Mashed Articles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7417119.html

This patent from SRI International teaches a new way to conduct protein assembly to build complex molecular structures by using programmable charge patterns that can attract molecules in specified arrangements. Although I am generally sceptical of the popularized “nanorobot” version of nanotechnology, the technology covered by this patent has at least some possibility of leading in the direction of some sort of manufacturable nanobiorobot. Claim 1 reads:

1. A device for promoting the bonding of molecules from a medium containing unbound molecules of interest, said device comprising:

an addressable nanoscale array, said nanoscale array being multilayer and on a flexible substrate and wherein a charge pattern is imposable on a first surface of said addressable nanoscale array, such that the charge pattern is predetermined to selectively attract molecules from said medium and whereby, as a consequence of the attraction of the charge pattern, formation of bonds among said molecules of interest is effected.

Tags: device, Molecular, molecules, Nano, nanotech, patent, Patents, robot, substrate, Technology

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7412428.html

This patent is one in a series of patents from Alex Nugent who has come up with a variety of techniques to use nanoparticle based interconnections to simulate physical neural networks. One of the limitations of current artificial intelligence approaches is the reliance on software solutions which have an intrinsic delay required for the transfer of information between memory and a processor. On the other hand physical neural networks have the potential to integrate memory with processing. This latest patent teaches a system for applying a Hebbian learning process to a physical neutral network formed from nanoparticles, nanowires, or nanotubes.

1. A system, comprising:

a physical neural network configured utilizing nanotechnology and integrated with feedback circuitry, wherein said physical neural network comprises a plurality of nanoconductors comprising at least one of nanotubes, nanowires, or nanoparticles, suspended and free to move about in a dielectric medium and which form neural connections between pre-synaptic and post-synaptic components of said physical neural network; and

a learning mechanism for applying Hebbian learning to said physical neural network.

Tags: circuit, dba, information, Learning, memory, Nano, nanoparticles, nanotech, nanotube, nanotubes, nanowires, network, neural network, neural networks, neutral network, patent, Patents, processor, Software, system, Technology

Publicly traded Harris & Harris Group (TINY) provides investors direct exposure to pre-IPO investment in nanotech. The trouble for most mere mortals like me have is that it is tough to get even an idea of potential risk/reward of such a stock, leave alone analyze its fair price. You see the combination of lack of meaningful information on the pre-IPO holdings of Harris & Harris Group and lack of proven ways to identify and size potential market for companies in this space make it plain difficult to make a judgment call.

Check more of this article in Seeking Alpha: Harris & Harris: Speculative Nanotech Play

Tags: information, Nano, nanotech, space, XP