It's all about those tiny things we gonna make

Nanotech Bangaloored!! Bangalore Nano 2007

2007-10-25T16:06:00.000+05:30

Check out http://www.bangalorenano.in. The event is scheduled on Dec 6th-7th & has speakers like Prof. C.N.R Rao.

Nanotech triple whammy in cancer care

2007-08-28T11:44:00.000+05:30

Dallas Southwestern Medical Center has come up with a 3-prolonged nano approach to Find, Flag & Kill cancerous cells. i.e. target a cancerous cell using targeting molecules, attach & release the drug + an imaging particle and use the imaging particle to monitor cancerous cell destruction.

Using targeting molecules (orange triangles), it finds and enters cancer cells; then it releases chemotherapy drugs (red hexagons) and imaging particles (brown circles) into the cells from its core.

Source: www.technologyreview.com

India's 1st "Real" Nanotech Park

2007-08-23T07:12:00.000+05:30

Last year in October I had run a item about a $1.07 billion Nano City at Harayana (see "Hot Male comes up with Nano City"). I was rather pessimistic about the whole thing and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And after nearly a year the pudding is not yet on the table. A search on the Nano City returns nothing but static.
Hence when I saw the news about plans to start India's 1st Nanotech Park at Bangalore, I thought of putting it as the 1st "Real" Nanotech Park. This time it's the Karnataka State Govt. that's planning to set up the park on a 15 acre location in India's Silicon Valley-Bangalore. The 100 crore project is expected to be funded by Center & State governments.
And this time round with eminent scientists like C.N.R Rao heading the advisory team we should be seeing the pudding on the table soon. Let the next set of Nanotech startups come out from here just like they did at the Bay Area Silicon Valley.

Related Articles:
Hot Male comes up with Nano City
Updates on "NanoCity
Nanotech units on SEZ bandwagon

Nanotex bids me to USC

2007-08-17T06:46:00.000+05:30

Seems the Nano bug just doesn't leave me, even when I am shopping around for my trip to Los Angeles for my masters. It's supposed to have a coating on the individual molecular fibers so that stain does enter in it. I brought 3 shirts with the NanoTEX thing in it....good since the last time got a Coffee spill was 3 days ago and a beer spill on all Friday nights :-)
But unfortunately I need to get a new one after every 30 washes as the property doesn't last longer or look at the cheaper option of not washing...well think i'll go with the later :-/

India-China-Russia Nanotech leaders?

2007-03-13T15:12:00.000+05:30

Not yet... but maybe soon enough according to the latest report from Lux Research Inc (see "Profiting from International Nanotechnology").

Though US, Japan & S.Korea still have an edge the Chinese dragon is all set to come at par with a $906 million (at purchasing power parity) Government spending on Nanotechnology compared to $6.4 billion for the US. Plus, the Chinese have taken a lead over Japan to be onto the second spot in the number of Nanotech publications.

There is not much data on India in the released part of the report, though it only mentions it as an upcoming power along with Russia & China.

Source: Lux Research Inc.

Indo-US collaboration in Nanocomputing

2007-03-05T16:09:00.000+05:30

The emerging and established giants of Nanotech, India and USA have come out with a shared vision document on emerging partnership between the two in the field of Nano computing at the recent workshop, SQUAN-2007 held at Agra, India. The event had was a spectacle of latest research in the field being presented by luminaries from both the nations, with people like Umesh Vazirani of UC Berkeley and Kalyanmoy Deb of IIT-Kanpur chipping in.

Lov K. Grover, of Bell Labs, mentioned that India was poised for major breakthroughs considering the interest in research in these crucial sectors in universities and institutes here.

Let's wait and see how the Vision Document comes out to be in terms of real action and will Grover's bullishness come true.... we're waiting.

Source: RxPG News

Call to Industry-Govt.-Academia partnership in India

2007-02-22T10:01:00.000+05:30

The Nanotechnology Conclave 2007 organised under the auspices of International Engineering and Technology Trade Fair saw a call for the Industry a.k.a CII -Govt.-Academia triumvirate to come together to put into place a Center for Nanotechnology by Prof V S Ramamurthy, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT.

As he put it up, the challenges that our Nanotech efforts face are-

The gap between industry and research labs
Converting lab ideas into successful business proposition
Absence of enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship
Bringing in technology incubators linked with vibrant R&D labs, good mentor base and venture finance access to bridge the gap
Urgent need for proper infrastructure facilities and human resource development initiatives through public private partnership in the field of nano science

Hope the Government babus at the conclave takes up the cue and comes up with a solid policy to take up these issues ..

Source: SDAIndia

Nanotech jobs???

2007-02-15T19:48:00.000+05:30

A few years back one of my schoolmates decided to go all the way to Australia to study the "Hotest Up-Coming technology" in town. They called it Bio-Technology. Four years hence after his Post-grad in the Hot Technology from a top-notch University, he works at a Call-Center which services Aussies. Though almost all columns shouted ad-nauseam about the serious "talent-crunch", on the ground scene was entirely different (as my friend found out soon).
The explanation is that though there is enough talent there isn't 'quality talent'.

Circa 2007, Lux Research Inc. report "Hiring Nanotech Talent" talks of a veritable talent crunch. The demand for White-Collar (read: 'quality talent') is expected to quintuple to about 30,000 from the present 5,300. An additional tens of thousands of blue collared jobs in manufacturing and allied sectors. Though in today's parlance this could mean any sector from Electronics to Phrama, which would be remotely related to Nanotech and hence difficult to quantify.

A month back one of the famous faces of Nanotechnology, Howard Lovy who pens the NanoBot blog put up a postadvertising his availability for employment. If Howard Lovy finds it difficult to get a job in the Nanotech sector what about the rest. So all those people (which includes me) who are all set to fly into the world of Nanotech need to have a hard and pragmatic look at it. It has a lot of potential and could well be the technology of the future... But for those who jump on the bandwagon just for the glitter... well.........................

Indian research centers take nanotech route to cancer treatment

2007-02-06T16:42:00.000+05:30

AIIMS & IITs have decided to take the Nanotech route for cancer treatment. Jointly, they have developed a set of nanoparticles used ot kill Cancerous cells. The product is supposedly in phase I clinical trials.

Source: cities.expressindia.com

First Nano-enabled drug delivery system in India

2007-01-09T17:23:00.000+05:30

Dabur Pharma has come with the first Nano-enabled drug delivery system in Indian market. Nanoxel, a Nano-based drug delivery system for Cancer drug Paclitaxel has been launched in the Indian market. The drug delivery system ensures localised delivery with minimum side-effects to non-carcenogenic tissue.

A really great indicator of Nanotech capabilities in India and the market readiness of the breakthroughs that are being researched in India.
The drug is priced at about Rs 16,000 or $350.... Evident of the next level of opportunity for the Indian firms; to cut down the cost to globally competitive levels... keep watching this space.

Source: http://www.daburpharma.com

Berkeley 1st city to be Nano-regulated

2007-01-03T11:51:00.000+05:30

Another reason to put Berkeley on the World Nano-map? or just another gimmick by the City council?

Officially, Berkeley City becomes first City (among other firsts) in the world to be Nano-regulated. On the ground it means researchers will need to report what nano-materials they are working on, to ensure they are safe to the environment.

What does that mean for the bustling Nanotech start-ups in the hottest place on Earth for Nanotech start-ups? Isn't it another instance of cart being placed before the horse. Would it prove to be a head-ache for the budding Nanotech firms, who I believe haven't come up with anything potent enough to envenom the World.
Interestingly the plan by Lawrence Berkeley Labs to put up a Molecular Foundry is what prompted the City council to enact the regulation. Well any indicator to the "Killer" nano-materials thats gonna come out of the Lab? Well that's what the City council believes...quite literally though.

Source: http://www.nanotechwire.com

Nanotech learning options-Nanotech 101

2007-01-02T16:03:00.002+05:30

After a few mail queries, I feel I should be putting up the info here..

Q: What are nanotech learning opportunities in India :-
Ans:
* For an introductory course see Nano Sensitization Program http://www.nstc.in/
* For specialised courses like Mtech in Nanoscience etc. see Amity Institute of Nanotechnology http://www.amity.edu/aint/courses.htm
* There is research on Nanosciences at IISc & IITs. But there is no specialised course as such.

Q: Where do I do my "Bachelors" in Nanotechnology?
Ans:

*I know it sounds really cool to get a Bachelors in Nanotechnology, but chances are there exists none in the world. If they do they r not gud enough. Why so? Because nanotechnology involves skills from different areas like Chemistry, Biology, Physics, material science, electronics etc etc.
There is no way u can focus on all, so next best thing is to get a strong fundamental knowledge of these areas in your undergrad & later decide which are you would like to focus on. To start of, I would suggest reading the seminal book "Engines of creation" available online at http://www.e-drexler.com/d/06/00/EOC/EOC_Cover.html
It inspired me to study nanotech about 8 years back & has inspired me ever since. So this is the book u need. Keep updated on different blogs like-

Q: Nanotech blogs-
Ans:
*http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/
*http://nanobot.blogspot.com/ - by Howard Lovy. Interesting & funny
*http://crnano.typepad.com/crnblog/ - on issues

Q: Global nanotech learning centers-

First thing I would like to make clear is the fact that nanotechnology is like an Ocean with mutiple facets. There are universities around the world which focus on different aspects of nanotechnology.

In US-
http://www.nano.gov/html/edu/eduunder.html (pretty comprehensive link)

In UK http://www.nano.org.uk/CareersEducation/courses.htm

Updates on "NanoCity"

2006-12-05T12:28:00.000+05:30

Indian Express Nov 30 edition carries a news of on the ground situation at proposed NanoCity in Harayana:- Nano City a huge realty boom prospect.
As with everything Indian there is the farmer's protest against the project...the middlemen duping the farmers by buying land at a lower price..etc etc.
The good part from the clip is that there is real movement on the ground to bring up the NanoCity..

One step forward and two steps back for NanoFledgling@India

2006-11-07T16:13:00.000+05:30

It's not all Hunky Dory for NanoFledgling India.
There are hardly a few commercial Nanotech firms like Cranes, Qtech or Yashnanotech. Now if we take up companies with core focus as Nanotech & with a solid business model the only India start-up that stands out is Qtech Nanosystems.

This is exactly why the decision of Bangalore based firm set up in 2004 to relocate to Singapore is a serious set back for Nanotech India. The company website lists down an impressive product portfolio...like Nanomaterials & Nanopositioners. The company is one of the few which won an award from CSIR India for it's Nanotech initiatives. With the key management comprising of all Indians, the news of Qtech being 'Singapored' should be an eye opener for India to put it's business climate in order. With Chinese and rest-of-world going all-out to get a lead in the NanoRace it is the imperative for India to see that going forward this would turn to be just an aberration & norm will still remain Nanotech 'Bangalored' ..... God save Nanofledgling India

My paper "In-Vivo Cancerous Cell Annhilation device" is finally ready..

2006-10-26T13:41:00.000+05:30

After a long thrust I have finally managed to finish my paper "In-Vivo Cancerous Cell Annhilation device". Basically the plot goes like this... a mythical creature called a NanoBot exists which can detect and destroy cancerous cells inside the body... looks a bit Sci-Fi; but it's more tech stuff added to it...things which can bring it to reality. Maybe Victor Frankenstein can in fact bring this creature to life.
Here's the abstract for anyone brave enough to have a look ...
http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dc6x7v6v_4hdnh2f

Conceptual Model of the Device

Nanotech units on the SEZ bandwagon

2006-10-25T13:33:00.000+05:30

After all the hoopla over role of SEZs in India's development, now we have the babus in North Block suggeting that adding the clause Nanotech to the SEZ law could bring in more Nanotech start-ups to India (Nanotech units may get SEZ benefits too). Though the concern is good we can never have the cart before the horse; a small change in a law cannot turn our nation into a Nanotech hub.

Hot Male comes up with a "NanoCity"

2006-10-10T23:29:00.000+05:30

One fine day we have a NanoCity being set up in India. The proposal is from the famous Desi Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia. Planned to be be set up in Harayana, the NanoCity promises to create technologies for the future. Gud news... ya maybe I am pretty sceptical frankly.
Can we put the Cart before the horse; with the Nanotech infrastructure almost zilch in this country how is he going to get the brain-power for the projects. If you count out the IITs & IISc there are almost no institutes with any good research/courses on Nanotechnology. Without good ideas how will there be start-ups coming up in the city. Nanotechnlogy companies in India are today very much in their infancy... well not even the diaper stage; with that kind of domestic presence how will new firms come up.

My best guess is that this is going to be another one of those outsourcing model IT cities. Hope things on ground contradict me...

In Vivo Cancerous Cell Annihilation NanoDevice

2006-10-04T22:35:00.000+05:30

he he.....cool name right... that's the paper I had written. It just means a device which can kill cancerous cell inside a human body.. simple :-)

It's actually pretty simple extension of the automated nano drug delivery system in vogue. If somehow we can place a nano drug delivery system and a nano cancer probe on a nano platform with a rotor (something akin to bacterial propulsion) , it can automatically attach to cancer cells and kill em'....

Bacterial Flagella Model

(Picture courtesy www.scienceandapologetics.org)

hum match jeet gaye...err..did we??

2006-08-28T16:35:00.000+05:30

For those who still haven't got the meaning of the topic, it jus' means "we won the match", where we=India & match=Nanotech race.

Well at first thought no sane person would say so with OECD teams likes Yankees & Germans and our own BRIC pool Chinees hitting home runs with their mamoth investments in Nanotech. But that's what I got from a cue, from what Howard Loy suggests.

Here is the picture:

Indiyaa comes on top on Google trends list w.r.t nanotechnology. Now what that means is that, of all internet users in the world, Indians were the one who searched the most for Nanotechnology. Wow....we are the one's who are most inquisitive about Nanotechnology. Folks from Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi outdid their peers from even cities like Washington & Houston, when it came to being curious about Nanotechnology. That's something to feel wonderful about, afterall we are the ones most passionate about something that might tomorrow prove to be a breakthorough technology, that might make or break economies.

Still, everything's not hunky-dory, we are still far behind in nanotech investment vis-a-vis China, US or others (assuming we are in the match for a post-2010 numero uno pole postition). On the non-govt. front we have a flurry of intiatives (NSTC, Yash nanotech, United Nanotechnologies et al.) and maybe that might tilt the balance for us. After all as one corporate honcho once put "Our economy grows when the Govt. sleeps" and maybe as in cricket we might scrap through in the last over or so. I have my fingers crossed..

P.S: Those who haven't noticed, the Ayatollahs a.k.a. Iran comes 2nd on the Google trends list... something for George to think about when he see my post.. if he's tht smart i.e.

he...he now u' hav a NanoBot song

2006-08-19T16:14:00.000+05:30

Li'll tiny nanobots....doin loops .. loops & figurines

Inside i got broken parts, but nanobots are gonna fix em'
take my cells & DNA & throw in some random nanobots & mix 'em

swimin all thru my brain..takin li'l tiny nano thoughts.
Oh...doctor Fennyman ....why don't spike my vein...

Check it out NanoBot Song :-)..... It's a real wreck :-))

Orginal pirated copyright by Howard Lovy & real Johnny Cash version one..

Lesson--> Nano techies don't make gud poets ;-)

Now NanoEggzz.... and the cancer story

2006-08-01T18:39:00.000+05:30

Nanotubes, Nanorice & now NanoEggs... Researchers at Rice Univ have come up with a new shell nanostructure, which like an egg is thicker on one side. These are found to focus light to small nano-regions. Maybe the next step would be to create a nano-photo system; a new arena of nanophotonics. And the best part of it all... these eggs are used to poach Cancerous cells. That's the best part of these eggzz... these nano eggs are soo small (obviously tht's why they are called nano-eggs dummy) that they can specifically target even a single cancerous cell. So they can leave the healthy cells alone. Nowwhen these cells heat up when near Infra-Red light is passed to it, they can 'roast' the cancerous cells leaving the other healthy ones safe.

NanoEgg structures

Source: http://www.media.rice.edu

HappyB'Day Richard

2006-05-11T14:35:00.000+05:30

About 46 years back a man walked up to the rostrum at Caltech and proclaimed to the world a potent idea to unleash unlimted power to mankind. Sounding metaphysical the man asked the crowd to look down, rather at the bottom bolding proclaiming "There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom". The seminal speech has today evolved into the avant garde technology of the new millennium. Birthday wishes to that great physicist, inspiring lecturer, bongo player, notorious practical joker, and a great intellect....

(Picture courtesy casa.colorado.edu)

NanoFledgling@India!!!!

2006-03-31T18:02:00.000+05:30

Nano Sensitization Program shows promises of taking India onto the next levels in the NanoTech pecking order, where i fell we sure have all potential to be at the top. With the Government staying mute spectator to any initiatives which would propel us foraward, NSTC (National Science and Technology Consortium) a non-governmental industry managed organisation sure seems to a glimer for the tomorrow prospective Nanotech prospectors. Just been through the links on their site nstc.in. Pretty exhaustive links on opportunites for wannabes, journals and a course on the basics of Nanotechnology. But then there is scope for more if you consider the umpteen sites & initiatives on Nanotech that have been in vogue in other economies primarly US & other new stars like China & Isreal.

Are we ready yet!!

2006-02-22T19:12:00.000+05:30

The results are already out... almost all global pundits have declared India and China as 21st century leaders. Especially India is being touted as the next big thing when it comes to global innovation or high technology jobs (with China taking lead in mass manufacturing). So that puts India as potential leader (even surpassing US) when it comes to Nanotechnology in 21st century.... after it is being touted as 21st century leader in hot technologies. So how true is this...

At top, I hear of right voices with our techie President Shri Abdul Kalam says "Our future lies in nanotechnology". He also talks about Prof C.N.R. Rao of JNSCR, Bangalore and the scientific advisor to the Prime Minister. C.N.R Rao is one of the foremost thought leaders on Nanotech in India. In his article, he talks about ground realities. Let's take a look at the money spent on Nanotech research around the world:-

The United States spends about $1.5 billion on Nanotech. The US President’s 2007 Budget provides over $1.2 billion for the multi-agency National Nanotechnology Initiative.
In Japan, where more than $2 billion is spent every year. T, while in China it stands at $120 million. Manpower is what matters, though. In India there are fewer than a hundred people involved in research.
China, for instance, has several thousands involved.
The only company I know of (& maybe similar other common folks) or am able to find with reasonable search on Google working on Nanotechnology in India is YashNanotech. Nanotechnology is not a hot, not even a known masters subject for most graduates in India.

The IT revolution which we are competing for leadership wasn't discovered yesterday. The US Military project evolved into century's biggest blockbuster technology. The US dominance will remain untill it is a technology innovator. As long as we don't find another internet for tomorrow or do enough to further knowledge on nascent technologies like Nanotechnology, tomorrow we'll still be a IT/BioTech/NanoTech/'X' Tech sweat shop and nothing else...

Protein 'Nanosprings' Bounce into the Lime Light

2005-12-29T16:50:00.000+05:30

The paper describes work carried out by the groups of Professor Piotr Marszalek and Professor Vann Bennett at Duke's Engineering School and Medical Center. The team's findings were published in an advanced online publication of Nature on Jan. 15, 2006.

They found that the protein components, called "ankyrin repeats," exhibit unprecedented elastic properties and believe that studying them could lead to a new understanding of how organisms, including humans, sense and respond to physical forces at the cellular level. The nanometer-sized springs are also ideal candidates for building biologically-inspired springy nanostructures and nanomaterials with an inherent ability to self-repair, they reported.

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to view the individual molecules, a research associate, Yong Jiang, found that ankyrin repeats display a hook-like shape consistent with a spring. Graduate student Gwangrog Lee further examined the molecules' elastic properties by attaching one end of the molecule to a glass slide and gently pulling at the other end with the AFM cantilever. "After thousands of stretches, a pattern emerged," Marszalek said. "The molecule exhibited linear elasticity--a property that had never been seen in any other protein."

Please read on at the link for more information

Protein 'nanosprings', most resilient found in nature

Etched on the sands of time

2005-09-14T19:34:00.000+05:30

The magic words etched by IBM using He atoms....

The bottom up approach used by IBM using Scanning Probe Microscope.

(Picture courtesy www.molaire1.club.fr)

I fall in love...

2005-04-21T19:23:00.000+05:30

The site is dedicated to my sweet heart.... the one i fell in love with when I was in college years... the video on nano-gears moving seamlessly and here begins my journey to unravel her...

See animation on nanogears in motion

Two nano gears in mesh

(Picture courtesy www.scifun.ed.ac.uk)