Nano:: The in-thing in technology

Date: Sep 21, 2006

Nano:: The in-thing in technology

Date: Sep 21, 2006

Dear GVK Sir,

Here in my Office, M S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bangalore we are offering a course called MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) for our Postgraduate Engineering Students. In that our students will be learning part of Nano Technologies.

Apart from this we have a consultancy and research also in the area of Nanotechnology.

If I could get mail id or contact details of Prof. C N R Rao, We would like to make use of his experiences.

Date: Sep 28, 2006

Project nano city

Apparently, the Haryana govt. has taken the lead as far as attracting investment to form a nano-tech business park in that state. I know there have been some talks about a similar move here in Karnataka but like many before, I hope this doesn't remain a plan on paper alone.

Date: Oct 4, 2006

I like what Prof. C.N.R. Rao has done. He has sparked a dialogue that is worth dwelling on. Because I do believe that Nanotechnology is our future. However, I view the opportunity quite differently. GVK has done the readers right by sharing some tidbit of information!

Pardon my lapse in communication around Tech briefings in my blog. I took a holiday, and believe me technology did not! Hence I offer my sincere apologies to all of you readers.

It is generally more effective to chase technologies that offer a plethora of benefits rather than just one appealing application. On a philosophical plane we should focus on a journey with several interesting sights as there are tangible benefits along the way. It is in this context that I review the value offered by Nanotechnology. Hence placing importance on the technology would warrant building a nanotechnology park that brings start-ups, service providers and academia.

As a primer - Nanotechnology refers to the conduct of engineering and applied science at an ultra-small scale – in a size range on the order of 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. This focus on miniaturization can result in tremendous cost savings and represents a valuable benefit of nanotechnology. Is this by itself sufficient to run after nanotechnology? Most certainly not!

It is relevant to note that materials at the nanoscale generally exhibit unique physical, chemical, biological, mechanical, and electrical properties (optical is also buried in here). This is what makes the interest in nanomaterials and the entire field called nanotechnology so hot and worthy of our focus and commercial commitment. It is in this context of making a better or more efficient light source that Prof. C.N.R. Rao suggests we jump into nanotechnology. I see more fruits on the ‘Nano’ tree that provide a compelling reason to develop a Nanotechnology program.

Just as a point to consider, nanotechnology that enables crossing boundaries of physics, chemistry, and biology is projected to drive commercial development of new products in the bio, information and electronics space to the tune of ~$1 trillion by year 2017!!!

Can you think of a launch of any technology that had such a large size of an opportunity?

I will share on a few developments in my blog over the months ahead.

Srinivas Rao