Highlights from the 2011 Tokyo Nanotechnology Expo

Posted on February 22, 2011

Subject(s):

Sci/Tech

Every year, some 800 companies and inventors from around the world gather for "nano tech," billed as the world's largest nanotechnology product expo. I caught the action this year at the Big Site center in Tokyo. Here are my standout pics.

Fair warning, if you're looking for microscopic robots, stop reading now. Nanotech in 2011 is still about using techniques at the nanoscale (one billionth of a meter in size) to fabricate new materials and make existing products better.

Supersmall LED Projector

This projector prototype developed by Michael Popall of Germany's Fraunhofer institute is just eleven millimeters square and three millimeters thick. It uses nanostructured lens arrays to record and project images in tremendous detail. At present, it can only project static images. Popall assures that with enough venture capital, he could get it to project full moving pictures. It's a movie theater on your lapel. Popall's hand is shown holding the prototype in this picture.

Super-conducting Alloy
Japanese computer giant Toshiba is heavily invested in superconducting magnetic energy storage or SMES. Why? when a semiconducter manufacturing plant experiences a sudden voltage drop, the entire assembly is harmed and millions of dollars fly out the door. These sudden voltage drops can occur as often as 20 times a year. SMES systems can help prevent damage during outages. Researchers are using nanotech to explore new alloys for use in these systems.

Carbo e-Therm
This is a highly conductive carbon/graphite mystery compound coating. That doesn't sound that interesting but this stuff is wild. It's basically a paint you can turn on or off to conduct either heat or electricity (you need to specify one or the other.) I walked up to this pedestal that was, as you can see, only lightly glazed with the carbo e-Therm and the stuff nearly burned my fingers! Twelve volts and you can heat the paint to 500 degrees. The company, Future Carbon out of Germany, is looking toward applications in cars for seat heating. It looks like ink. Nano-ink. Yuck.

Printable electronics
One of the more interesting applications of nanotechnology is the creation of inks capable of holding conductors, semi-conductors, and insulators allowing for the ability to "print" electronics. This is very much a future technology not yet cost-efficient for wide use. What you're looking at is fabric that conveys changing light patterns. One day, printable electronics could allow for jackets, patient gowns, or other clothing with IT capability. You might also see printable electronics used in future foldable (and much cheaper) computer displays.

Next-gen Fiberglass
You're looking at a talking cartoon image projected onto a piece of specially cut fiberglass. Nano-chemistry could allow for new screens that hold and display projected light in new and dynamic ways.

Iranian Synthetic Dirt
Have to admit, I didn't expect to be impressed with anything going on in the Iranian section, and I certainly didn't think I would ever be WOWed by nano-fabricated dirt. But these folks were cool and their invention rocks. The fellow in the picture is M.H. Nazaran of Iran's Sodour Ahrar Shargh Company. His team's invention is an iron chelate fertilizer that increases the speed of photosynthesis 3.5 times. That means you can grow vegetables three times as fast, which opens up possibilities for real urban farming. Imagine an Brooklyn rooftop garden that could actually supply you with your daily calorie needs! And unlike vegetable matter laced with growth hormones, their stuff actually tastes good and has added nutritional value, whereas growth hormone veggies are really just bigger. Three times the photosynthesis means three times the carbon absorption, too. And yes, they can make a nitrogen strain for algae.