Nanotechnology is the projected ability to make things from the bottom up, using techniques and tools that are being developed today to place every atom and molecule in a desired place. If this form of molecular engineering is achieved, which seems probable, it will result in a manufacturing revolution. It also has serious economic, social, environmental, and military implications.

           When Eric Drexler popularized the word 'nanotechnology' in the 1980's, he was talking about building machines on the scale of molecules, a few nanometers wide motors, robot arms, and even whole computers, far smaller than a cell. Drexler spent the next ten years describing and analyzing these incredible devices, and responding to accusations of science fiction. Meanwhile, mundane technology was developing the ability to build simple structures on a molecular scale. As nanotechnology became an accepted concept, the meaning of the word shifted to encompass the simpler kinds of nanometer scale technology. The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative was created to fund this kind of nanotech, their definition includes anything smaller than 100 nanometers with novel properties.

           Nanotechnology is often referred to as a general purpose technology. That’s because in its mature form it will have significant impact on almost all industries and all areas of society. It offers better built, longer lasting, cleaner, safer, and smarter products for the home, for communications, for medicine, for transportation, for agriculture, and for industry in general.

What are the implications of nanotechnology for healthcare?

           It is likely that nanotechnology will have a significant impact on the health sector before 2020. However, following 2020 it is likely (if nanotechnology meets the current expectations of facilitating molecular manipulation) that nanotechnologies will continue the path forged by information technology and biotechnology advances whilst providing new niche applications. These are likely to be high cost in the short medium term but lead to significant improvements in the resource efficiency of healthcare output. For example, the use of remote nano sensors to monitor the efficient use of heart applications and compact ultra sensitive chemical and biological sensors for food supply protection, (If one assumes that these developments will stem from the pharmaceuticals industry sub-sector of the chemicals industry) then one can attribute increasing inputs in value terms to the healthcare industry. Also, future improvements in the processing speed, memory and computational capabilities of information technology software and hardware are likely to be facilitated by nanotechnology e.g. quantum-switch-based computing (using quantum effects such as spin polarization of electrons to determine the state of switches) or molecular computing (using synthesized organic compounds as logic switches and carbon nano tubes as interconnections) displacing conventional digital computers.

           This will increase the value of inputs from the computer services and office machines sector in the longer term. In summary, developments in the technologies that manipulate organisms, information and materials will affect the composition of the input structure into the healthcare industry. These changes are likely to be driven by developments in the manipulation of organisms and information in the short medium term and by nanotechnology in the longer term. As a result of these developments, output from the healthcare industry will increase significantly but this does not mean that growth in emissions per unit output will increase.

Give general impression of nanotechnology?

           Technology surrounds us and touches every aspect of our lives. We can safely predict that technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology will continue to drive an ever increasing rate of change in the new millennium. What Foods we eat, how we access information from all over the world instantaneously, how we communicate from any place at any time, what health care is available to us, how information about us is communicated to marketers, health care providers, the government, and others, and how we interface with our environment will continue to be changed by evolving technology. For the innovators among us, each change will be anticipated and eagerly incorporated into our lives. For the resisters among us, each change will be viewed with concern and a longing for the "good old days" when the telephone and television were new. For most of us, technological change will mean adaptation and thoughtful discussion on what quality of life we want.

           Computer technology can free our imaginations through virtual realities. Animation software allows designers to "experience" their designs in cyberspace. Futurists predict that virtual reality will soon include even smells. Computer technology and conferencing also allow us to create national and international collaborations that bring the real world into our classrooms in environmental and apparel design. When our new addition to Martha Van Rensselaer Hall is completed, we will have even more sophisticated electronic classrooms to complement the computer assisted design labs, and we will be able to use computer technology to enhance the creativity of our educational programs. We can only anticipate that more innovative technologies await us. The science fiction of twenty years ago is becoming reality. How nanotechnology being created now will impact our lives ten years from now remains to be determined. The ethical and social questions posed by these current and future innovations need to be explored as we decide how we want technology to shape our future.

References

J.N. Hay, S.J. Shaw. A Review of Nanotechnology Composites. Disaster Preparedness an Emergency           Association 2000; March 2003.

Institute of Nanotechnology. The International Technology Service Mission on Nanotechnology           Facilities and Centers, South and West USA. The Institute of Nanotechnology, 2003.

I. Miles, D. Jarvis, Nanotechnology --A Scenario for Success in 2006, HMSO (National Physical           Laboratory Report CBTLM 16), Middlesex, 2001.