Book Review - Nanotechnology: Science, Innovation, and Opportunity by Lynn E. Foster
Category Book Reviews
Nanotech is a rapidly moving field with plenty of promise for the future. Lynn E. Foster has compiled a set of essays that explore a number of aspects of the field in the book Nanotechnology: Science, Innovation, and Opportunity.
Contents:
Section 1 - Development Drivers: Lessons in Innovation and Commercialization from the Biotechnology Revolution; Nanotechnology and Our Energy Challenge; Fads and Hype in Technology - The Sargasso Sea of "Some Day Soon"
Section 2 - The Players: Nanotechnology Commercialization - Transcending Moore's Saw with Molecular Electronics and Nanotechnology; Investment in Nanotechnology; The Role of the U.S. Government in Nanoscale Science and Technology; Overview of U.S. Academic Research; Understanding University Technology Transfer for Nanotechnology; Intellectual Property Policy and Impact; Entrepreneurs in the Technological Ecosystem; Major Corporations - Technology, Business, and the Culture of Opportunity; Nanotechnology in Federal Labs
Section 3 - Materials and Industries: Nanoscale Materials; Nanotechnology-Enabled Sensors - Possibilities, Realities, and Diverse Applications; Microelectronics; Drug Delivery; Bio-Nano-Information Fusion
Section 4 - Convergence and Integration: Convergence and Integration; Ethical Considerations in the Advance of Nanotechnology
Epilogue: Infinitesimal Machinery
Acronyms and Abbreviations; Index
As a compilation of articles and essays, you're exposed to the thoughts and concepts of many of the people working on the front lines of nanotech. You also get a broad coverage of the different areas that will be affected by it, such as the delivery of medicine. Having a family member who is a type 1 diabetic, it's interesting to read how a nanotech-enabled approach to insulin delivery could dramatically alter the way he lives his life. While not a "cure" per se, it does allow the body to function as if nothing is broken. It was also interesting to read how universities and companies really can't live without each other in this field. Most companies can't afford to do pure research without some view towards an end product to recoup costs. Universities can do that research, but often need financial assistance. By licensing their discoveries, universities can pay for their research, and companies can benefit from that research at a fraction of the cost and risk of doing it themselves. A real symbiotic relationship... It's this type of material that you'll find in here...
The standard disclaimer applies here when it comes to compilations. Since you have different writers, you'll have different styles of communication. Many chapters are very readable, but some are a bit more "slogging" than others. And overall, this book does assume a relative familiarity with the field. It's not a book I'd recommend to someone looking to get their first exposure to the subject. But if you've been moderately following the industry, you'll benefit from the time spent reading...
Nanotech is a rapidly moving field with plenty of promise for the future. Lynn E. Foster has compiled a set of essays that explore a number of aspects of the field in the book Nanotechnology: Science, Innovation, and Opportunity.
Contents:
Section 1 - Development Drivers: Lessons in Innovation and Commercialization from the Biotechnology Revolution; Nanotechnology and Our Energy Challenge; Fads and Hype in Technology - The Sargasso Sea of "Some Day Soon"
Section 2 - The Players: Nanotechnology Commercialization - Transcending Moore's Saw with Molecular Electronics and Nanotechnology; Investment in Nanotechnology; The Role of the U.S. Government in Nanoscale Science and Technology; Overview of U.S. Academic Research; Understanding University Technology Transfer for Nanotechnology; Intellectual Property Policy and Impact; Entrepreneurs in the Technological Ecosystem; Major Corporations - Technology, Business, and the Culture of Opportunity; Nanotechnology in Federal Labs
Section 3 - Materials and Industries: Nanoscale Materials; Nanotechnology-Enabled Sensors - Possibilities, Realities, and Diverse Applications; Microelectronics; Drug Delivery; Bio-Nano-Information Fusion
Section 4 - Convergence and Integration: Convergence and Integration; Ethical Considerations in the Advance of Nanotechnology
Epilogue: Infinitesimal Machinery
Acronyms and Abbreviations; Index
As a compilation of articles and essays, you're exposed to the thoughts and concepts of many of the people working on the front lines of nanotech. You also get a broad coverage of the different areas that will be affected by it, such as the delivery of medicine. Having a family member who is a type 1 diabetic, it's interesting to read how a nanotech-enabled approach to insulin delivery could dramatically alter the way he lives his life. While not a "cure" per se, it does allow the body to function as if nothing is broken. It was also interesting to read how universities and companies really can't live without each other in this field. Most companies can't afford to do pure research without some view towards an end product to recoup costs. Universities can do that research, but often need financial assistance. By licensing their discoveries, universities can pay for their research, and companies can benefit from that research at a fraction of the cost and risk of doing it themselves. A real symbiotic relationship... It's this type of material that you'll find in here...
The standard disclaimer applies here when it comes to compilations. Since you have different writers, you'll have different styles of communication. Many chapters are very readable, but some are a bit more "slogging" than others. And overall, this book does assume a relative familiarity with the field. It's not a book I'd recommend to someone looking to get their first exposure to the subject. But if you've been moderately following the industry, you'll benefit from the time spent reading...
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