Nanotechnology Update: U.S., Europe, Japan Lead the Way; China moving up - by Mae Kowalke
Does the future of computing lie in nanotechnology? It’s always possible. There is an ongoing trend, after all, for computers to get smaller and smaller, cramming increasing performance power and storage into smaller physical footprints.Nanotechnology, which Wikipedia defines as “the control of matter on a scale smaller than 100 nanometers, as well as the fabrication of devices on this same length scale,” has very broad applications, spanning a myriad of disciplines including colloidal science, chemistry, applied physics, materials science, and mechanical/electrical engineering.
Just how much interest has nanotech gained globally? Research and consultancy firm RNCOS in a recent study—citing data from a British analyst—said that worldwide funding for nanotech research in 2004 reached $8.6 billion, and this number continues to grow. A more recent report from Lux Research put the 2006 figure for worldwide nanotech research and development at $12.4 billion, with more than $50 billion worth of nano-enabled products sold.
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