Nanotech for everyone! The friendly, non-technical guide to the next industrial revolution.

• Discover the world's next $1 trillion industry!

• The easy-to-understand guide to nanoscale technology, science, business, and ethics

• Today's hottest nanotech research and tomorrow's hottest applications

• Nanobots, quantum and DNA computing, nanosensors, neuro-electronic interfaces, and much more

• Insider's assessment of the nanotechnology marketplace and investment opportunities

By 2015, nanotechnology could be a $1 trillion industry. Now, renowned nanotech pioneer Mark Ratner and technology entrepreneur Daniel Ratner show you how nanotech works, why it's so exciting, what's new, and what's next. They survey the entire field—technology and business—covering nanobots, molecular electronics, quantum computing, biostructures, nanotubes, molecular motors, nanosensors, and many other breakthrough applications. They provide easy-to-understand explanations of every key concept, plus dozens of visuals that bring nanotechnology to life. Coverage includes:

• A simple, brief, almost math-free introduction to nanotech science

• "Grand tour" of nanotech R&D, from "smart materials" to DNA computing

• Breakthrough biomedical applications, including neuro-electronic interfaces and new drug delivery systems

• Current and emerging nanotech systems for optoelectronics and communications

• Nanotech here and now: nano-enhanced tennis balls, suntan lotions, and other products already in the market

• A realistic assessment of nanotech investment opportunities for the short- and long-term

• Ethical issues associated with nanotech research and product development

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 29 Ratings

Medical: Quantam Dots, Colloids, Cantilevers, Dendrimers, Nanoshells - 2006-12-06
Reviewer Rating:
Quantum Dots contain only a few hundred atoms. Because the electrons in a quantum dot are confined to widely separated energy levels, the dot emits only one wavelength of light when excited. The size of the dot determines its electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. Quantum Dot Corporation has developed a QD cadmium selenide nanoparticle for use as biological labels. Researchers can tag proteins and nucleic acids with QD and illuminate them with ultraviolet light and the crystal will fluoresce at a specific wavelength and show the location of attached proteins. How does a QD work? An organic dye molecule absorbs only photons of light with just the right energy to lift its electrons from their quiescent state to one of the higher levels available to them. The incident light must be exactly the right wavelength or color. The molecule will emit a photon when the electron falls to a lower energy level.

Colloids: nanoparticles in suspension. IBM is exploring using colloids to build ultrahigh density data storage. IBM is using colloids containing magnetic nanoparticles 3 nm across, each composing of about 1,000 iron and platinum atoms. The colloid is spread on a surface and the solvent allowed to evaporate and these nanoparticles crytalize into 2 or 3 dimensional arrays. These arrays could hold trillions of bits per square inch.

Cantilevers: IBM is exploring using atomic force microscopes to screen samples for certain genetic sequences. They attach short strands of DNA to the tops of cantilevers. When genetic material carrying a complementary sequence binds to the anchored strands, it induces a surface stress, which bends the cantilevers subtly, by use nanometers, but enough for detection.

Dendrimers: An dendrimer is an artifical molecule. Dendrimers are globular molecules about the size of a typical protein, but they do not come apart or unfold because they are held together with stronger chemical bonds. Dendrimers can be engineered to transport DNA into cells for gene therapy. Dendrimers offer control. It may be possible to design dendrimers that spontaneously swell and liberate their contents oly when the appropriate trigger molecules are present. This ability would allow a custom-made dendrimer to release its load of drugs I just the tissues or organs needing treatment.

Nanoshells: Nanoshells are extremely small beads of glass coated with gold. Nanoshells capture energy in near-infrared fashion. Such a nanoshell could be made to deliver drug molecules at specific times by attaching it to a capsule made of heat-sensitive polymer. The capsule would release its contents only when gentle heating of the attached nonshell caused it to deform. Another more dramatic application envisions connecting nanoshells with antibodies. The antibodies attach to the tumor cells and the nanoshells are heated using high power infrared sufficiently to destroy the cancer cells, while leaving nearby tissue unharmed.

Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea - 2007-01-12
Reviewer Rating:
Good book for begginers. It starts simple and build you up. Not too many hard conecpts.

Great Book! - 2009-10-21
Reviewer Rating:
This book is so great if you are not a professional or not that much into deep information about the subject but it suggests some books for those interested in more deep information, but as I said if u r not a professional u will get the whole idea about the nanotechnology :D

One of Three Best Reads for Beginners to Nanotechnology - 2009-07-09
Reviewer Rating:
The discipline of Nanotechnology, as galmorous as it may sound in the media, can be very complex and confusing for a beginner when it comes to understanding and making sense of it. The follwoing three books can help a beginner to ease into this otherwise wonderful field:
1. This Book: Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea. This book introduces both aspects of nanotechnology: science and business. Most of the basic concepts of nanotechnology are covered in a simple way. You don't need to have any technical background to understand this book.The concepts are presented in such a way that they can be understood by readers of all backgrounds. On one hand it takes nontechnical readers on board, and at the same time it does not bore the technical readers either. With practical examples, you get a very good sense of what nanotechnology is up to.
2. Gateway to Nanotechnology: An Introduction to Nanotechnology for Beginner Students and Professionals. This book is written in the format of lecture notes; but very much self contained. Very good introduction to nanotechnology; presents simple exercises with solutions. It's printed in colors. By showing you how different fields have come together to give rise to the field of nanotechnology, it does an excellent job in deevloping the big picture of nanotechnology. In a very concise way, the book covers a wide spectrum of topics in nanotechnology including science behind nanotechnology; nanomaterial characterization; nanofabrication; nanooptics; Nanoelectronics; Nanobiotechnology; business and applications of nanotechnology; and environmental, health, and safety implications of nanotechnology. It provides more technical depth on topics than Ratner's book does. This book combined with Ratner's book will really make your entry into the field of Nanotechnology.

3. Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology This classic written by a visionary is a must for anyone interested in nanotechnology. This book not only visioned the development of nanotechnology it also acted as a catalyst for such development.

An excellent introduction to nanotechnology - 2009-03-09
Reviewer Rating:
Anybody without a technical background may be easily swayed by all the hype surrounding nanotechnology. Yes, nanotechnology does hold a lot of promise. But let's separate fact from fiction. "Nanotechnology, A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea" helps us do that. Co-authored by nanotech pioneer Mark Ratner, this book provides an easy to understand introduction to nanotechnology. It is for the non-technical reader wishing to gain a good understanding of this subject. Overall, the book presents scientific concepts in a way that can be understood by readers of any background. It uses graphics and pictures to illustrate certain ideas. It gives you just enough scientific background in order to understand how nanotechnology can be used in various types of applications ranging from computer chips to suntan lotion.

Nanotechnology is a multi-disciplinary field encompassing chemistry, physics, biology, computer science and a host of other applied sciences. In order to understand it, one needs to have a background in atoms and molecules. The book is successful in giving the reader this basic knowledge.

The authors do a good job in presenting scientific concepts in a way that ordinary readers will be able to relate to. For example, in order to explain how research in nanotechnology can further improve the way we harness the power of the sun, the authors had to explain photosynthesis. They did a good job in doing this that even a person far removed from his/her high school biology class will be able to understand it.

Overall, the book achieves its purpose of introducing the non-technical reader to nanotechnology. The writers' style of writing is lucid but at the same time engaging. Their method of describing everyday things familiar to us and relating these to the technical aspects of nanotechnology was very effective in explaining scientific concepts. The book covers a broad range of scientific fields reflecting nanotechnology's multi-disciplinary nature. After reading the book, a reader would have enough knowledge to discern what is fact and what is fiction.

An updated edition of the book is now warranted. New developments in this field have occurred since the book was published. Intel, for one, has already demonstrated its 32nm-based microprocessor. At the time the book was written, the existing chip technology that the authors mentioned was 130nm. Even with some examples already outdated though, I would highly recommend the book to anyone wishing to get a good understanding of nanotechnology. This book is truly a "Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea".

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