Nanotechblog

A professor at the Bourns College of Engineering is planning to create building blocks for memory devices with the aid of telescoping carbon nanotubes as high speed, low power microswitches. This will enable the use of three stage switches to become part of molecule scale computers. An article on this is expected in the March edition of journal Nanotechnology.

Under this design one hollow nanotube is inserted which is closed at both ends into a large one which opens at both ends and a telescoping motion is created using an electrostatic charge. This leads to a conduction pathway with three possible positions.

In the future the right material would be required to be selected for the electrodes and the problem of rebounding too needs to be tackled by the nanotube actuator on the electrode. A number of corporate such as IBM, H.P and Motorola have already been attracted by this design. It has a bright future certainly.

Via nanowerk

It is expected that soon you will have a nanotechnology disaasembler which will be able to take apart objects atom by atom and hence it will be possible to record their structure with an accurate precision level. Called the Local Electrode Atom Probe or LEAP this tool utilizes high electric field for removing individual atoms from material surfaces and a sensitive detector for recording information revealing the position of the atom and its identity.

It can even quickly analyze the molecular make up of plastics and metals till their atomic structure and projects related to the 3D image of the nanostructure. Now it will be possible to complete experiments in a few hours as compared to a matter of months. Even Ford is using this technology for designing new materials and it will certainly help in improving the precision in case of nanosystems and nanodevices.

Via foresight

The flow of water can be controlled through carbon nanotubes membranes and that too with a superb level of precision. This could lead to discovery of a technology which will be able to convert salt water into pure drinking water in a quick manner or one could even separate specific strands of DNA from biological jumble.

Nikhil Koratkar, Associate professor, Rensselaer said:

We have, at a very fundamental level, discovered that there is a new mechanism to control water transport. This is the first time that electrochemical means can be used to control the way that the water interacts with the surface of the nanotube.

Nanotube membranes have always caught the attention of researchers due to their high selectivity which enables to filter out small impurities and other materials such as DNA from high water content. The researchers of Rensselaer used low voltage electricity for manipulating the water flow through nanotube and control of water movement has never been controlled earlier with such level of precision before.

Via technologynewsdaily

Researchers have developed a quick method for extraction of single DNA molecules for positioning them in nanoscale slits. This method is being termed as efficient and inexpensive. It is expected to lead to faster sequencing technology and one day may even lead to underpinning the ability of clinicians for obtaining customized DNA profiles of patients.

Using nanotechnology a mold was fabricated for developing a rubber template with slits for confining single strands of elongated DNA. This has given the scientists a convenient way for manufacturing large number of individual DNA molecules for study purpose. This helps in getting a number of molecules for analysis and sequencing and hence become more accessible to science.

Schwarts stated:

To get DNA molecules to do this on surfaces is really hard. The system developed by Schwartz, de Pablo and their colleagues could change all of that. By figuring out a way to take individual DNA molecules and present them in a confined, linear fashion, the genetic information encoded in the arrangement of the base pairs that make up the molecule can be scanned and read like a bar code.

Via azonano

Have you ever tasted nanotechnology engineered wine? If your answer is no then get your tastebuds ready to have such wine. Using the nano encapsulation technology a number of companies are making efforts to manufacture nano wine. Kraft researchers have created a colorless, tasteless liquid which consumers would be designing after they have bought it.

All you need to do is zap the product along with a correctly tuned microwave transmitter and it will be up to you to decide upon the flavor and color of the drink and also decide upon the nutrients. This will lead to the activation of nanocapsules which will have the necessary chemicals for the drink.

So are you ready to taste your own customized nano wine. What say about a mint or probably a chocolate wine for today? Keep thinking!!

Via nanowerk

Worried about the shelf life of your RFID tags? If yes then kick your worries as a nanotechnology company is developing a nanobattery which can increase the shelf life of RFID applications. The company called mPhase Technologies is developing the latest version of Smart Nanobattery product for offering an energy source which not only lasts for a longer duration but also gets activated quite quickly.

The battery will be integrated within an RFID security solution. The reserve capability of this nanobattery offers an ideal energy unit in order to supply power to active RFID tags in various locations.

Ronald A Durando, Chief executive, mPhase Technologies said:

We are working with an active RFID vendor who is placing specific requirements on the nanobattery designs in order to extend the life of the active RFID tag.

Via tuvps

In the latest GEO Year Book 2007 released under the 2007 UN Environment Program called for nanotechnology regulation to be implanted on a global scale.

The report stated:

Nanotechnology will bring environmental benefits but it is vital that we adopt appropriate assessment and legislative process to address the unique challenges presented by nanomaterials and their life cycles.

The report also stated that a swift action was required by policy makers for evaluating nanotechnology properly. UN has stated that there needs to be a co-operation between the government and the nanotechnology industry and also among developed and developing nations for formulation of regulatory response to EHS nanomaterial concerns. It also states that although nanotechnology could bring transformation in various fields but further research was required for identification of socio economic and health hazards. I hope these words reach the appropriate people connected with nanotechnology.

Via nanolawreport

Fighting breast cancer may become easier as a new approach to breast cancer imaging may help in the development of new non surgical tools for treatment o it. This may also bring about a change in the screening and treatment paradigms being used by doctors.

Since breast cancer is a complex family of diseases therefore the multidisciplinary approach being used as of now will keep on evolving as the knowledge of the disease improves. Experts are claiming that nanotechnology will be able to offer safe imaging for breast cancer patients which will be capitalizing on the increasing knowledge of genes associated with cancer.

With the help of systematic therapy drug treatments has been altered which has led to increased cell death and minimized patient toxicity. The preliminary trials conducted have shown that patients of breast cancer gave a promising response but still a lot needs to be achieved.

Via nanowerk

Have you heard about the molecular machine which operates through a mechanism with inspiration from a hundred and forty year old thought experiment? University of Edinburgh chemists have done this wonderful thing and used light energy for fuelling information transfer.

This molecular machine is responsible for performing sorting task envisioned for Maxwell’s pressure demon requiring external energy input for doing so without challenging the Second Law of Thermodynamics. With the aid of light energy the molecule transmits information regarding the position of molecular fragment in a manner which enables transportation of same fragment in a particular direction.

The synthetic molecular machine is used for harnessing the abilities for technological use i.e. artificial nanotechnology and it is expected that in the future it will have a visible impact on the whole society but that vision is still to be achieved.

Via foresight

What if computer chips grew on trees? You think that this is never possible but wait as nanotechnology could be used for building everything ranging from electronics components to machines for sequencing DNA. Even today it is quite difficult to build structures as small as few nanometers.

Björn Högberg said:

The method we have developed for self-assembling blocks of DNA and gold particles is absolutely unique. The method can be used, for instance, to produce tiny nano carriers for drugs that can be emptied directly in cells on a given chemical signal.

Called as DNA origami, in this method long strings of DNA are folded or spliced together with the help of a number of short strings. It will help in fulfilling the dream of biotechnologists which could be used for constructing facility for extremely rapid DNA sequencing.

Via nanowerk