Nanotechnology is speaking!: new materials to cause rain

Needing rain desperately in my town and other parts of the world, I'd like to share an interesting study from London Centre for Nanotechnology and University College London. The article to introduce the study is titled "Molecular ice chain structure could be used to seed clouds and cause rain" and freshly uploaded on the Nanowerk site, waiting to be read:-)

The article reports that "This week's Nature Materials (9 March 2009) reveals how an international team of scientists led by researchers at the London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) at UCL have discovered a novel one dimensional ice chain structure built from pentagons that may prove to be a step toward the development of new materials which can be used to seed clouds and cause rain."

Dr Michaelides says: "For the first time, we have shown that ice can build an extended one dimensional chain structure entirely from pentagons and not hexagons. This discovery leads to fundamental new understanding about the nature of hydrogen bonding at interfaces (there is no a priori rule that hexagons should form) and suggests that when people are searching for new ice nucleating agents which can be used to seed clouds and cause rain, they do not necessarily need to focus on materials that have hexagonal surfaces - other types of surfaces may be good too."

Look forward to more progressing studies in this area! Your thoughts?

Regards,
Mehmet

Dr. Mehmet YILDIZ || IBM || IT Business Philosophy || Paradigm Shift for 2050s|| My blog || Twitter || Linkedin.

NanoPen may write new chapter in nanotechnology, in business and in our lives

Writing devices such as pen, pencil and even keyboards were so important once but are taken for granted nowadays. They are important communication enablers; we only appreciate their importance when they disappear in those awkward moments someone will give you an important information and you are in the middle of nowhere with a pen.

In this post I'd like to introduce and cite a new concept called "NanoPen" which is now at conceptual stage and discussed for possibilities in the body of knowledge.

Here is an excerpt from the article titled "NanoPen may write new chapter in nanotechnology manufacturing" "Researchers in California are reporting development of a so-called "NanoPen" that could provide a quick, convenient way of laying down patterns of nanoparticles — from wires to circuits — for making futuristic electronic devices, medical diagnostic tests, and other much-anticipated nanotechnology applications."

This just reminded me an episode in SpongeBob where with his pen he creates himself or new creatures; however he regrets at some point!

A NanoPen could change the world but we need to invest a lot of brain power and financial investment on it. What do you see the opportunities, possibilities and implications for such a breakthrough device?

Regards,
Mehmet

Dr. Mehmet YILDIZ || IBM || IT Philosophy || Future|| Leadership || My blog || Twitter || Linkedin || Yasni ||Google || Naymz

Magic Quadrant for Information Access Technology for 2008

I have just completed reviewing a second report from Gartner today. Here is Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Information Access Technology for 2008 which I wanted to share the source, provide you with some thoughts and start discussion on this topic.

In the paper, Gartner "considers all enterprise search vendors to be information access technology vendors. However, those that only offer search capabilities (frequently called "keyword search") are neither Visionaries nor candidates for the Leaders quadrant, although they are part of the market. Finding information, and acting on it intelligently, demands increasingly sophisticated and innovative strategies and technologies".

The following diagram depicts the leaders, challengers, visionaries and niche players:


I'd like to obtain your views on the analysis in the Gartner's report. It will be insightful to share your personal experience on Information Access Technologies.