http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_gear-1.html Nano Wine Glass Perfect for a Jewish couple planning a "small" June wedding is the nanoscale wine glass from Japan. Or rather, perhaps the Lilliputian creation is more suited to the groom who fears commitment: it’s unlikely that anyone will actually hear the celebration-inaugurating crunch of the glass under the lucky man’s heel, which is 20,000 times smaller than its normal-sized counterparts. The 2,750-nanometer glass (a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, which in the American measuring system is "very, very small") is a demonstration project by partners NEC, the Himeji Institute of Technology and Seiko Instruments Inc. for a three-dimensional manufacturing technique that might be applied to next-generation electronics. The glass, like the fancier spiral stem for a champagne flute pictured here too, is made from carbon suspended in a gas intersected by a computer-controlled gallium-focused ion beam. The beam is 10 nanometers wide and aimed by deflecting it off of electromagnetic fields. Following instructions rooted in computer-aided design, the beam positions the carbon into the form desired. Real world applications of the 3-D manufacturing technique might include ultra-miniature devices such as biosensors, microscopic exploratory robotic components, tiny drug-release capsules, high-performance optical communications devices and control switches, as well as tiny instruments for electromechanics, and magnetic devices. NEC also suggests the process might lead to cyborgian "bio-nanochips." Banana chips? Yum. Sounds like a nice snack for a wedding where "the food is awful and the portions are so small!" http://www.nec.com -- Erik Baard, Technology Correspondent Know something cool that should be included in this section? E-mail us .
"Nanno Nanno" indeed! Mork from Ork: "Nanno-Nanno" it's interesting where the line begins, or wher it ends in relation to "Art imitating life" and "Life imitating art" and this is a clear representation as such, pertaining to what is often public knowledge of leading edge technology is generaly 25 yrs. or more behind what is reall going on in secret, and in our own back yards, yet we are never told about. Apparently, "Nanotechnology" came out before the 70's airing of the Television series "Mork from Ork" blasting out those famous words: "Nano-Nano" yet now one really quite knew what the implications behind this truly was in reality, after all, it was just a damned telivision show right? (retorically speaking.) Where do you think the producers of some of these programs get their material from, in the first place? they consult with many people in the physics departments, Universities, and scientific communities abroad in many cases, such as much of the material that was gathered by Gene Rodenberry, to Isaac Asimov, just to give an example of where this conversation is leading to... And don't forget "Carl Sagan" God bless him! food for thought.
Very astute pickup, Time/02112. For some reason I got this weird thought assoication when reading your post on Nanotech. Random neurons firing maybe. But we seem to find years later that references are buried that link to others in the know. Due to security, censorship, ect., those veiled references don’t ring the bell that they do later. To produce a TV show takes a good bit of effort. Some shows more than others. It takes the coordinated efforts of a team, gathering info, people and resources to mold the visual and logical package that is presented to the viewer as a show. The writers must have new ideas continually to feed the show so that the ratings remain high and thus their jobs secure for another episode. Given this they need exposure to the cutting edge and the oddballs with the thoughts that are out there. So this might not be such a strech of the imagination after all.
Below are pictures of nano-objects. The first is a nanogear Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! This is a nanomotor Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! For more info go to: http://nanozine.com/nanogear.htm
