(Limited) Nano Futures

We've been asked by the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University to bring your attention to a set of "Nano Futures" prepared by their group. They are seeking feedback and offering the opportunity for users to revise the sketches in a wiki format.

Here is the list of the six "fictional scenes" they have developed:

Engineered Tissues

Using tissue printing technology, this system is able to build tissues with a vascular structure enabling the building of new organs.

What are your thoughts on synthetically grown tissues and organs?    

Living with a Brain Chip

This cranial chip features a data feed that puts information into the brain while the user is resting. 

What are your thoughts on using cranial chips to enhance cognition?

Automated Sewer Surveillance

Ultra fast sequencing technology is used to analyze the DNA in harvested waste water, thus screening large populations.  

What are your thoughts on tracking individuals using their genetic material?

Disease Detector

Doc in the Box is a device that tracks an individuals protein levels to monitor changes that imply early stage illness or disease before symptoms emerge.

What are your thoughts on diagnosing disease before you are ill?

Barless Prison

NanoCage has developed a caged drug that is injected into prisoners that becomes activated by radio control if prisons cross designated boundaries.

What are your thoughts on a barless prison?

Bionic Eyes

Opti-scan is an optical implant that looks and functions like a normal eye, yet has new enhancements enabling magnification, visualizing infra-red, and night vision. 

What are your thoughts on visual enhancement?

The group readily acknowledges that these sketches are "extrapolations from current nanoscale research." In other words, they have made no attempt to include the potential of advanced nanotechnology. Thus, what they have produced is quite different from the more fully developed scenarios prepared by CRN's Global Task Force, all of which look toward the emergence of molecular manufacturing.

Still, it's a good effort and we encourage you to look into what they've done and considering giving your input.

Mike Treder