Nanotechnology is the realm of the very small, but it could
be the next big thing. Advances in understanding and
controlling structures less than 100 nanometers — a
fraction of a human hair — hold the promise of
affecting just about every part of our lives.
During the past few weeks, both the Technion-Israel Institute
of Technology in Haifa and the Ben-Gurion University of the
Negev in Beersheba have announced the establishment of major
facilities devoted to nano research.
The name "nanotechnology" comes from the nanometer, a
billionth part of a meter — a unit of measure so tiny
that a human hair is roughly 80,000 nanometers thick.
Individual molecules are measured in nanometers; so are
viruses, strands of DNA, and the microscopic structures that
determine the performance of everyday materials like steel
and plastic.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office recently
created a new registration category just for nanotechnology
inventions. For inclusion in the class, the patent office
requires that a least one dimension of an invention be less
than 100 nanometers, and that the nano element of the product
or process be essential to whatever makes it novel. The
office said that it had to be careful since "nano" is a
current buzz word. People slap it onto anything small so that
they can attract financing more easily.
The decision to make a special class for nanotechnology
indicates that the patent office expects quite a few
inventions in that class in the coming years.
Actually there are such products already. There are, for
example, fibers for clothing and mattresses that are stain
resistant and water resistant; particles of titanium dioxide
that make sunscreen transparent; and nanocrystals of silver
for antimicrobial bandages.
This technology is expected to touch every part of life.
Nanotechnology changes how the physical world behaves. It
makes actual materials different: more resistant to change,
for example, or more accepting of changes. For example, a
newly developed coating on the surface of a bone implant will
affect how it behaves in the body, making it less likely to
trigger the body's natural defenses as an alien object.
The field is not directly related to genetics. Generally it
deals with inanimate objects and materials.
The National Science Foundation predicted in 2001 that
nanotechnology would contribute $1 trillion to the economy by
2015. Some experts think that it might contribute more. There
is still a lot of uncertainty, but it is clear that it will
be very big.
The newness of nanotechnology makes it hard for the patent
office to assess the claims of innovation that accompany each
patent application. Already many experts say that a number of
overlapping patents have been issued, since the examiners did
not realize that they overlapped. The potential result is
years of legal battles that could prevent important new ideas
from being brought to market.
