Though the Nature study points out risks in the fledging nanotech industry, co-author Andrew Maynard says results like the one in his study are good news, if only because they show that carbon nanotubes can be made safe through more research and better regulations. “There’s already a debate occurring about the potential safety issues of nanotech and how to get around them,” says Maynard. "That's a good thing because it's something that hasn't always happened with previous technologies.”

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"We have initiated a number of measures to accelerate the growth of the nanotechnology sector on the lines of IT and BT sectors. Efforts are on to replicate the success in IT and BT sectors in terms of innovation, investment and job creation," Karnataka secretary for IT, BT and science and technology Ashok Kumar C. Manoli said late Wednesday.

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Seven businesses here at the Jordan Valley Innovation Center are working with Missouri State and the government to improve the technology we use every day.

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EPA's Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP), which began in January, first asks companies to report information on the engineered nanoscale materials they use, then seeks more in-depth, longer-term information.

So far, EPA has received four submissions for nanoscale materials under the basic program, as well as commitments from 12 more companies. No one has signed up to participate in the in-depth part of the program. EPA has encouraged companies to sign up for the program by July 28.

The lack of participation is a concern for policymakers, industry officials and environmentalists.

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“Developments in nanotechnology have the potential to offer a wide range of innovations in research, industry, and commercial products that will influence our daily lives,” said Senator Inouye. “At the same time, nanotechnology is still a young field, and we must be sure that any potential risks are identified, analyzed, and properly understood. This bill achieves just that by strongly encouraging diverse participation in the comprehensive study and coordinated development of environmental, health, and safety standards.”

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…The bill authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish a board comprised of members from relevant federal agencies, academia, business and non-profit organizations with expertise in nanotechnology and prize competitions. The board would be authorized to contract with an organization such as The X PRIZE Foundation to administer the competitions and solicit funds from private individuals and entities to supplement the government funds for prizes.

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Eicke Weber, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany, predicted that the U.S. market, once the leader in solar energy manufacturing and development, is poised for a resurgence driven largely by state policy efforts and Silicon Valley's aggressive technology sector.

…Gay credited the "go-go attitude of Silicon Valley" for the likely shift in U.S. market share. He and others present at the conference here, which is focused on microconductors and nanotechnology, anticipate more electricity demand worldwide from Third World countries and a shift in petroleum consumption as oil price pressures lead to more plug-in electric cars increasingly fed by renewable energy. Both developments mean good news for solar, they said.

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…Transhumanists, according to Bostrom, anticipate a coming era where biotechnology, molecular nanotechnologies, artificial intelligence and other new types of cognitive tools will be used to amplify our intellectual capacity, improve our physical capabilities and even enhance our emotional well-being.

The end result would be a new form of "posthuman" life with beings that possess qualities and skills so exceedingly advanced they no longer can be classified simply as humans.

…By 2020, Kurzweil predicts a second revolution in the area of nanotechnology. According to his calculations, it is already showing signs of exponential growth as scientists begin test first generation nanobots that can cure Type 1 diabetes in rats or heal spinal cord injuries in mice.

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Commenting on a recent article in the May edition of the scientific journal, Nature Nanotechnology, that linked carbon nanotubes to certain health risks, Dr. Gary Beall, a director of NaturalNano, Inc. stated: "NaturalNano's proprietary materials utilize naturally occurring nano materials that, historically, have been safe for consumer products as diverse as food packaging, cosmetics, and toothpaste."

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The announcement came as part of a disclosure that IBM, which is based in Armonk, N.Y., also will spend some $500 million on research and development and capital equipment for the University of Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, where it funds research.

The state of New York said it will spend $90 million on economic-development grants associated with the semiconductor plant and the college. It also will spend $50 million to build a new semiconductor-packaging center that IBM will operate along with the college and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, of Troy, N.Y. The location of the center hasn't been determined.

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"We're getting into really important, world-changing types of nanotech innovations -- batteries -- that are the types of things that will make a big difference in people's lives," said Mark Bunger of Lux Research, which provides strategic advice on emerging technologies. "And these are the things that are just getting to the market."

… Nanotechnology can increase the battery's available power while reducing recharging time. By coating the surface of an electrode with nanoparticles, nanotechnology increases the surface area of the electrode and allows more current to flow between the electrode and the chemicals inside the battery. In hybrid vehicles, such a technology would increase efficiency by making batteries lighter.

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The Bionanotechnology Market Insight Report studies the impact of Nanotechnology in various Biotechnology applications. The study focuses on major Applications including Food, Drug Discovery and Delivery, Diagnostics, Device and Tools, and Bionanosensors. Projections and estimates are also illustrated by geographic regions encompassing , North America , Europe , Japan , Asia-Pacific, Israel and Rest of World. Business profiles of 42 major companies are discussed in the report. The report serves as a guide to global Bionanotechnology industry covering 500 companies engaged in Bionanotechnology research, development and supply of products and services. Major Contract Research Organizations and Universities serving the global Bionanotechnology industry are also covered in the Corporate Directory section of this report. Information related product developments, partnerships, collaborations, and mergers and acquisitions are also covered in the report featuring graphically represented exclusive exhibits.

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While the report says there is no need for major changes to regulatory regimes, critics say the findings suggest nanomaterials are essentially "unregulated" and should be taken off the market until authorities have the knowledge to properly assess the risks involved.

The report, by the Centre for Regulatory Studies at Monash University, identifies six gaps in regulation.

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The Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association’s (SOCMA) Nanotechnology SME Coalition, American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Nanotechnology Panel, the NanoBusiness Alliance, and join together to fully support the EPA’s NMSP. These associations represent companies researching, developing, manufacturing, and/or using products in the field of nanotechnology. Providing societal benefits, and protecting workers, consumers and the environment are top priorities for our members. EPA launched the NMSP earlier this year to enable EPA to obtain from stakeholders scientific data and other important information that is expected to be useful to EPA in making informed regulatory decisions regarding nanoscale materials.

…We urge any company willing to consider participating in the NMSP to either contact the EPA or the undersigned groups for more information. The signatories signed below strongly believe that private sector companies should participate in the NMSP. Companies desiring additional information directly from EPA should contact Mr. Jim Alwood at (202) 564-8974.

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