Nanotechnology Now

From Promoting Nanotechnology Awareness in Singapore's Business Community and Funding Agencies

The Singapore government and business community have started taking active interest in nanotechnology. We were invited to speak at the regular breakfast seminar by American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and at the inaugural Singapore Nanotech Round Table 2009 by the International Enterprise (IE) Singapore to provide overview of nanotechnology commercialization state of development and regional activities. We found that the American business community are interested in nanotech business opportunities in Singapore and Asia, while the Singapore government has provided attractive incentives to fund Singapore based companies for international business development and expansion. Read the Whole Article

— NanoGlobe, NanoGlobe Pte Ltd

From Nanotechnology Initiatives/Programs in Iran, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Other Developing Countries in the Asia Pacific Region

Highlights of the United Nation APCTT-ESCAP Consultative Workshop on Promoting Innovation in Nanotechnology and Fostering Its Industrial Application: An Asia - Pacific Perspective

1. United Nation APCTT-ESCAP demonstrated an effort to facilitate regional collaborations in nanotechnology innovation and industrial application
2. Sri Lanka, though with limited infrastructure built for R&D and limited funding from the government so far shows its commitment in developing nanotechnology with a unique private public partnership and passionate scientists. The Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) was set up in 2008 with 50% funding from Sri Lanka National Science Foundation (NSF) and 5 other industry partners.
3. Iran developed the most comprehensive national nanotechnology initiative since 2005 and made significant leap in nanoscience and technology advancement.
4. Pakistan launched its national and has set up a nanotech center with facilities opened to industry to use and with focused R&D on nanocoating, nanomaterials and nanopowder and industry support.
5. Philippines S&T policy includes Nanotechnology as one of the priority areas. It has completed its nanotechnology road-mapping and has set 8 priority areas including nanomaterials and solar energy devices, drug delivery systems, environmental remediation systems and others. Philippines government established strong education programs to HR training and provides incentives for attracting overseas Philippine scientists and engineers to return home.
6. Neither Bangladesh nor Nepal have established nanotechnology programs or initiatives due to limited infrastructure for R&D, lack of trained human resources and limited international collaboration. However there are research groups conducting research on nanoparticle synthesis and application in polymers and composite materials.
7. The conference provided a very nice platform for all the participating countries to learn from each other the nanotechnology industrial application policy and practices. The UN APCTT-ESCAP is committed to promote nanotechnology among its member countries and will facilitate regional collaborations especially in nanotechnology innovative and industrial application R&D.
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— NanoGlobe, NanoGlobe Pte Ltd

From Nanotechnology Update in Vietnam - From a visit in Vietnam in Nov. 2009

I wrote about Nanotechnology in Vietnam back in Feb. 2004 at my column Asia Pacific Nanotech Weekly www.nanoworld.jp/apnw/ when Vietnam just started the initiative in nanoscience and launched infrastructure building and basic science programs. Today, with a population of about 86 million and very young population (one third of the population is between 10-24 years old) and a vibrant economy, Vietnam has advanced fast in building R&D capabilities and growing high-tech industries with the help of both domestic and foreign investments. With limited government and private funding for developing nanotechnology compared with the developed world, Vietnam has progressed quite impressively in building its world class facilities and high quality research. In this article we share with you my experience of my recent visit in Vietnam and participation in one domestic nanotech conference Solid State Physics and Materials Science Annual conference (SPMS2009) held in Da Nang city during Sept 9-10 and an international conference International Workshop of Nanotechnology Application (IWNA2009) held in Vung Tau city during Sept 12-14. The main findings are
a) Vietnam has built world class nanotechnology R&D facilities at selected center of excellence at major universities and national research laboratories as well as industry parks
b) Vietnam has a clear focus on nanotech application for clean-tech, in particular, applications in efficient lighting such as LED, solar cell, water treatment and others
c) R&D focus is in nanomaterials including Oxide Materials (ZnO, TiO2, Fe2O3 for lighting, solar applications, photocatalytic, cancer treatment applications); Composite Materials using CNT, Al2O3 and others; Metal Nanoparticles (Cu/Ag for agriculture application as pesticides); and Quantum Dot (CdSe).
d) Vietnam also started to pursue Nanotech For Oil and Gas application
e) MEMS R&D capability building - Ho Chih Minh University Nanotechnology Laboratory
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— NanoGlobe, NanoGlobe Pte Ltd

From SRC/NSF/A*STAR Forum on 2020 Semiconductor Memory Strategies: Processes, Devices, and Architectures - Prospectus

What would happen about the semiconductor memory in 2020 and beyond? SRC/NSF/A*STAR Forum on 2020 Semiconductor Memory Strategies held on 20-21 October 2009 at Data Storage Institute (DSI), Singapore is a good platform for all the participating members to learn the latest R&D trend on memory. 37 leading experts in the semiconductor memory field from US, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore gave invited talks in this forum. Through the panel discussions during the forum, it is expected to find out the promising research directions for emerging research memory devices, processes, and architectures as well as the most effective model for international cooperation in pre-competitive memory research that would foster rapid advances in memory technologies. Read the Whole Article

— NanoGlobe, NanoGlobe Pte Ltd

From BioNano International: Nano-bubbles - Green Solution for Reviving Water Ecosystems

BioNano International, an international nano-technology company with its head office in Singapore, has developed a revolutionary waste or polluted water treatment system based on their proprietary nano-bubble technology to revive water ecosystems. This innovative water treatment system provides an environmental friendly, energy saving and high efficiency solution for waste or polluted water treatment. BioNano's proprietary water treatment system is ideal for cleaning up or rehabilitating water ecosystems of lakes, ponds, rivers and other open water bodies. Read the Whole Article

— NanoGlobe, NanoGlobe Pte Ltd

From Low-Cost and Creative Tools for Learning Nanoscience and Creating Nanostructures at Schools

Grab, pattern and trim. With motivation, patience and innovation, topped with focused laser beam system and optical tweezers, one can create beautiful 3D microstructures. With the hybrid of Quantum dot and Carbon Nanotubes, multicolour microstructures can also be created beautifully. Want to grow nanoscale metal oxide with minimum cost? Just prepare a hotplate, control the environment, polish the metal substrate and heat it up. Fascinating morphologies of wide variety of metal oxides will appear. In this article, we shared our experience touring around Nanomaterials Laboratory in NUS and conversing with Prof Sow Chorng-Haur about his passion for outreach and education to young students in nanoscience via low-cost, fun and interesting methods. Read the Whole Article

— NanoGlobe, NanoGlobe Pte Ltd

From NanoArtFabrics(TM): New Line of Designer Fabrics

In actual nanotech world, NanoArt could serve as the foundation for a broad-based and rapidly growing commercial enterprise. Read the Whole Article

— Cris Orfescu, artist and scientist, NanoArt21