Nanotechnology
Position Paper | Year 2008
Nanotechnology: hype or opportunity?
BACAS Report
Class of Technical Sciences
One of them leapt up and asked: but professor, those are the same
questions as last year! That’s right he answered, but the answers have
changed. This expresses the transformation nanotechnology generates
through science, technology and industry. It’s the generation of new
answers to familiar questions; of new solutions for new challenges. Having
access to elementary components of materials, scientists have the
possibility to pave the way towards completely new paths in as well
innovative as familiar industrial segments and give birth to totally new
industrial areas. This Report summarises the origin and basics of
nanotechnology and the impact it has on many industrial activities such as
electronics, material, manufacturing, energy, food … and the inherent huge
opportunities for science and technology. It also addresses the problem of
health and environment, and gives an overview of the nanotechnology
efforts in Belgium. It is foreseen that the market for nano-products will
rise exponentially in the next decade and grow to a trillion euro by 2015.
Nanotechnology will create jobs, but has also a social and ethical impact
which is at the basis of future strategies for technological risk
assessments.