Why nanotechnology is being developed rapidly

Some countries, like the U. S , have adopted definitions based on these unique properties, rather than solely on size. The issue of scientific uncertainty is not merely academic. The lack of data and definition is really a lack of an appropriate conceptual framework for nanotechnology that hinders governance at the national and international level.

Finally, nanotechnology is emerging and converging with other science-technologies at breakneck speed, and the rapid advancement of the technology may outpace existing legal and policy responses. In the near-term, interactions between nanotechnology and other sciences will produce incremental or exponential improvements to existing weapons, blurring the conceptual lines on which arms control and regulatory laws are traditionally based.

There are endless combinations of nano-bio-chem-conventional capabilities that, while not revolutionary, could fall between the gaps and seams of the patchwork regulatory regime. Another illustrative case, articulated by Anne Clunan and Kirsten Rodine-Hardy , is that of the Australia Group AG , an international forum to prevent the export of products that could be used to produce chemical weapons. The AGs technology annex contains no mention of nanotechnology, nor does it contain a single nano-enabled product.

The Wassennaar Arrangement, a forum similar to the AG, compares only slightly better, with 2 nano-products: nanocrystalline alloy strips and nano-imprint lithography tools neither of which has anything to do with the production of chemical or biological weapons. These examples highlight the challenge of adapting legal and policy frameworks at the speed of technology. Therefore, manipulating the language to attempt to fit nanotechnology is inappropriate - and often awkward.

However unsatisfying these may be, they do convey an important message: the future of technology regulation will not be a top-down, government-to-government exchange. Government should certainly take the lead in preventing worst-case scenarios - terrorism, arms races and war - but effective regulation of emerging technology, including nanotech, will require dynamic combinations of hard and soft law measures that is, enforceable laws and nonbinding norms of behavior.

The first step is to foster the creation of epistemic communities to establish a foundation of shared knowledge around nanotechnology as a unique field. To this end, the United Nations could create an international working group on military nanotechnology. Through this forum, the scientific community could establish a universal definition of nanotechnology, and engage in rigorous, collaborative data collection to better understand the costs, benefits, and risks of the technology.

Developing a working concept of nanotechnology will lay the groundwork for better harmonization at the international level. Export controls will help prevent the proliferation of the most dangerous nano capabilities to terrorist organizations or rogue states.

With a baseline of consensual knowledge and understanding of the risks posed by nanotechnology, national governments can begin coordinating their regulatory strategies.

This may entail expanding the annexes of the Australia Group and similar entities to include broader categories of nanotechnologies. A revamped project selection procedure Read more Orphan privilege Read more This website uses google-analytics. You can change cookie settings in your browser. Cookie settings I Understand. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.

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But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary Necessary. It is also a rapidly expanding field. Scientists and engineers are having great success making materials at the nanoscale to take advantage of enhanced properties such as higher strength, lighter weight, increased electrical conductivity, and chemical reactivity compared to their larger-scale equivalents.

Below are 10 ways nanotechnology impacts our lives on a daily basis. Faster, smaller, and more powerful computers that consume far less power, with longer-lasting batteries. Circuits made from carbon nanotubes could be vital in maintaining the growth of computer power, allowing Moore's Law to continue.

Faster, more functional, and more accurate medical diagnostic equipment. Lab-on-a-chip technology enables point-of-care testing in real time, which speeds up delivery of medical care. Nanomaterial surfaces on implants improve wear and resist infection. Nanoparticles in pharmaceutical products improve their absorption within the body and make them easier to deliver, often through combination medical devices.

Nanoparticles can also be used to deliver chemotherapy drugs to specific cells, such as cancer cells. The under-body panels on the new C7 Chevrolet Corvette are made of nanocomposite carbon.

Improved vehicle fuel efficiency and corrosion resistance by building vehicle parts from nanocomposite materials that are lighter, stronger, and more chemically resistant than metal. Two big applications are in petroleum refining and in automotive catalytic converters. Nano-engineered materials make superior household products such as degreasers and stain removers; environmental sensors, air purifiers, and filters; antibacterial cleansers; and specialized paints and sealing products, such a self-cleaning house paints that resist dirt and marks.

Nanoscale materials are also being incorporated into a variety of personal care products to improve performance. Nanoscale titanium dioxide and zinc oxide have been used for years in sunscreen to provide protection from the sun while appearing invisible on the skin.

Electronics and IT Applications Nanotechnology has greatly contributed to major advances in computing and electronics, leading to faster, smaller, and more portable systems that can manage and store larger and larger amounts of information. These continuously evolving applications include: Transistors, the basic switches that enable all modern computing, have gotten smaller and smaller through nanotechnology.

At the turn of the century, a typical transistor was to nanometers in size. In , Intel created a 14 nanometer transistor, then IBM created the first seven nanometer transistor in , and then Lawrence Berkeley National Lab demonstrated a one nanometer transistor in ! Ultra-high definition displays and televisions are now being sold that use quantum dots to produce more vibrant colors while being more energy efficient.

Image courtesy of IBM. Flexible, bendable, foldable, rollable, and stretchable electronics are reaching into various sectors and are being integrated into a variety of products, including wearables, medical applications, aerospace applications, and the Internet of Things. Flexible electronics have been developed using, for example, semiconductor nanomembranes for applications in smartphone and e-reader displays.