Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
research has quadrupled from $270 million in 2000 to $1.08 billion in the current
year, and approximately 4000 government research projects are underway.
With all the benefits that this new emerging discipline offers, nanocomputing
could promise individuals around the world a better future. An overall boost to
global society and the world economy can be predicted from the pledges of this
discipline. Nanotechnology as a whole, with its perks and benefits definitely has
the potential—directly or indirectly—to help resolve some of the world's economic
and social problems. It has the capability to enhance other fields globally, such as
the education system, nanomedicine, and the world workforce. Nanocomputing,
therefore, certainly has the potential to bring in a positive wave of change among
the lives of people everywhere.
20.5. CONCLUSIONS
This chapter briefly reviewed the main topics discussed in this topic. Additionally,
a listing of other research centers involved in nanocomputing research, whose
work were not included in this volume was given. We discussed the importance of
obtaining patents for nanocomputing inventions, and presented a basic introduc-
tion to patents, patenting issues and requirements for obtaining patents. To help
readers be aware of various agencies currently funding nanocomputing research,
we presented a listing of both public and private funding agencies. Lastly, we
introduced a discussion on socio-economic effects of nanocomputing. In sum-
mary, nanocomputing is a very promising field with many challenges and issues
that need to be addressed over the coming decades to make it truly viable.
Motivated by results presented in this topic, we envision that the greatest
applications of nanocomputing are going to be in medicine and biological sciences,
especially in building biomedical and biomimetic integrated circuits and devices.
REFERENCES
1. Nanowerk, Nanotechnology Directory. http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/
research/nanotechnology_links.php.
2. United States Patent and Trademark Office. http://www.uspto.gov/.
3. Bawa, Raj, ''Nanotechnology Patenting in the US,'' Nanotechnology Law and Business,
Volume 1, Issue 1, Article 5, 2004.
4. Uhlir, Nikolas J. ''Throwing a Wrench in the System: Size-Dependent Properties
Inherency, and Nanotech Patent Applications,'' The Federal Circuit Bar Journal,
16(3): pp 327-354, 2007.
5. Chen Lucian C. and Douglas Sharrott. ''Patenting Nanotech Inventions,'' Industrial
Biotenchnology, 1(3): pp 153-155, 2005.
6. Baluch, Andrew, Radomsky, Leon, and Maebius, Stephen. ''In re Kumar: The First
Nanotech Patent Case in the Federal Circuit,'' Nanotechnology Law and Business, 2(4):
pp 342-346, 2005.
