Nanoconvergence: The Unity of Nanoscience, Biotechnology, Information Technology and Cognitive Science

273 Pages·2007·3.421 MB·English

by  William Sims Bainbridge

PRAISE FOR NANOCONVERGENCE
“William Bainbridge is an original thinker who navigates easily from social sci-
ences to emerging technologies and societal aspirations. In this book, he brings to
the reader all that is essential in the historic and rapid change toward science and
technology convergence.”
—Mihail C. Roco, Ph.D., original chairman of the U.S. National Science
and Technology Council’s subcommittee on Nanoscale Science,
Engineering and Technology, key architect of the National
Nanotechnology Initiative, and currently senior advisor for
Nanotechnology at the National Science Foundation
“This book provides a sweeping, yet intimate, overview of an important, emerg-
ing area of science and technology—nanotechnology and its convergence with
other areas of science and engineering. In Nanoconvergence we are provided with
a view of these developments as seen through the lens of the world of William
Sims Bainbridge, a visionary scientist and scholar, who has helped to frame and
nurture nanoconvergence. His personal history and interests are endlessly fasci-
nating, and include science fiction, space flight, religious cults, videogames, and a
host of other areas and topics. His knowledge is extraordinary and includes
expertise in the field of nanotechnology and related sciences, including biology,
cognitive, behavioral and social science, and information technology. Further, he
knows many of the players, including some who were mentors, others who are col-
leagues, and others whose funding he supervised. The strength of this book is the
strength of Bainbridge’s extensive, connected network, rooted in scientific, tech-
nological, and societal concerns.
It is rare to find someone who brings to the table such breadth and depth of
knowledge, spanning so many of the sciences, from physics through cognition.
Bainbridge is a Renaissance man who is helping to both create and elucidate the
potential future worlds that confront us. Ultimately, he is a visionary who is
building a roadmap for a future that we can all help to shape. He is to be com-
mended for sharing both this map and his journey with us.”
—Philip Rubin, Ph.D., CEO, Haskins Laboratories
“In a world of increasing specialization, Bainbridge offers a refreshing alternative
perspective of the way nanoconvergence will help unify disparate areas of knowl-
edge and fuel a next generation of innovation. The integration of historical and
forward-looking insights, firmly grounded in the people and projects of the
present, made this an enjoyable read. With Nanoconvergence, Bainbridge joins
the ranks of the few authors who have succeeded in integrating insights from far
flung fields of science and technology into a compelling human story.”
—James C. Spohrer, Ph.D, Director, Services Research and
Innovation Champion, IBM Almaden Research Center
This page intentionally left blank
Nanoconvergence
This page intentionally left blank
Nanoconvergence
The Unity of Nanoscience,
Biotechnology, Information
Technology, and Cognitive
Science
William Sims Bainbridge
Upper Saddle River, NJ • Boston • Indianapolis • San Francisco
New York • Toronto • Montreal • London • Munich • Paris • Madrid
Capetown • Sydney • Tokyo • Singapore • Mexico City
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as
trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark
claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters or in all capitals.
The author and publisher have taken care in the preparation of this book, but make no expressed or
implied warranty of any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is
assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the
information or programs contained herein.
The publisher offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or
special sales, which may include electronic versions and/or custom covers and content particular to your
business, training goals, marketing focus, and branding interests.
For more information, please contact: For sales outside the United States, please contact:
U.S. Corporate and Government Sales International Sales
[phone] [email protected]
[email protected]
This Book Is Safari Enabled
The Safari® Enabled icon on the cover of your favorite technology book means the
book is available through Safari Bookshelf. When you buy this book, you get free
access to the online edition for 45 days.
Safari Bookshelf is an electronic reference library that lets you easily search thousands of technical books, find
code samples, download chapters, and access technical information whenever and wherever you need it.
To gain 45-day Safari Enabled access to this book:
• Go to http://www.prenhallprofessional.com/safarienabled
• Complete the brief registration form
• Enter the coupon code NNDL-DBXD-VRWP-3FE3-CJ89
If you have difficulty registering on Safari Bookshelf or accessing the online edition, please e-mail
[email protected].
Visit us on the Web: www.prenhallprofessional.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bainbridge, William Sims.
Nanoconvergence : the unity of nanoscience, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive
science / William Sims Bainbridge.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-13-244643-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Nanotechnology. 2. Technological innovations. I. Title.
T174.7.B32 2007
620'.5—dc22
2007014262
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication is protected by copyright,
and permission must be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a
retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or likewise. For information regarding permissions, write to:
Pearson Education, Inc.
Rights and Contracts Department
One Lake Street
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Fax: [phone]
ISBN 13: 978-0-13-244643-3
ISBN 10: 0-13-244643-X
Text printed in the United States on recycled paper at RR Donnelley in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
First printing, June 2007
To Julia Constance Campos Bainbridge, in the hope
that she will experience all the good possibilities
imagined here, and none of the bad ones.
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix
Chapter 1 Convergence at the Nanoscale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The Meaning of “Nano” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Nanotechnology and Scientific Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Technological Convergence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Application Areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Radical Transformations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Plan of This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Chapter 2 Visions and Illusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Imagination and Impossibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Birds Can’t Fly to the Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Cold Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Science Fiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Drexler’s Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Alchemy at the Nanoscale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Nanopanic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Chapter 3 Information Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Moore’s Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Quantum Computing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
The Information Technology Research Initiative . . . . . . . . 63
Grand Information Technology Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
ix