:
Harnessing Nanotechnology
Susan R. Morrissey
Chemical & Engineering News (ISSN 0009-2347): April, 19 2004
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/nanofocus/top/8216/8216nni.html
National Nanotechnology Initiative
http://www.nano.gov/
