Jolt to the System:The Transformative Impact of Nanotechnology :Jolt to the System:The Transformative Impact of Nanotechnology


Industrial Revolutions :Industrial Revolutions First Revolution (1780–1840) Based in United Kingdom Steam Engine Textile Industry Mechanical Engineering


Industrial Revolutions :Industrial Revolutions Second Revolution (1840–1900) Based in Europe – England, France, Germany Railways Steel Industry


Industrial Revolutions :Industrial Revolutions Third Revolution (1900–1950) Based in United States Electric Engine Heavy Chemicals Automobiles Consumer Durables


Industrial Revolutions :Industrial Revolutions Fourth Revolution (1950–Present) Based in Pacific Basin – California, Japan Synthetics Organic Chemicals (Oil) Computers


Slide 6:Fifth Revolution (2010? – ??) Based in Developing World? China? India? Brazil? Nanotechnology Molecular Manufacturing The Next Industrial Revolution


Slide 7:Societal Impacts Time Accelerated Impacts Industrial Revolutions Molecular Manufacturing Revolution


Slide 8:The ability to build anything we can design, by manipulating molecules under direct computer control, will be a jolt to the system. Jolt to the System Molecular Mill image courtesy of Eric Drexler


Slide 9:The ability to build anything we can design, by manipulating molecules under direct computer control, will be a jolt to the system. Jolt to the System Image by John Burch, Lizard Fire Studios A transformative, disruptive, discontinuous jolt to ecological, economic, political, and social systems — on a local, national, and global scale.


Slide 10:The combined impacts of nanotechnology will equal the Industrial Revolutions of the last two centuries — but with all that change compressed into just a few years. Transformative Impact


The Next Revolution :The Next Revolution Not just new products — a new means of production Manufacturing systems that make more manufacturing systems — exponential proliferation Vastly accelerated product improvement — cheap rapid prototyping Affects all industries and economic sectors — general-purpose technology Inexpensive raw materials, potentially negligible capital cost — economic discontinuity Portable, desktop-size factories — social disruption Impacts will cross borders — global transformation


Slide 12:Inside a Nanofactory


Benefits + Risks :Benefits + Risks An automated, self-contained factory could provide...


Dangers :Dangers Economic disruption from an abundance of cheap products Economic oppression from artificially inflated prices Personal risk from criminal or terrorist use Constant intrusive surveillance Oppression from abusive restrictions Social disruption from new products/lifestyles Unstable arms race leading to war Collective environmental damage from unregulated products Black market in molecular manufacturing (increases other risks) Competing nanotechnology programs (increases other risks) . . . and many more


What is Needed Now :What is Needed Now Awareness of the issues Technical research Policy research


Slide 16:CRN Thirty Essential Studies Chris Phoenix, Director of Research Center for Responsible Nanotechnology Copyright 2004 Center for Responsible Nanotechnology Brooklyn, NY, USA


Slide 17:www.Wise-Nano.org A collaborative project to study the facts and implications of advanced nanotechnology — a website for researchers worldwide to work together, helping to build an understanding of the technologies, their effects, and what to do about them.


Slide 18:www.CRNano.org Regards: Ankush