Championing Nanotech Innovation: Lessons Learned

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Championing Nanotech Innovation Lessons Learned

• Presented by Christine Peterson
• Vice President, Foresight Institute
• Accelerating Change 2004
• November 2004
• Foresight Institute 2004
• www.foresight.org

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What is nanotechnology?

• Creating and using structures, devices, and
  systems that have useful properties and functions
  because of their structure at the 1 to 100
  nanometer size
• Today, same as chemistry and materials science
  (sexy marketing term)
  
• Longer-term combines with mechanical engineering
  to give molecular manufacturing

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Funding levels rising

• U.S. Nanotech Nanotech Initiative 3.7 billion
  over 4 years (plus military) authorized
  
• European Union and Japan govts spending roughly
  similar to U.S.
  
• Other Asian nations, Australia, Israel also
  competing. India wants in.
  
• China has cost advantage
• Increasing amounts being spent in private sector
  figures vary widely can rationalize
  almost any number

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Near-term products (

Drug delivery, medical implants, sensors (bio
chemical), solar energy (photovoltaic or direct
hydrogen production), batteries, displays
e-paper, nanotube and nanoparticle composites,
catalysts, coatings, alloys, insulation (thermal
electrical), filters, glues, abrasives,
lubricants, paints, fuels explosives, textiles,
hard drives, computer memory, optical components,
etc.

Not an integrated industry incremental
products in many industries

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Near-term Nanoparticles

• Just one sector of todays nanotech
• Positive example gold-coated particles with
  biological functionality bind to tumor cells and
  then heated, to treat cancer
  
• Concerns about unwanted side effects. Recent
  result control of toxicity by design
  
• Regulatory agencies need awareness and expertise
  environmental protection (EPA), occupational
  safety (OSHA), food and drug (FDA). Process has
  begun, not complete.
• Similar to regulation of new chemicals

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Tools for looking ahead to advanced nanotech

• Laws of physics
• Laws of economics
• Laws of human nature
• Result technological advance to the limits
  allowed by nature
  
• Process does not result in a time estimate
• Does result in 4th generation nanotech nanoscale
  productive systems

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Feynman, 1959
The principles of physics, as far as I can
see, do not speak against the possibility of
maneuvering things atom by atom. It is not an
attempt to violate any laws it is something, in
principle, that can be done but in practice, it
has not been done because we are too big.
Theres Plenty of Room at the Bo
ttom
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Molecular manufacturing

• New way of viewing matter
• Today, can have atomic precision or large complex
  structures, not both
  
• Want both at the same time
• Goal Direct control down to molecular level, not
  indirect control as today (e.g. drugs, surgery)
  for products of any size
  
• Can change/repair structure of all physical
  things including human body

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Basis of advanced nanotechMolecular machines

• Found in nature (e.g. molecular motors)
• Now learning to design and build new molecular
  machine systems
  
• Goal nanosystems for manufacturing complex,
  atomically-precise products of any size (from
  cubic-micron mainframes to aircraft carriers)
  
• Digital-style control of matter patterning it as
  today we write a CD

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Differential gear (cutaway)
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Standard confusions about molecular machine images
Mistaken for artists conceptions (pretty
pictures) Mistaken for final, immutable designs,
whichif not perfect nowinvalidate molecular
machine systems concept Actually examples of des
igns possible with todays tools plus
conservative engineering assumptions something
like this should work, after iteration
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Fine motion controller, partial
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Atom contact bearing model(2 nanometers)
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Convergent assembly using highly parallel systems
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Molecular manufacturing of nanosystems (4th gen.)

• Extreme decrease in direct manufacturing costs
  (not including insurance, legal, IP licensing,
  etc)
  
• Extreme decrease in pollution zero waste of
  materials, minimum use of energy
  
• Extreme increase in device complexity possible
  (e.g. medical nanorobots)

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Lessons learned (1976-2004)

• The following are some lessons learned at each
  stage of the nanotech process to date
  
• Should be useful for other areas of substantial
  innovation
  
• Some things we did right and succeeded with
  some we did wrong and paid the price
  

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Extremely early research stage (late 70s, early
80s), pre-competitive

• Few will understand, no matter what you do
• Dont worry about someone stealing your ideas
  no one is paying attention
  
• Call your new field by a name that no one will
  want to redefine (not too sexy or generic)
  
• Publish in refereed journals
• Write technical books
• Avoid the popular press and public

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Very early research stage (80s), still
pre-competitive

• Hold invitational workshops to find the few
  others who get it
  
• Invitational to keep out the flakes
• Teach a Stanford class on your work so that a
  Steve Jurvetson will attend and later fund
  relevant work
  
• Not a joke
• Publish proceedings, refereed journals articles
• Write technical books
• Avoid the popular press and public

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Early research stage (early 90s), still
pre-competitive

• Engage with govt research funding process, play
  the game
  
• Lots of funding sources, sidestep those not
  interested
  
• Find research allies, esp. experimentalists, get
  funding circle going
  
• Takes time, political skills, strong stomach
• Hold invitational conferences
• Publish proceedings, refereed articles
• Write technical books
• Avoid the popular press and public

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Early RD stage (90s to now)

• Funding gap
• Try DARPA
• Good luck

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Early commercialization stage (now)

• Probably better not to put nano in your company
  name or product name
  
• Use the term only where it will help
• Watch out for regulatory issues (nanoparticle
  report from Swiss Re)
  
• Try Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR),
  Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
  programs?
  

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Maximizing social benefits of innovation

• Lowering direct costs (industry, w/some
  government contracts) In progress
  
• Lowering IP costs Keep basic tools as open
  source? Nonexclusive licensing? (e.g., HTML)
  
• Preventing accidents (industry/ government
  partnership) Doable more control enables more
  responsibility
  
• Reducing use in war, terrorism (mostly
  government, w/ industry cooperation) Very
  difficult challenge
  
• Preserving freedom and privacy in a world
  capable of nanosurveillance
  

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Guidelines for Responsible Development

• Foresight Guidelines Version 4.0 Self Assessment
  Scorecards for Safer Development of
  Nanotechnology
  
• Scorecards for nanotech professionals, industry,
  and government policy
  
• Ongoing process your comments greatly
  encouraged
  
• www.foresight.org/guidelines

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Sounds like science fiction

• If youre trying to look far ahead, and what you
  see seems like science fiction, it might be
  wrong.
  
• But if it doesnt seem like science fiction, its
  definitely wrong.

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For more information

• www.foresight.org main site, includes large
  section on Nanomedicine
  
• nanodot.org searchable news site
• Abstracts for recent 1st Conference on Advanced
  Nanotechnology, Oct. 22-24, 2004
  
• Foresight Vision Weekend 2005
• Books Nanomedicine Vol. I and II, Engines of
  Creation, Nanosystems