On July 1, 2004, we reported that Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam has called for India to develop nanotechnology -- including nanobots -- because it will revolutionize warfare. Kalam is, literally, a rocket scientist, and he made this call in a speech at a military function. We wrote then, "It seems likely that he's serious."
Yesterday, July 31, President Kalam published an adaptation in Hindustan Times of his April address to scientists in Delhi. Kalam writes, "When I think of nanoscience and nanotechnology, I am reminded of three personalities"... the second name he lists is Eric Drexler, and the reason given is Drexler's technical work, Nanosystems: Molecular Machining, Manufacturing, and Computation.
We've heard suggestions that Kalam was following the official U.S. and British line that nanotechnology is only about nanoscale technology and doesn't include molecular manufacturing. But this should remove all doubt that Kalam knows what molecular manufacturing is and that he thinks it deserves attention.
Well, i think that we should get this ball rolling.
Maybe the Foresight Institute and CRN should invite someone from the Indian Embassy to the Foresight Conference on Advanced Nanotechnology this october. Or hey invite President Kalam or offer to go to India for a Development Strategies for MNT conference.
Chris keeps saying that the biggest obstacle to MNT is software, India has a lot of software talent. They are also pretty good in chemistry and biochemistry. They are also young and hungry for a better life. You may be able to convince the Indian government to spend 100 million a year for a 5-10 year development project for a nano-factory. If it was successful the project would have an enormous payback for the Indian people within a year of completion.
If the Indian government announces a semi-public program to develop a nano-factory, how long do you think it would be before many other nations do the same?
Posted by: jim moore | August 02, 2004 at 11:16 PM
Interesting that the published version does not /directly/ address military capability, the way the speach did. Nano-UAV's /could/ have peaceful uses, after all.
-John B
Posted by: John B | August 03, 2004 at 05:49 AM
CRN can't invite people to the Foresight conference. But I'll mention the idea to the Foresight people.
Chris
Posted by: Chris Phoenix, CRN | August 06, 2004 at 12:03 AM
Very interesting. I read many of President Kalam's thoughts at nanoindian.com, an Indian nanotechnology portal. Indeed, he is thinking 10-20 years in advance to push the frontiers of technology.
Posted by: Joe Martin | April 21, 2006 at 04:50 PM