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JULY 18th, 2005
UCLA Researchers Usher in Molecular Electronics Age - Demonstrate
Molecular Nano Valve – Molecular Filter Based on Bistable Molecular Switch
Under funding from the National Science Foundation, researchers at the University of California
at Los Angeles have developed a nano valve that is capable of controlling the passage of molecules. A discussion of
the work is to be published in the July 19th issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. . According to
Jeffrey I. Zink, one of the researchers at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA, "This paper demonstrates unequivocally
that the machine works. With the nano valve, we can trap and release molecules on demand. We are able to control molecules
at the nano scale." Professor Zink also indicated that the new device has the potential be used as a drug delivery system.
The device can be used to both trap and release molecules.
The lead author on the paper, Thoi Nguyen, described the nano valve’s
operation, "The valve is like a mechanical system that we can control like a water faucet. Trapping the molecule inside and
shutting the valve tightly was a challenge. The first valves we produced leaked slightly."
The nano valve uses switchable rotaxane molecules (redox-activated
bistable), which are described as moving parts that are similar in appearance to linear motors. The nano valve demonstrated
was attached to glass or porous silica, which measured 500 nanometers, and is punctuated with pores that are only a few nanometers.
Commenting on the pores, Zink said, "It's big enough to let molecules in and out, but small enough so that the switchable
rotaxane molecules can block the hole."
The nano valve is opened and shut with a power supply that is molecular
in nature itself. A single electron serves as the basis chemical energy that opens and closes the valve. A luminescent molecule
is used to indicate if a molecule has been captured.
California NanoSystems Institute director Fraser Stoddart characterized
the behavior of the nano valve in relation to silicon, "The fact that we can take a bistable molecule that behaves as a switch
in a silicon-based electronic device at the nanoscale level and fabricate it differently to work as part of a nano valve on
porous silica is something I find really satisfying about this piece of research. It shows that these little pieces of molecular
machinery are highly adaptable and resourceful, and means that we can move around in the nanoworld with the same molecular
tool kit and adapt it to different needs on demand."
Switchable rotaxanes, according to UCLA, have already been used
in molecular electronics, which the UCLA team under the direction of Stoddart, are being adapted for artificial molecular
machinery applications.
The integrated circuit age was also ushered in with a switch device,
the diode and transistor, which has formed the basis for the integrated circuit, a device which now days can easily contain
over a billion transistors connected together to form an advanced system. The same basic hierarchical technology used to design
integrated circuits, known as Electronic Design Automation (EDA), may also be fundamental to the design of molecular systems
that may one day also contain billions if not trillions of nano valves.
JULY 18th, 2005
3M Electronics is scheduled to present its development efforts in
the area of microfluidics and microinterconnect technology at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry's (AACC's) 2005
Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Exposition in Orlando, Florida. The meeting, scheduled for July 24 to July 28 2005 will take
place at the Orange County Convention Center. There, Nate P. Kreutter, advanced product development specialist at 3M Electronics
will present on the 26th, "Polymer microfluidic devices with integrated electrodes" at 8 a.m. One of the topics of the lecture
will be on the use of polymer patterning to create electrodes that can be integrated into microfluidic channels. Other related
subjects include electrochemical analysis, electrokinetic transport and capillary electrophoresis as related to microinterconnect
technology used in microfluidic systems.
JULY 15th, 2005
As part of a share exchange agreement, iCurie Lab Holdings Limited,
based in the United Kingdom, has become a wholly owned subsidiary of iCurie, Inc. (OTCBB: CMTD). It was also reported that
iCurie Inc., referred to as iCurie US closed a $17 million private placement just recently on July 11th, 2005.
Chief Technology Officer, Jeong Hyun Lee, Ph.D. on the announcement commented on the new business structure and the
company’s technology, "I'm pleased to have passed another important milestone with iCurie. From our research and development
center in South Korea, we have created an excellent portfolio of cooling devices based on nano thermofluid technology. This
restructuring and financing gives us the strength and stability to commercialize our great technology."
ICurie develops solutions that lower the temperature of devices used in the electronic industry. ICurie has patents
that are based on thermofluidic nanotechnology concepts.
JULY 12th, 2005
TeraVicta Announces Availability of 7 GHz SPDT RF MEMS
Switch and Developers Kit
TeraVicta Technologies, as part of its appearance at the Semicon West Exhibit in San
Francisco this week, has announced that its single-pole double-throw (SPDT) reflective RF MEMS switch is now available. The
switch, called, the TT712-68CSP, comes complete with a developer’s kit, which includes an evaluation board and application
notes.
The company also released detailed electrical specifications of
the 3 Volt RF switch. These include a frequency range of DC to 7 GHz, isolation of 35 dB at 1 GHz, an insertion loss of 0.1
dB at 1 GHz, a power consumption of less than 10 microwatts at 68 Volts, a Peak RF power of 30 watts, and a switching speed
of less than 100 milliseconds. The MEMS device comes packaged in a very tiny 3.25mm x 4.5mm x 1.25mm (CSP-12) package. Reliability
is rated at 100 million cycles.
The device is intended for a broad range of RF switching applications
where high isolation, high linearity and low insertion loss are critical. Some typical applications include automated test
equipment, instrumentation, multi-band and multi-mode devices.
JULY 12th, 2005
Honeywell (NYSE:HON) has reported that it will invest over the next
five years at least $5 million in Albany NanoTech, a nanoelectronic research facility affiliated with the University at Albany
(SUNY).. The investment is intended to enhance Honeywell’s existing nanomaterials development work.
As part of the investment, Honeywell plans to add laboratory equipment
and its own researchers at Albany NanoTech’s research center. There it will work on nanomaterials for the further development
of semiconductor manufacturing processes. According to Dr. Saket Chadda, Chief Technology Officer at Honeywell Electronic
Materials, "Honeywell Electronic Materials has long been a leader in innovative materials which are the critical building
blocks for integrated circuit chip production. This investment will allow us to continue to develop new materials critical
to continuing the relentless pace of circuit miniaturization."
The facility at Albany NanoTech is 450,000 square feet and contains
a 200 mm / 300 mm wafer facility for the development of advanced integrated circuits, which include System-on-Chip, biochips,
photonic devices, sensors and high-speed communications devices. The fab is housed in a 65,000 square foot Class 1 clean room.
The Albany NanoTech facility is part of a $1.4 billion project by
the State of New York and a number of industrial partners to establish five Centers of Excellence for the further development
of nanoelectronics and other advanced technologies.
JULY 11th, 2005
The announcement out of UC Berkeley of the construction of a nanofluidic
transistor offers further evidence that the analysis of cells and their associated DNA will become more systematic in the
future. As well it also portends the coming of bioelectronic systems, which could integrate living cells, DNA and silicon
electronic technology to work together to form hybrid thinking machines, also referred to as molecular processors.
The nanofluidic transistor constructed, also referred to as unipolar
ionic field-effect transistor, similar in name to a semiconductor MOSFET(metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor),
shut off potassium ion flow through water - analogous to a MOSFET shutting off electron flow. The tiny device structure consisted
of a 35 nanometer high channel between two silicon dioxide plates. However, unlike present day MOSFETs, which can shut off
current flow with a 1 volt potential, it took a voltage of 75 volts to close the channel to the passage of the potassium ions
– a voltage that would make it difficult to integrate a dense system-on-a-chip of integrated nanotubes to enable the
mass-scale separation of negative and positive ions.
The system eventually has the potential to act as a virtual
valve, fundamental to a larger integrated system, which would screen for specific diseases. The Berkeley team visualizes
a disease screening device that is based on a nanotube coated with antigens. When antibodies that are specific to a
specific disease flow through the antigen lined nanotube, the antigen and antibody would attract, resulting in the blocking
the flow of liquid through the tube and changing the electrical current – indicating the presence of a specific disease.
The work at Berkeley has been supported by the National Cancer Institute
as a way to devise a test that can detect the presence of prostrate cancer. However it is also seen as the first step towards
integration of silicon with floating molecules, enabling a decisively different way to perform mathematically intensive computations.
JULY 11th, 2005
QinetiQ has reported that new European Union legislation related
to vibration in vehicles called the “'Control of vibration at work regulations 2005 is scheduled to become law. The
law seeks to minimize the effect of vehicle vibration on back injuries. Specifically pointed out by QinetiQ was that military
off-road vehicles would be effected as well as construction, mining and agricultural vehicles. According to QinetiQ's Centre
for Human Sciences MD, Neville Salkeld, "Up until now, UK daily exposure to WBV levels in vehicles has been subject to guidelines
only, but from 6 July new legislation will introduce daily 'action' and 'limit' values to vibration exposure. The Health &
Safety Executive will police the new law and ensure that employers undertake risk assessments and take measures to eliminate
or minimise employees' daily exposure."
QinetiQ also points out that the new regulations will also apply
to workers who use vibration intensive tools. These include the obvious, such as chainsaws and power hammers. According to
QinetiQ, the overuse of these tools can lend themselves to a number of painful and unusual medical conditions, not to mention
the possibility of increased insurance costs and disability payments.
JULY 8th, 2005
As the lead partner of a regional consortium, the University of
Washington was awarded a $15.4 million grant to develop an advanced, portable medical diagnostic system that can be used to
quickly diagnose diseases anywhere a health worker can walk to. From the list of companies involved in the project, which
includes Nanogen, the silicon microarray company, Micronics, the lab-on-a-card company, and PATH, a non-profit health strategy
company, the road points to a device that combines the latest miniaturized microfluidic analysis and sampling technology with
the latest genetic clinical analysis technology.
Commenting on the group was Paul Yager, lead investigator on
the project and Vice Chair and Professor at the University of Washington’s Department of Bioengineering, "This is a
formidable group. Each partner brings vital skills and experience to the mix. I believe this combination is what led to our
being selected from such a wide range of applicants and it's what will make our efforts successful.”
The award is one of 43 research projects that have been funded through
the $436 million Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative. The initiative is specifically focused to improve health care
and provide treatment for the diseases of the poor, the majority of diseases. That market is considered under served because
of market dynamics and differences in cost of living in different geographic areas.
The target size for the final working system is expected to fit
in a pocket, or about the size of a handheld computer.
JUNE 30th, 2005
Rensselaer Polytechnic Develops Nanobrushes for Wide Range of Applications
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has reported on the development of nanobrushes. The new nanobrushes, according to
the institute have applications in electronic, biomedical and environmental areas. Primarily, the main application, as to
date, would be to replace and significantly enhance existing cleaning technologies, such as large brushes used to clean away
foreign materials that result in short circuits on circuit boards.
The brushes, based on carbon nanotubes, have already been tested
for such applications as cleaning microscopic surfaces, as very tiny electrical contacts, for the removal of nanoparticles
in microscopic grooves, the internal coating of a 300 micrometer capillary tube, and as electromechanical switches in micromotors.
The carbon nanotube bristles, which conduct electricity, were grown onto brush handles made from silicon carbide fibers. The
technique used permitted the researchers to control the location where bristles were desired.
Pulickel Ajayan, the Henry Burlage Professor of Materials Science
and Engineering at Rensselaer also discussed medical and environmental applications. Such applications include the cleaning
of deposits in arteries, and the cleaning of metallic contaminated water. He indicated that toxic silver ions in a water based
solution were absorbed by the nanobrush. Also noted was the nanobrushes pliability, light weight and heat resistance, which
would enable them to replace a number of other current large scale brush applications.
Rensselaer's National Science
Foundation - Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for Directed Assembly of Nanostructures, and the Interconnect Focus
Center (IFC) funded the research.
JUNE 27th, 2005
Through Canada’s Economic Development agency and the National
Research Council of Canada (NRC) has come news that the Government of Canada has invested $4.55 million in the Canadian Business
Alliance. The alliance with the NRC plans to use the funds to establish a nanoimprint lithography prototyping facility. The
nanofabrication centre has been planned for NRC's industrial materials research complex in Boucherville, Quebec Canada. The
facility is already home to an existing NanoImprint Lithography facility.
Dr. Pierre Coulombe, President of the National Research Council
of Canada, noted that nanotechnology was important to clean energy development in addition to electronic and biotechnology,
"The field of nanotechnology is having an enormous impact on the development of technologies as diverse as electronic and
photonic devices to biotechnology and clean energy production. This new complex will build upon NRC's expertise in this vital
field, and will support and accelerate the commercialization of leading-edge, Canadian nanotechnology research."
JUNE 22nd, 2005
Molecular Imprints, Inc., a provider of nanoimprint systems with
feature capabilities in the order of 20 nanometers, has sold its
Imprio systems to three nanotechnology research organizations.
These include Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's Molecular Foundry, the Microelectronics Research Center at the University of
Texas at Austin, and the Pennsylvania State Nanofabrication Facility.
The tools are expected to be used to conduct material research relevant
to the development of biosensors, nanophotonics, and optoelectronics.
JUNE 22nd, 2005
The Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania (LSGPA) has
made an investment of $250,000 for the development of biological and chemical sensors. Hanson Technologies Inc. received the
funding, which is expected to be matched by other investors. Ben Franklin Technology Partners recently approved over $129,00
in funding for Hanson to develop its sensor technology.
Hanson is involved in the development of tests for Mad Cow disease.
According to Chairman and CEO, William Hanson, "There is a growing sentiment among consumers and health officials that the
United States should test as many cattle as possible to allow unfettered access to export markets and that transition can
only occur when the next generation of BSE diagnostic equipment, like what we are developing, is introduced. We are very excited
about the investment by the Life Sciences Greenhouse and believe it will be critical to the refinement of our patented and
licensed technology." According to Hanson in 2004 alone there were over 11 million Mad Cow tests performed.
Hanson, which has developed a definitive test for the determination
of mad cow disease (BSE Prion Detection), also indicates that other applications for its sensor technology include milk antibiotics
testing and infectious disease testing.
JUNE 21st, 2005
Psivida has announced the issuance of another patent. This patent,
a Korean patent, refers to the electronic based properties of BioSilicon, the company's silicon based tissue repair scaffolds.
BioSilicon scaffolds give a directed path for tissue to attach itself to and grow.
One of the applications Psivida refers to the use of Micro-electro-mechanical
devices to assist in the implant process and for hip and knee prostheses applications. One use of MEMS devices is to measure
bone strength and strain. Hip replacement operations require significant post-operative monitoring to ensure that the replacement
procedure doesn't result in complications.
pSivida Managing Director, Gavin Rezos summarized the market
briefly, "The global market for products enhancing bone growth and fusion is growing rapidly and this trend is likely to continue
as the requirement for specialist management of a variety of orthopedic conditions increases."
The patent was assigned Korean Patent Number 488643.
JUNE 21st, 2005
Nanowires Overcome Yield Problems in IC Design
In the search for the perfect wire, Hewlett-Packard indicates that nanowires could replace
current day aluminum and copper traces used to connect chip transistors. Traces, or interconnects, can contribute to
over 50 percent of the silicon area in today's chip design, and result in significantly slower operating speeds and lower
system clock frequencies.
One method Hewlett-Packard plans to use to overcome low yield problems
is to create redundant nanotube interconnects. Nanotubes are apparently small enough and contribute so little in terms of
propagation delay, and power consumption, a generous number of spare nanotube wires could be added to an integrated circuit
design. They could then be configured, on fault detect, to bypass broken open-circuited nano-tubes interconnects.
According to Stan Williams, HP Senior Fellow and Director, "By using
a crossbar architecture and adding 50 percent more wires as an 'insurance policy,' we believe it will be possible to fabricate
nano-electronic circuits with nearly perfect yields even though the probability of broken components will be high."
JUNE 21st, 2005
Sending 10 Ghz signals down integrated circuit wires is difficult
for today's CMOS integrated circuits. One reason is the delay induced by the interconnects. In order to solve that problem,
scientists at the University of California, Henry Samueli School of Engineering, have used nanotubes to determine the delay
properties of nanotube wires.
Peter Burke, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer
Science, "Our prior research showed that nanotube transistors can operate at extremely high frequencies, but the connections
between the transistors were made out of somewhat slower copper, thus forming a bottleneck for the electrical signals," "In
this technology we show that nanotubes can also quickly route electronic signals from one transistor to another, thus removing
the bottleneck."
The next step Burke and his collaborators at the university’s
Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility are working on is the construction of a complete nanotube circuit. For that project
the researchers will put together both nanotube interconnect and nanotube transistors to form an electrical circuit
function.
The university also reports that the technology was presented in
the June 2005 issue of Nano Letters.
JUNE 21st, 2005
Microbridge Technologies Corp., known for its micro-electro-mechanical
Rejustor, an electronically adjustable resistor, has selected Intellisense Software Corporation's Intellisuite for the development
of the Rejustor.
According to Mike Foster, CEO of Microbridge, the tool will be a
versatile platform for many of the company's design needs, "IntelliSuite is an effective platform for communicating process
design, device and package design, physical layout, and analysis information. It allows our device, process, package and system
engineers to speak a common language and communicate effectively."
David Harris, VP of Strategic Sales at Intellisense, commented on
the tool's materials capability and how it has been designed to work with not only specific processes, but also with specific
fabrication machines, "Besides acting as a comprehensive simulation, modeling, analysis and synthesis tool for MEMS, IntelliSuite
is a very efficient communication platform, allowing different design and fabrication organizations world wide to communicate
design and process information within a common design and material property platform. IntelliSuite is designed around collaboration,
allowing the design team and the process team to work together to create MEMS Rejustor devices that can be prototyped and
manufactured with lower cost and faster time to market. IntelliSuite starts the design process not from device geometry but
from fabrication machine settings."
JUNE 21st, 2005
Siemens through a signed agreement with Sensant Corporation
to acquire the company, will have available Sensant’s micromaching technology to develop Capacitive Microfabricated
Ultrasonic Transducers (CMUT) for use in medical imaging applications. These types of transducers are expected to enable what
Siemens calls 3D / 4D volumetric imaging systems.
Klaus Hambuechen, President and CEO of Siemens Medical Solutions
Ultrasound Division, mentioned that, "Not only should this technology enable higher frequency imaging, which will allow clinicians
to view the smallest details within the body, but the integrated circuit technology should also deliver superior quality control
and manufacturing processes. Additionally, it will be easier to tightly integrate the electronics of the transducer and the
ultrasound system. This improved integration is where the greatest possibilities for ultrasound imaging and manufacturing
advancements can be realized, especially in the area of volumetric (4D) imaging."
To discuss the capability of silicon ultrasound technology
to enable a better understanding of disease and lower medical care costs was Igal Ladabaum, CEO of Sensant Corporation, "We
believe the combination of technologies from Sensant Corp. and Siemens Ultrasound will position the company to streamline
advanced transducer development through the power of silicon ultrasound technology and allow the realization of cost-effective
two dimensional (2D) matrix array transducers capable of volumetric 4D imaging. As a result, complete detailed volume images
will enable a better understanding of disease in 3D and will simplify image acquisition and interpretation. By enabling clinicians
to reach a confident diagnosis faster and more easily, volumetric 4D imaging will improve patient care and reduce overall
costs to patients and the healthcare system."
The CMUT ultrasonic transducers look and operate like miniature
drums. Seven of the tiny drums, fit into the width of a hair will transmit and receive sounds. In order to develop complete
ultrasound subsystems, hundreds or even thousands of the drums are integrated into a chip or tiny ultrasound catheters –
to take precise ultrasonic pictures of very small internal forms.
Hambuechen emphasized the critical size, "The size of catheter transducers
is critical in diagnostic imaging and the CMUT technology should further enable the development of miniaturized catheter transducers,
enabling clinicians to better visualize functionality within the heart, for example, where plaque or obstructions could be
more easily detected."
Hambuechen also commented on the breaking of a new medical imaging
cost-performance barrier, "As a result, we anticipate quality to be increased and costs to be reduced, which would improve
access for clinicians and patients to advanced diagnostic technologies like the AcuNav catheter."
The technology however is not expected to be available for two to
three years. Plans are to integrate the technology into a complete line of ultrasound imaging systems.
JUNE 20th, 2005
Like out of the age-old fairly tale of Rumplestilsken, where the woman
spins golden yarn, scientists have now been able to spin multifunctional yarns from carbon nanofibers. Scientists at The University
of Texas at Dallas [UTD] NanoTech Institute and an Australian textile spinner expert were awarded the New Materials Innovation
Prize of the Avantex International Forum for Innovative Textiles. The scientists were awarded the prize for a process they
have developed that enables trillions of nanosize fibers to be spun into super-strength electronic conducting yarn. The yarn
has numerous applications in medicine, energy and electronics. In the medical area, artificial muscles was one application
noted.
The three that were awarded the prize were Dr. Mei Zhang and Dr. Ray
H. Baughman of the UTD NanoTech Institute and Dr. Ken Atkinson of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
[CSIRO]. Dr. Atkinson is known as an expert in wool spinning technology at the Australian national laboratory.
The patent pending technology, which is co-owned by UTD and CSIRO,
indicate that the nanotube yarn spinning process can be applied to the production of a number of specific products. These
include building materials, conductive and protective textiles, displays, fuel cells, sensors, supercapacitors, and thermal
heat pipes.
The licenses for these patents are expected to be made available in
November.
JUNE 17th, 2005
Crossbow Arranges $12 Million in New Round of Financing
from Intel and Cisco
Crossbow Technology, known for its Smart Dust wireless sensors, has rounded up $12 million
in its latest round of financing. Besides investments from well known Intel Capital and Cisco Systems, the company also received
an investment from Paladin Capital Group.
Commenting on the investment and Crossbow's profitability was Crossbow's
President and CEO, Mike Horton, "Crossbow has been profitable since 2002, and this additional working capital will help us
expand both our international operations and the company's research and development programs. This is Paladin Capital Group
and Cisco Systems' first investment in Crossbow, and a follow-on investment for Intel Capital. "To have both the worldwide
leader in networking for the Internet and the world's largest chip maker invest in Crossbow puts us in a unique position.
In addition to the investments, Crossbow will have technology collaboration projects underway with Cisco and Intel."
The news of the funding follows closely with the news of the release
of Crossbow's new sensor device targeted at the industrial automation market. That device will enable a number of new and
interesting applications related to robotic miniature airplanes that could possible serve as point-to-point or as-the-crow
fly package delivery systems for large corporate campuses and industrial complexes.
Founded in 1995, Crossbow has shipped more than 500,000 of its advanced
sensors to over 1,000 customers. Its sensor technology is based on micromachine, otherwise known as micro-electro-mechanical
system (MEMS) technology.
JUNE 17th, 2005
LTX Corp Develops Pin Controller for Micromachine Relay
LTX Corp. has been awarded a patent for a pin controller invention to interface to a micromachine
relay for automated test equipment applications. The patent number assigned by the United States Patent Office was 6,903,562.
The patent is entitled, “Integrated micromachine relay for automated test equipment applications.”
JUNE 14th, 2005
Self-Assembling Polymer Nanocomposites Reported as Promising
Solar Cell and Display Technology
The U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory reports that polymer nanocomposites
may have broad implications for the development of solar cells with higher efficiency ratings, displays that are thinner,
and biosensors.
Polymer nanocomposites, the laboratory notes, have the natural ability
to self-organize or self-assemble into building blocks that have dimensions in the order of a nanometer. According to Tom
Vogt, a physicist at Brookhaven, "Polymer nanocomposites have been attracting a lot of attention because of their potential
to improve many technologies. The polymer imparts unique mechanical properties, such as the ability to bend and stretch, and
both components are good electrical conductors." The polymer component referred to here is polyaniline. Specifically for the
case cited, the polymer component was combined with the metal vanadium to form vanadium oxide.
Stratcor, Inc. based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a supplier of high
purity vanadium oxide. That company indicates that vanadium can be used to double the strength of steel.
JUNE 13th, 2005
Based on an array of vertically aligned collector nanostructures
that include nanotubes, nanowires, nanofibers or nanoparticle chains, NanoHorizons has now made available a new photovoltaic
cell design through a license program. The company indicates that the technology permits the production of solar cells on
common materials that can be inexpensively produced with low cost roll or spray based manufacturing processes. The company
also noted that because the design lengthens the light absorption path, the efficiency of solar cells has been "dramatically"
increased. According to one of the co-inventors, Dr. Ali Kaan Kalkan, the design overcomes the inefficiencies of the traditional
layered design approach, "Layered designs face an inherent paradox. Thicker light-absorbing layers are needed to capture sufficient
light energy, but their thickness makes it difficult for electrons to reach collection layers. Thinner layers reduce loss,
but thin layers absorb too little light. What's been needed is a new approach that allows the light absorption path to be
optimally long, while simultaneously moving efficient collection much closer to the source of energized electrons."
Stephen Fonash, PhD., founder of NanoHorizons and another co-inventor
elaborated further, "Solar energy development has been held up by barriers inherent in cell design. These barriers have now
been broken. Our nanoscale approach can enable collection lengths as small as a few tens of nanometers, opening the door to
the use of inexpensive materials and fabrication processes, while simultaneously enabling a truly optimized absorption length.
This technology is poised to greatly stimulate growth in the solar energy and Organic LED sectors."
NanoHorizons also indicates that the integration of its vertical
nano-spike collectors into the absorption material permits energy collection at 90 degrees to the absorption process, which
permits according to the company, "an optimally thick absorption layer while dramatically shortening collection distance by
as much as 1000-fold (tens of nanometers vs. tens of microns in today's best two-layer cells)."
NanoHorizons also reported that it has received notice of allowance
from the United States Patent Office for the technology.
JUNE 10th, 2005
MEMS Development Company, SwRI, Develops Low-Cost, Easy Maintenance,
Portable Gas Turbine
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), a diversified research organization with significant operations
in energy generation and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), has developed a radial flow gas turbine. The turbine was
developed as an alternative to the over 50,000 technically complex industrial complex turbines that are in use today. The
traditional turbines to be replaced, the organization notes, in general, have over 1,000 moving parts.
Dr. Klaus Brun, who was instrumental in the development of the design
at SwRI's Mechanical and Materials Engineering Division, highlighted the fundamental differences in the design and primary
commercialization features, "The fundamental difference between the SwRI centrifugal gas turbine and conventional gas turbines
is that the compressor and turbine section are installed on the same side of the rotating wheel, while the combustor and nozzle
are mounted on the stationary shroud. This is the most basic arrangement possible and allows the design to be extremely rugged,
simple and inexpensive to manufacture. The entire gas turbine assembly consists of only two relatively easy-to-manufacture
components. Because there is only one rotating part, costs of manufacture, maintenance, repair and replacement are low."
JUNE 10th, 2005
Two companies that have been the target of venture capital funding,
Konarka Technologies, Inc. and Solaris Nanosciences, have joined forces through a joint development agreement. As part of
that agreement, the two companies will evaluate solar cell technology that comes as a result of the combination of Konarka's
light activated power plastic and Solaris's nanoscale metallic light oriented structures.
Executives at both companies talked with interest about the combination
of the two company's technologies. Russell Gaudiana, Ph.D., Vice President of R&D at Konarka spoke about the company's
goal to bring solar technology to its zenith, "One of Konarka's goals is to push photovoltaic science as far and as fast as
possible, and exploring how well our materials work with Solaris' in a shared program is one way to make that happen. Konarka's
solutions are chemistry-agnostic. We believe in finding the best possible combination of materials to create power plastic
that meets the performance needed for a specific application, and this project with Solaris holds promise."
Robert Afzal, the Vice President of R&D at Solaris Nanosciences
talked about the concept of the solar antenna, "Through our proprietary nanotechnology, we uniquely design the optical properties
of our NanoAntenna materials. Our nano-antennas enhance the absorption of the solar spectrum much like a conventional antenna
enhances the reception of a radio receiver. This leads to high absorption in thinner structures with highly favorable electrical
properties possibly resulting in higher efficiencies."
The companies indicated that Solaris' nanoscale metallic structures
are to be used as an additive to Konarka's light sensitizing materials. The metallic structures are said to attract light
sensitive molecules - acting as nanoantennas. One inference is that the metallic nanostructures offer lower resistance to
light.
JUNE 9th, 2005
Optosecurity Lands $2.4 Million in First Round
Optosecurity, Inc., a company with luggage and cargo screening technology, has closed a $2.4
million (Canadian) investment round. This first round was led by Business Development Bank of Canada Seed Investment Group
and included funding from Innovatech Quebec.
Eric Bergeron, President and CEO of Optosecurity, noted the initial
market response to its technology "Government regulators and screening equipment vendors from around the world immediately
recognized how unique and valuable Optosecurity products and technology can be -- we are actively in discussions with several
partners who appreciate the full impact of our technology and how it will revolutionize security screening."
Elaborating slightly on the nature of the technology was Jean-Guy
Paquet, President and CEO of INO, "We are delighted that Optosecurity has obtained financing which will allow this promising
company to break new grounds with the use of the Optical Computing technology. We are very happy to once again offer the private
sector INO's vast expertise developed over the years through our team of qualified researchers."
Optosecurity's product, which is used in the design of systems for
the detection of weapons or explosives is based on the Optical Correlator. The company obtained exclusive rights for the Optical
Correlator from the National Optics Institute (INO), which spun-off Optosecurity. INO is considered Canada's largest R&D
center in applied photonics. INO research operations are focused on microoptic technology based on micro-electro-mechanical
system (MEMS) optics. The organization uses software from ANSYS to simulate its microoptic based MEMS designs.
JUNE 8th, 2005
ANSYS Latest Revision Reduces RF IC and RF - MEMS Simulation
Time 50 Percent
ANSYS, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANSS), announced the latest revision of its ANSYS multi-physics software
package. Version 10 now includes a new size optimized modal port definition for high frequency electromagnetic simulation
of transmission lines. The modal is used for applications such as Radio Frequency Identification, integrated circuit, Micro-Electro-Mechanical
Systems (MEMS) and general purpose Radio Frequency device simulation. The company reported that the smaller size of the modal
resulted in a reduction in solution time (simulation time) and memory requirements in the range of 30 to 50 percent. Also
thermoelastic damping was added to the software's structural thermal electric coupling capabilities for the simulation of
resonator beams found in MEMS devices.
On release of Version 10.0, Jim Cashman, ANSYS's CEO, indicated
that the company's development strategy was modified to meet convergence trends in the technology markets, "ANSYS 10.0 represents
the latest in integrated CAE capability, building upon the significant advances we delivered in ANSYS 9.0. We have continued
to increase the breadth and depth of the ANSYS simulation technology, while at the same time establishing an unprecedented
level of interoperability between all forms of simulation and analysis. Taking full advantage of the ANSYS Workbench infrastructure
for integrated CAE, we have created a more seamless approach for meshing and modeling, simulation and analysis, and post-processing.
Our world-class capabilities in each of the forms of analysis such as structural, thermal and fluids are all together as part
of ANSYS 10.0."
Future generations of MEMs designs as well as system level designs
are expected to further the need to combine the capability to co-simulate electronic circuits and micromechanical, microelectrical,
microoptical, and microfluidic devices. As well, new design demands will require engineers to determine the effects of different
nanomaterials, temperature variations and electromagnetic fields on microstructural performance.
JUNE 8th, 2005
Twenty molecules attached to a silicon wafer have gained the title
of the world’s smallest transistor. Reports indicate that the transistor is over one-thousand times smaller than today's
modern transistors, which are in the order of 1 square micron. Besides a great reduction in area, the new molecular transistor
requires only one-millionth of the power of today’s transistors. The transistor was developed at the National Institute
for Nanotechnology in Edmonton.
Unfortunately, the world’s smallest transistor comes with
a large price tag. The development stage transistor requires a million dollar microscope to position a metal probe over the
molecule to turn it on and off.
JUNE 6th, 2005
EnOcean Brings Out Solar Powered Wireless Sensor - Transmits
300 Meters
Designed for a number of wireless sensor applications, which range from industrial to household
applications, EnOcean has introduced its STM100 solar powered wireless sensor module. Based on a custom two-stage solar cell,
the (2 x 4 x 1 cm) device includes a solar cell energy source, an energy reservoir, sensor interface, analog and digital sensor,
a microprocessor and a radio transmitter.
Armin Anders, EnOcean's VP of Product Marketing gave further details
about EnOcean's technology, "EnOcean's patented technology lets STM100 generate a surprisingly long-range radio signal with
extremely minute amounts of harvested energy. With just 50 microwatts, a standard EnOcean transmitter will comfortably send
a signal 300 meters outdoors, 30 meters indoors through walls. The secret is in the signal duration; the entire process is
initiated, undertaken and completed in approximately 1/1000 of a second."
Christian Genter, CEO of Omnio AG, a manufacturer of building automation
systems, noted the battery free and other benefits of EnOcean's product, "EnOcean-based systems allow us to deliver unmatched
sensor networking flexibility via battery-free, maintenance-free wireless switches, temperature sensors and window contacts.
The system provides unmatched simplicity through an ingenious 'learn-in' programming feature that doesn't require time-consuming
PC programming or personnel training."
JUNE 3rd, 2005
Raymor Industries Inc. (TSX VENTURE:RAR) reported a contract for
Titanium powder production with The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA). Raymor reported that with other negotiations underway, it anticipates
the installation of a second reactor for the production of the powder. Estimated revenue per reactor, per year, was given
at $3.5 million. Boeing plans to use the powder for aerospace applications.
Raymor's nanopowder products are based on the plasma atomization
process developed in the early 1990s at Hydro-Quebec's Shawinigan laboratory.
JUNE 2, 2005
Paratek Microwave, Inc., a company that has several patents and
RF wireless products based on nano-cyrstalline thin films, has raised $14 million in a Series C financing round. Investors
included Polaris Venture Partners, Morgenthaler Ventures, Novak Biddle Venture Partners, Investor Growth, and ABS Ventures
The company, which earlier this year won a $1.125 million contract
from the University of California at Riverside, for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, foresees its next generation technology
resulting in products with real-time adaptive impedance matching, which will in turn result in lower power consumption. That
technology combines the company's tunable RF and microwave dielectric materials with its miniaturized 3D circuit and module
designs, Indications are that the company's technology can be applied to a broad range of RF circuits and frequency bands.
James DiLorenzo, Paratek's CEO commented on the acceptance of the
company's products, "Our electronically tunable products have been well received in the marketplace and, working in partnership
with several major industry players, we will release a new generation of even more capable products later this year."
JUNE 1st, 2005
mPhase and Bell Labs Increase Metal Detector Capability a Thousand
Fold - Seeks Silicon Partners
mPhase Technologies, Inc. (OTC:XDSL) in cooperation with the research division of Lucent
Technologies (NYSE:LU), Bell Labs, have reported the production of an ultra sensitive magnetometer, used for metal detection
applications. The sensor was produced at a wafer production line at the New Jersey Nanotechnology Consortium. The metal detector
sensor is said to be up to 1,000 times more sensitive than current non-cooled sensors used in today's metal detectors. The prototype was based on a Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device.
David Bishop, NJNC President and Bell Labs Vice President of Nanotechnology,
noted the efficiency in the conversion from concept to prototype, "The velocity of transition from lab to prototype speaks
highly of the NJNC business model, which enables mPhase to leverage Bell Labs' expertise in accelerating the product realization
process." Ronald A. Durando, mPhase CEO, helped substantiate Bishop's comments , "Considering that our magnetometer agreement
with Bell Labs is less than three months old, we're absolutely delighted about the rapid pace of the development. With this
step behind us, the team is now ready to engage in discussions with potential partners and users to establish technical specifications
for these devices." Mr. Durando also added that the company is looking for partners and customers, "With this step behind
us, the team is now ready to engage in discussions with potential partners and users to establish technical specifications
for these devices."
The New Jersey Nanotechnology Consortium (NJNC) is a facility supported
by the State of New Jersey, with a goal to bring nanotechnology concepts to commercialization. Among those that have access
to the facility include Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology and The University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey. NJNC is a subsidiary of Lucent, which is operated by Bell Labs.
JUNE 1st, 2005
Zyvex and SPACEHUB Partnership to Improve Space Flight Air Quality
- Cost-Effectively
SPACEHAB, Incorporated (NASDAQ/NMS:SPAB), has entered into an agreement , referred to as the Space
Act Agreement, with NASA to develop a micro-miniature mass spectrometer for use on low earth orbit missions. As a result of
the agreement, SPACEHAB has indicted that it plans to be a supplier of miniaturized technology to the aerospace markets.
Central to the agreement is a partnership SPACEHAB has with Zyvex Corporation.
Zyvex's mini-mass spectrometer once completed is expected to be only 10 percent of the total weight of current spectrometers
and to cost only a small portion of the costs that is now paid for such equipment. The present day on-orbit systems weigh
about 100 pounds and are the size of an automobile. This compares to the planned new spectrometer, which, once completed,
will be only the size of a deck of cards.
Michael E. Bain, SPACEHAB Chief Operating Officer, explained the problems
that it planned to solve with the new equipment, "For human space flight missions, NASA must continually monitor air quality
and toxicity levels to ensure the health and safety of the crew. NASA desires improved capabilities in this area, but developing,
transporting, and installing large, complex detection and classification equipment on-orbit is extremely problematic. We are
excited about this opportunity to provide a solution that is small, light-weight, and portable enough to be easily delivered
to, and operated on, the space station and anywhere else humans live and work in space."
MAY 31st, 2005
InPhase Closes $32.1 Million For 300 Gbyte Disk Drive
Technology
InPhase Technologies, a company that has developed a holographic data storage drive and
associated disk drive media, has closed a $32.1 million Series C round. Investors included Bayer MaterialScience AG, a company
that has a vested interest in the development of polymers for optical data storage, Nanotech Partners Ltd., which is focused
on nanotechnology investments, as well as ALPS Information Technology Fund LP, Hitachi Maxell Ltd., Japan Asia Investment
Co., New Venture Partners LLC and Yasuda Enterprise Development Co.
The funds will be used for the final commercialization stage of
InPhase's holographic data storage drive and media. The company's first product has a capacity of 300 gigabytes and data transfer
rate of 20 megabytes per second.
Nelson Diaz, CEO of InPhase commented about the recent demonstration
of their product and the market interest, ."The recent public demonstration by InPhase of the world's first commercial holographic
drive prototype validated our technical leadership in the holographic data storage market. Now, with the commitment and support
of our investors, we have funds to move from technology leadership to commercial leadership. The tremendous interest in the
InPhase Tapestry product from the professional video community at the recent National Association of Broadcasters convention
was extremely positive and confirmed the insatiable demand for a secure archive solution for digital media assets."
Bayer MaterialScience AG and InPhase as part of a joint development
agreement will further develop the critical storage media. The storage media was developed at Bell Labs, of which InPhase
is a spin off , over a period of seven years. The data, unlike conventional disk drive storage, is stored throughout the volume
of the disk drive media, as opposed to just the surface - giving it the disk drive its ultra high storage capacity. The disk
drive also obtains its high data capacity through the use of advanced lens technology and a spatial light modulator, which
converts digital data streams of ones and zeros to a pattern of light and dark pixels.
The Tapestry disk drive is expected to arrive in the market in 2006.
MAY 31st, 2005
WiSpry, Incorporated, a RF MEMS company focused on the high volume cellular
handset market, has obtained a patent on a MEMS based variable capacitor. The patent entitled, Micro-electro-mechanical system
(MEMS) variable capacitor apparatuses and related methods, was assigned U.S. Patent No. 6,897,537 on May 24, 2005.
MAY 26th, 2005
Toshiba Reveals Photon-Based Encrypted Communication Technology
Toshiba Research Europe Ltd (TREL), a corporate research arm of Toshiba Corp. based in Cambridge,
announced at the Quantum Electronics and Laser Science (QELS) Conference in Baltimore the development of a light source that
sends photons one at a time through optical fibre cable. The technology is based on a quantum dot that has a radius of 45
nanometers.
Dr Andrew Shields, who heads the Quantum Information Group at TREL,
noted the new scientific frontier that the long distance photon development opens up, "Exploiting the quantum properties of
light allows us to communicate and process information in ways that have not been possible previously. A good example is in
quantum cryptography, which allows us to verify the secrecy of information sent on single photons."
MAY 26th, 2005
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the United
States government’s main energy research organization, has released new information related to the use of nanotechnology
for the improvement of solar cell efficiency. The organization reported that nanocrystals, also know as quantum dots, are
capable of increasing the number of electrons emitted per absorbed photon. Currently, with present day materials, only one
electron, at most, is emitted per photon absorbed from sunlight. With the nanocrystals, the number of electrons emitted increases
to three per photons.
Arthur Nozik, a lead researcher with the project gave efficiency
numbers that solar technology could reach with nanocrystal technology, "We have shown that solar cells based on quantum dots
theoretically could convert more than 65 percent of the sun's energy into electricity, approximately doubling the efficiency
of solar cells." Lead selenide is given as one of the materials used to develop the solar quantum dots.
MAY 24th, 2005
Dimatix has announced that it has opened its Silicon Valley headquarters,
complete with a Silicon MEMS fabrication facility and R&D center. The facility, which measures 33,000 square feet, will
be used for the production of MEMS devices designed for precision nanofluid applications. These applications include the printing
of nano-particles on not just only paper surfaces, as done with ink-jet printers, but on a number of different types of surfaces
such as flexible substrate surfaces. As well, the MEMS devices produced at the factory will be capable of more than spraying
out ink. From the nanonozzles of this new generation of MEMS devices will come nanometalic based fluids.
John Batterton, Dimatix CEO and President listed the broad base
of new applications for the new MEMS devices, "We are entering a new era in which the ability to jet functional fluid materials
will enable improvements to manufacturing a broad range of electronic, bioscience and other products. We are pleased that
Dimatix is leading the way with our materials deposition technology."
Andreas Bibl, President of the Materials Deposition Division and
CTO of Dimatix, elaborated on the capabilities of the new MEMS technology, "Because materials are deposited only where needed,
additive digital material deposition will change the way products are built, enabling micro-production processes that are
extremely cost-effective, much less wasteful and more economical in small production volumes. Low-cost, high volume, precise
printing of nano-particle fluids have many applications, and will help strengthen manufacturing of electronic circuits and
other products in the United States."
Dimatix, formerly Spectra Inc., has been focused on the production
of printheads for ink jet printing applications. The Dimatix Materials Deposition Division has dedicated its efforts to expand
the technology to applications such as low-cost, low-impact environmentally-oriented manufacturing - like the production of
electronic circuits, RFID tags, flat panel displays, circuit boards and bioscience products.
MAY 23rd, 2005
Production Costs for Dendrimer Nanostructures May Drop Soon
Dendritic NanoTechnologies Inc. (DNT), a nanomaterials company reports that it has developed a new
process that may reduce the production costs of dendrimer nanostructures, critical for a number of pharmaceuticals, medical
imaging, electronics, and materials applications.
DNT's new dendrimer technology, it labels the Priostar family,
are derived from kinetically driven chemistry, which is based on polyfunctional branch cell reagents. DNT states that this
approach could result in substantial cost reductions, "Preliminary studies show a cost reduction of between two to three orders
of magnitude." Other technology benefits alluded to include the ability to scale the process and the capability to mass produce
precision nanostructures with consistently repeatable specifications.
Robert Berry, DNT's CEO, indicated that the company's technology may have
the potential to change the dynamics of the entire nanotechnology market all together, "Our new Priostar dendrimers, as nanoscale
building blocks, radically change the current economics of nanotechnology. They place DNT in the enviable position of controlling
a dominant nanoscale platform with many applications in multiple billion-dollar markets. This new technology is a potentially
disruptive technology since it will establish a new price point for an essential technology. Furthermore, Priostar extends
DNT's patent estate while accelerating commercialization of our dendrimer technology."
DNT also implied that the technology will put in reach the possibility
to economically meet strict Food and Drug Administration standards for biomedical applications, which require precision, scalability
and reproducibility.
Offering further explanation of the company's advancement in nanomaterials
manufacturing was Dr. Donald Tomalia, Chief Technical Officer at the company, "It takes approximately eight steps and one
month of processing time to create Generation 3 of a PAMAM generation. In contrast, Generation 3 of a Priostar dendrimer can
be created in three steps and just a few days. Our new dendrimer process also vastly reduces the amount of labor and reagents
normally required by the PAMAM process. An exciting and new feature of the Priostar family of dendrimers is the ability to
add extenders or functionality to the interior of the dendrimer to customize interior spaces and reactivity. These features
give the Priostar dendrimers customizable encapsulation properties that allow for greater flexibility to tailor a solution
for our customers."
MAY 20th, 2005
Raymor to Present at NanoBusiness 2005 in New York City
Raymor Industries Inc. (TSX-V: RAR), a company that has developed a new light-weight nanoalloy
of importance to the energy and transportation markets, will speak at NanoBusiness 2005. Raymor's presentation at the conference,
considered one of the most important related to nanotechnology, will include an overview of Raymor's carbon nanotube portfolio
and operations, and a chance to find more details about nanotube-based product development strategies.
Vincent Caprio, Event Director for NanoBusiness 2005, spoke highly
of Raymor's technology and production capabilities, "For us to have such an innovative company as Raymor Industries presenting
at our conference is the validation that NanoBusiness 2005 is truly a global event. The production capacity of carbon nanotubes
announced by Raymor will finally allow for large-scale commercialization of numerous applications in nanotechnology."
Adding to the optimism about Raymor's technology was J. Andrew Braswell,
Equity Analyst with Newbridge Securities, "In our discussions with nanotech-focused companies-including some of those in our
Newbridge Nanotechnology Index (NNIX)-we often hear that the high cost and low quality of available carbon nanotubes are inhibiting
the commercialization of more products incorporating these novel materials. The new production process being introduced by
Raymor attempts to address these critical issues."
The conference will be held May 22nd to May 25th, 2005 at the Marriott
Financial Center in New York City.
MAY 19th, 2005
World Gold Council Funds Solaris' Ocular Nanorod Efforts - Gold
Base Noted
Just shortly after Solaris has announced one round of funding, the company has revealed that
the World Gold Council, a organization funded by the world's leading gold mining companies, has also provided funding for
its anisotropic gold nanorod technology. The golden nanorods are planned to improve the quality of all types electronic
displays and to restore vision to those with retinal diseases. Dr. Nabil M. Lawandy, CEO of Solaris Nanosciences mentioned
specifically that the funding would benefit the development effort for the retinal disease known in short as AMD, "We are
excited to be working with the support of the World Gold Council in this application of our nanomaterials for improved LCDs,
The funding will accelerate the commercialization of our nanostructure additives for higher performance displays. This effort
will also directly benefit the development of our gold-based materials for restoring visual acuity in patients suffering from
retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD)." Solaris Nanosciences is developing biologically active nanostructures,
which require gold, that may be able to restore the vision of those with Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy. Solaris
reports that over 50 million people are afflicted with these two diseases.
Dr Richard Holliday, Industrial Sector Manager of the World Gold
Council explained the rationale for the investment, "Supporting the development of new technologies based on gold will lead
to important new applications for the metal in industry. Solaris Nanosciences has a powerful nanotechnology platform and an
experienced team to successfully commercialize this technology. This will lead to exciting new applications for gold in electronic
products."
The World Council is actively seeking new ways to promote the use
of gold in order to increase industrial demand, which is currently estimated between 350 to 400 tonnes a year - considered
low when compared to other metals.
MAY 19th, 2005
Apogee Brings out First MEMS Products - Named Sensilica
Apogee Technology, Inc. (AMEX:ATA), known for its digital audio amplifier chips, has introduced
its first family of Micro-Electromechanical Systems or MEMS chips. The Sensilica family, an all-silicon line of pressure sensors,
are planned for use in a number of markets, which include automotive and HVAC. Glenn Fricano, Director of Apogee's MEMS Division,
lists some reasons why Apogee may win in the pressure sensor market, "Sensilica's size, cost, performance and reliability
advantages will place Apogee in a leadership position in product innovation and value. The Company has under development,
and intends to offer, a broad range of Sensilica products providing our customers a single source for all their pressure sensor
needs."
Apogee indicates that the automotive market is a potentially large
growth market for its new pressure sensors. Apogee sites a 2005 ruling by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
that requires automobiles to come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system by 2008. Apogee notes that this alone would
create a market for 70 million tire pressure sensors a year. Apogee states that in 2004, 18 million light vehicles were sold
in the United States.
The first Sensilica product , one of six planned for 2005, has the
capacity to measure 0 to 75 pounds per square inch. According to Apogee, their MEMS pressure sensors takes advantage of a
design that reduces the sensor size by a factor of four compared to most other designs.
Samples of the first product are available now, with volume production
scheduled for the second half of 2005.
MAY 17th, 2005
Magnetic Tag Offers Alternative to RFID Tags
In the quest for tags that offer more, but are unobtrusive and are cost-effective, comes news
that a new type of tag, a magnetic tag, is planned for commercialization. The tag is planned for a number of applications,
such as counterfeit protection for pharmaceutical drugs, high-end art and jewelry, and machine components. The company
did not reveal whether or not the technology would be suitable for integrated circuits, which can sometimes cost in the hundreds
of dollars.
The tag to be commercialized by Singular ID is based on nanotechnology
and micro-technology. The technology takes advantage of the fact that certain materials possess unique magnetic properties
that permit individual items to be precisely identified. With the technology there would be no more mix-ups at high society
mixers as to whose Rolex or fur coat belongs to.
Singular ID Pte Ltd., in its efforts to commercialize the technology,
has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd. That organization is the commercialization
unit of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). In order to obtain the capital needed, Singular has also
signed with BioVenture Centre Pte Ltd., which is to invest in Singular. BioVenture's focus is on early state biomedical companies.
Singular ID, founded in 2004, is a spin-off of the Institute of
Materials Research and Engineering.
MAY 17th, 2005
Nanomix's Hydrogen Detector Set for Volume Production
Nanomix Incorporated, a carbon nanotube technology company, reports that its new nanotube based
hydrogen detector is now available - volume orders are now being taken. The sensor, a safety sensor, detects hydrogen leaks,
which can be extremely dangerous.
The device is targeted for industry applications where hydrogen
is used. Ken Johnson, President of KWJ Engineering, a gas detection company, commented about their work with Nanomix and the
new sensor, "We are delighted to have been involved with evaluation and testing of this technology from the prototype stage.
The team at KWJ Engineering is impressed with the performance features of this device and we're excited about the possibilities
enabled by nanoelectronic detection. We look forward to our participation with this next generation detection platform."
MAY 17th, 2005
MTBSolutions and MemsTech Form Foundry Services Unit
MTBSolutions and MemsTech have united to offer MEMS foundry and technical design services to
the North American market. As part of the agreement, MTBSolutions will offer technical and market support for foundry and
packaging services from MemsTech.
According to Mark DiOrio, CEO at MTBSolutions the agreement will
help small fabless MEMS companies compete, "North American customers now have access to cost effective high volume MEMS device
manufacturing complemented by highly experienced engineering and customer support. Smaller MEMS companies with well differentiated
technology can now compete effectively against larger scale companies who own their own fabs and assembly operations."
Mems Technology, a public company based in Malaysia, and MTBSolutions,
a private company based in San Jose, California will together offer technology expertise in the design and manufacture of
pressure sensors, silicon microphones, thermopile arrays, thermal cameras and low G accelerometers. MemsTech's foundry gives
fabless customers access to 0.6 micron CMOS MEMS technology, bulk and surface processes, and wafer to wafer bonding. MTBSolutions
is noted for its MEMS and integrated circuit package technology.
MAY 16th, 2005
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) (NYSE:FSL.B) has made available
its MMA7260Q sensor, a three-axis low gravity MEMS device targeted at consumer applications such as 3D Games, cell phones,
digital cameras, and PDAs. Samsung Electronics has already designed the microelectromechancial system (MEMS) into its YH-J70
and YP-TU digital audio players. Heonhwa Chung, Vice President of Samsung R&D team discussed the new multimedia player
features the sensor permits, "Freescale's device enables unique features not currently available in other multimedia players.
The YH-J70 utilizes the sensor for menu scroll by tilt and freefall detection. The gaming function is enabled with tilt detection
in the YP-T8 flash multimedia player."
One of the unique features of the MMA7260Q is that it includes a
g-select feature. This feature lets the designer select the level of g-force to be detected to enable a specific application
and lower the cost of the final product.
The accelerometers are priced at $5.23 in 10,000-piece quantities.
A reference design board can also be purchased to expedite the development of consumer electronic systems.
MAY 13th, 2005
Nanofibre Based ELMARCO Signs with Alltracel - To Develop Woundcare
Products
Alltracel Pharmaceuticals Plc., (AIM: AP.L), a company with development efforts in the consumer
woundcare market, has entered into a product development agreement ELMARCO s.r.o., a Czech Republic based company with R&D
operations in the nanofibrous non-woven materials area. The two companies plan to review a number of patents for possible
commercial applications related to Alltracel's m-doc nanofibre technology. Elmarco with the Textiles Faculty of the Technical
University of Liberic has developed patented processes for spinning polymers for biomedical, chemical, industrial and microelectronic
applications.
Alltracel's CEO Tony Richardson indicated that the woundcare market
would be the initial focus of the agreement, "Alltracel has always been committed to innovation in our markets and we are
particularly excited by the prospects for m-doc based nanofibrous advanced woundcare delivery systems. Although at an early
stage of development nanofibre technology is showing market transforming potential in a number of our markets and we are delighted
to have formalised our partnership with Elmarco and the nanofibre technology team at the Technical University of Liberic.
We are now focussed on jointly reviewing a range of patent protected potential applications for m-doc based nanofibre solutions,
initially for the advanced woundcare and surgical markets and bringing these innovations to market via our network of existing
and new commercial partners."
MAY 12th, 2005
DNA Semiconductor Sensor Tests DNA Samples in Minutes
Asia Pulse Ltd. reports
that Horiba Ltd. (TSE:6856), a subsidiary of Horiba Biotechnology Co. has developed a DNA chip that can test DNA samples in
minutes and without the need to amplify the DNA. Central to the technology is a semiconductor based sensor coated with DNA
fragments. The DNA fragments are selected to bind with a target gene within sample fluid. If the target gene is present, the
target gene will bind with the DNA fragments on the sensor and change the electric potential of the sensor. The work was done
in conjunction with Toyama University. The chip as reported by A-TIP, which translated the original report from the
Nikkei Business Daily, is over 10,000 times more sensitive than conventional DNA chips.
MAY 12th, 2005
Motorola Seeks Partners to Commercialize Disruptive Low-Cost Nanotube Displays
Motorola Labs, a research
unit of Motorola, Inc., (NYSE:MOT), has developed a display technology that could displace current technology used for HDTVs.
With the announced the company showed a 5-inch prototype color video display prototype based on Motorola's Nano Emissive Display
(NED) technology - which is built with carbon nanotube technology (CNT).
Jim O'Connor, Vice President
for Motorola's Technology Incubation and Commercialization implied the product was ready for commercialization, "With over
15 years experience and 160 patents in CNT and flat panel displays, we have developed a technology that could enable the next
generation of large size flat panel displays to deliver an extraordinary visual experience at a fraction of current prices.
We now look forward to aligning with display manufacturers and enabling them to further this technology and develop commercially
available solutions."
MAY 12th, 2005
SuperBat – Nanomaterial -Based Baseball Bat to Improve Players Performance
Easton Sports, a manufacturer
of sporting goods equipment, has said that its new high performance baseball bat, called the Stealth CNT, will be available
in May of this year. Fundamental to the high-performance bat with superman like capabilities, are carbon nanotubes (CNT),
a superstrength nanomaterial. The nanomaterial, called NanoSolve, used in the bat is from Zyvex Corporation, a molecular nanotechnology
company. Mike Zlaket, Vice President of Baseball/Softball at Easton Sports noted the engineering effort involved for the development
of the super bat, "Already at the forefront of innovation, our engineers have pushed Easton's research and development to
the next level with carbon nanotube technology. Easton CNT is the real deal as we've been able to harness the true benefits
of nanotechnology to give hitters of all ages and abilities stronger, lighter and better-performing bats. The Easton Stealth
CNT will be the first bat to feature this unmatched technology."
Zyvex's nanotechnology
is also used to give superstrength to buildings and tools. Their technology has the potential to give buildings the capability
to stand up to any natural disaster.
MAY 12th, 2005
Ohio Allocates $34 Million for Nanomaterials Research - To Create 4500 Jobs
The Ohio Department of
Development has made available $34 million in grants to promote Ohio's polymer and advanced materials industries. Two Wright
Centers of Innovation will be formed with the funds, which will develop the technology to add 4,500 jobs to Ohio's existing
140,000 polymer jobs. The funds will also be used to create the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices
(CMPND) and the Ohio Biopolymers Innovation Center (OBIC).
Sharell Mikesell, Ph.D.,
and the executive director at the Ohio Polymer Strategy Council underscored the importance of the funding, "The announcement
today is an exciting culmination of many months of effort by Ohio's polymer leaders, the Ohio Polymer Strategy Council, key
university leaders and industry collaborators. Today's support from the Third Frontier initiative will significantly strengthen
Ohio's position as the world's premier location for the polymer and advanced material industries." Over $52 million was also
committed to CMPND's project goals from 60 companies. Some of the more well-known companies included The Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Company, Owens Corning, Ashland, Keithley Instruments, Inc., Goodrich and Lockheed Martin.
Owens-Corning's Vice president
of Science and Technology, Frank O'Brien-Bernini, commented about the potential for the blending of nanomaterial with biopolymer
technology, "Together, these initiatives will also enable unique collaborative efforts to explore the integration of nanomaterials
with biopolymers. This brings together Ohio's capabilities in polymers and agriculture in a powerful way."
MAY 12th, 2005
New Needleless Inhalable Insulin Offers Painless Solution for Diabetics -
But Could Blunt MEMS Based SiliconNeedle Market
Coremed Incorporated,
a nanotechnology based company focused on oral and inhalable insulin technology, has revealed that Alveair, a product billed
as a needleless, or inhalable insulin, will be the focal point of a global consortium of diabetes companies. Frank K. Leung,
M.D., F.A.C.E., Coremed's founder, outlined the course of development for the drug, "Alveair's long-acting duration and efficacy
is clearly an advantage. It also makes sense to minimize the risks and exposure of pulmonary delivery. Alveair will be in
two clinical development directions: regular pathway and fast-track in different countries." The company also revealed that
its partners have the capability to produce bulk insulin API at costs that are much lower than current suppliers. Coremed
listed the injectable insulins on the market as Novolog, Humalog and Aprida. Alveair is considered a fast-onset and long-duration
insulin.
MAY 12th, 2005
SDTC Funds Quantium's Nanomaterial Efforts to Reduce Chemical Industry's Energy
Costs
A Canadian consortium
led by Quantiam Technologies, a nanomaterials company, has announced that the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
has contributed $1.45 million to develop a technology for the more efficient manufacture of olefins. Olefins, used in to produce
plastics, lubricants and antifreeze, require an enormous amount of energy to produce, - in the neighborhood of $10 billion
a year is used to provide the energy required for the hydrocarbon steam cracking process used in olefin manufacture. It was
indicated that the process being developed by Quantium, at a pilot plant that is now being built, could save up to 20 percent
on the energy costs associated with olefins manufacturing. In addition to the $1.45 million in funding, the project has also
been funded through an investment of $8.3 million, which included funds from consortium partner NOVA Chemicals Corporation,
also a producer of olefins.
Vicky J. Sharpe, President
and CEO of SDTC, which is a $550 million clean fund, talked about the organizations role and the importance of the investment
for Canadian companies, "SDTC invested in Quantiam because we
see the potential for the consortium's technology to succeed in a number of ways, in both reducing greenhouse gas emissions
and contributing to the increased productivity and competitiveness of Canadian companies in the energy, materials manufacturing,
and petrochemical sectors. SDTC does more than fund projects. We connect partners at all points of the supply chain and help
entrepreneurs to validate their business plans. This strengthens the value proposition of technologies, making them more attractive
to downstream investors and getting them to market faster. In the case of Quantiam, the participation of its consortia members
indicates that industry players support what we're doing and recognize the opportunities of the clean technologies in development
today."
Two
important Canadian political figures also commented on the technologies importance to Canada and the environment, Senator
Tommy Banks on behalf of the Government of Canada said, "Today's announcement clearly shows that Canadian companies, like
Quantiam and its partners, are leading the world in developing clean energy technologies. We believe that these kinds of technologies
will not only help us address climate change, but also create new economic opportunities in the years to come." The Honorable
Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness also underscored the environmental
and economic importance of the technology, "I'm pleased to congratulate Quantiam on its progress to date on an initiative
that will change how the world produces olefins, one of the most widely used petrochemicals. The potential for this technology,
both environmentally and economically, is tremendous and I'm proud that the Government of Canada, through SDTC, is supporting
the project."
MAY 11th, 2005
NanoLogix Reports Bioreactor As Possible Low-Cost Energy Source
NanoLogix, Inc., a diversified nanobiotechnology company with operations in BioChips, BioMEMs
and alternative energy, has reported on a potential low-cost production method to produce hydrogen - an alternate and clean
energy source. Underscoring the point, NanoLogix announced an agreement with the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering
of Gannon University to conduct a feasibility study to develop a bioreactor based on NanoLogix's bacterial culturing methods.
Miniature bioreactors, used for the production of bacteria and their
related fuel byproducts, have received considerable attention from researchers over the last few years. MEMs based bioreactors
can be used to create a precisely controlled living environment for bacteria, enabling companies to successfully and cost-effectively
increase the yield of bacteria and their byproducts. The optimized growth of bacteria has also been cited as the doorway to
the development of low-cost pharmaceutical drugs.
NanoLogix, besides the bioreactor technology, also has patents related
to diagnostic test kits used to quickly identify over 34 types of bacteria that result in disease. The patents relate to M.
tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI), pseudomonas, and nocardia bacteria. These bacteria often result
in the death of the seriously ill. Another important patent that NanoLogix owns is for nontoxic induction of apoptosis in
cancer cells. This technology offers a potential way to destroy cancer cells within the human body without injury to neighboring
healthy and vital human cells and tissue.
MAY 11th, 2005
Tm Bioscience Corporation (TSX: TMC) has announced that its Tag-It
Cystic Fibrosis Kit, a DNA test used to determine if newborns and children are inflicted with mutations and variants of cystic
fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, has been given clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
for diagnostic use in the United States. The Tag-It Cystic Fibrosis Kit tests for 23 CFTR gene mutations and 4 variants (polymorphisms).
The company also indicated that the test could be used to determine if the genetic makeup of potential parents would result
in offspring with cystic fibrosis. The test is reported to be 100 percent accurate and have greater than 99.9 percent reproducibility
and precision.
Greg Hines, President and CEO of Tm Bioscience indicated that the
clearance put the company in a good position relative to its competitors, "This clearance establishes Tm as a unique supplier
of CF tests to our rapidly expanding customer base against such competitors as ABI (NYSE:ABI). The Tag-It(TM) Cystic Fibrosis
Kit is the only CF testing system that has performance characteristics which have been established through extensive studies
reviewed by the FDA. Having the first CF test and second multiplexed genetic test behind Roche's (RHHBF.PK) AmpliChip CYP450
to be cleared as an IVD (in vitro device), sets the regulatory pathway for other tests in our broad and growing pipeline and
positions Tm as a leader in the commercial genetic testing market."
Dr. Michael Watson, Executive Director, American College of Medical
Genetics also signaled that the product would be well received, "Clearance by the FDA of a genetic assay for cystic fibrosis
provides a highly standardized product for laboratories that offers tremendous benefits to the genetic testing industry, physicians
and to patients."
Tm Bioscience, with the announcement, gave statistics about the
disease. In the Caucasian population, the incidence rate is approximately 1 in 3,200 live births.
MAY 9th, 2005
Raymor Industries Inc. (TSX-V: RAR), a company that has developed
a manufacturing and environmentally friendly single-walled carbon nanotube (C-SWNT) technology, announced that it has begun
production. The company projects that revenue from C-SWNT production will reach CDN $1.0 million in the next 12 months, CDN
$5.0 million in 24 months and CDN $10 million in 36 months. Production capacity, measured in grams, is expected to reach 10,000
grams per day in the next 12 months.
The inventors of the process commented on the new applications of
the technology, as well as the historical significance of the technology. Dr. Frédéric Larouche said, "Our product is beneficial
for uses in numerous applications, including new generation batteries, semiconductors, nano-composite materials, or in the
biomedical field. " Dr. Olivier Smiljanic stressed the historical importance of nanotubes, "The impact of nanotubes in today's
society will be more important than the arrival of the transistor." The semiconductor industry, founded on transistor technology
over 50 years ago, is now a $200 billion a year industry.
MAY 9th, 2005
FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ:FORM), a microspring based wafer probe
card maker, has announced its latest wafer probe card for the SoC flip chip market. For these applications, FormFactor has
introduced the BladeRunner 175 (BR175) Multi-DUT (Device Under Test) wafer probe card. The company indicates that the BladeRunner
reduces semiconductor company's total cost of test. Part of the reason is that the card has 10,000 probes enabling the test
of four-DUTs, which the company states is at least double the DUT capacity of the most advanced wafer probe product currently
available. Additionally, the re-sort rate is minimized and wafer sort yield is said to be improved.
FormFactor gained significant market share in the wafer probe card
market in a relatively short period of time. The company's success is attributed to its micromachined (MEMS) microspring technology,
which is fundamental to the design of its wafer probe cards.
MAY 6th, 2005
Nanogen, Inc. (NASDAQ:NGEN), a company with electronic based molecular
chip technology, has reported sales of $3.2 million for its latest quarter. The increase was 47 percent over the same quarter
last year, which came in at $2.2 million. The company has also projected a three fold increase in revenue in comparison to
2004 as a result of more of its products hitting the market and royalty revenues.
Howard C. Birndorf, Nanogen's chairman of the board and chief executive
officer, referred to the acquisitions and the timing of product revenue growth, "The results of Nanogen's first quarter show
the immediate increase in revenues we expected from our growing product portfolio and license agreements from acquisitions.
With renewed vigor in product sales, we are also seeing the benefits of our broader product line of reagents for conducting
genetic analysis. By building critical mass, we are accelerating our revenue growth while simultaneously continuing to realize
cost efficiencies as we complete the integrations of Epoch Biosciences and SynX. We anticipate further revenue growth during
the year as new products begin shipping during the second half of 2005."
Nanogen has built its product portfolio through recent acquisitions,
and its NanoChip Molecular Biology Workstation, and NanoChip Electronic Microarray. These products are used to analyze fluids
and biological samples for diseases related to genetic variations.
MAY 6 2005
Quantum and Nanotechnology Funding Reaches $50 Million at University of Waterloo
Quantum computing, the use of atoms as the fundamental building block of computational
devices, is considered a cornerstone of this century’s new age technologies. In twenty years, this technology could
well advance such that knowledge of it will be a prerequisite for employment as an engineer. Bringing quantum computing one
step closer to the future is a $17.2 million donation to the University of Waterloo to further develop its Quantum Computing
and Nanotechnology Engineering program. The donation from Ophelia and Mike Lazarid adds to their donation last year of $33.3
million. The donation has been divided between a new shared housing facility and endowments to attract foreign graduate students.
MAY 6th, 2005
Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCBB:NNBP) has come out with a statement
that further substanciates clouds may contain nanobacteria that spread health problems like heart disease, HIV and kidney
stones. The company points to a recent paper published in the Journal of Proteome Research by Chandra Wickramasinghe, PhD
(Professor at Cardiff University, UK) and Andrei Sommer, PhD (Professor at the University Of Ulm, Germany) entitled "Nanobacteria
in Clouds may Spread Diseases around the World."
The Chairman of Nanobac Life Sciences, John Stanton, took the opportunity
to emphasize his company's nanobacteria products, "We are very excited about the current intensity of Nanobacteria research
being conducted, and about our product pipeline. We are very fortunate to be uniquely positioned to offer our patented Nanobacterial
diagnostics and anti-nanobacterial nanobiotic treatments to the medical research community. We are looking forward to partnering
with larger pharmaceutical companies so that we can expand the depth and breadth our research into Nanobacteria-related diseases
as well as expand our product pipeline."
Nanobacteria is also taken seriously by NASA. Astronauts, returning
from space often have developed kidney stones. NASA reports that microgravity is a better environment for the growth of nanobacteria.
MAY 4th, 2005
Lexmark International Inc, a printer company that relies on micromachine
technology for ink jet technology, has obtained a patent that relates to a micro-fluid injection printhead. The United States
patent is entitled, Method for making a micro-fluid ejection device, U.S. Patent No. 6,881,677. Issued on April 19, 2005,
the patent discloses a method for the semiconductor based fabrication of fluid feed vias (ink vias).
MAY 3rd, 2005
NanoHorizons, Inc., a company with operations in sensors-on-plastic
and flexible displays, and ARC Outdoors/ArcticShield, an apparel technology company, have entered into an agreement to jointly
develop nanotechnology products and textile applications. Robert Parker, ARC's Vice President of Sales mentioned the market
for technology-differentiated products, "Our product development team is excited about the possibilities this partnership
creates. NanoHorizons has proven its capabilities with numerous patents and real-world nanotechnology applications. ARC's
customers have come to expect innovative, technology-differentiated products from us -- and we see our nanotechnology development
program with NanoHorizons as a perfect strategic fit."
Dennis I. Schneider, NanoHorizons Director of Marketing and Sales,
elaborated further on the end-market, "ARC is ahead of its time when it comes to exploring new concepts and technologies for
consumer markets," said "It's an honor to work with a company that understands how nanotechnology can change the clothing
and apparel landscape."
NanoHorizons is a nanotechnology company with development efforts
in drug discovery, microelectronics and healthcare. The company has previously licensed Intellectual Property from Pennsylvania
State University.
MAY 2nd, 2005
LiftPort Group plans to open LiftPort Nanotech, a carbon nanotube
factory. The nanomaterials will be used to produce a 62,000 mile nanocomposite ribbon, which, if all goes well, will be used
to transport cargo from its tie-down point on earth to a counterweight in space. The earth-to-the-skies cargo transportation
system will transport items such as solar panels and energy generation devices from earth to space orbit. The plan envisions
one end of the ribbon attached to an oil-rig structure in the Pacific Ocean near the equator.
Michael Laine, President of LiftPort Group commented on the importance
of the factory, "We see the development of carbon nanotubes as critical to the building of the space elevator. Opening a commercial
production facility enables us to generate revenues in the shorter term by meeting the growing market need for this material.
At the same time, it enables us to conduct research and development in this arena for our longer term goal of a commercial
space elevator."
APRIL 29th, 2005
NanoString Technologies, Inc. has secured $3.8 million from its
Series A investors, bringing its funding to date to more than $8 million. Investors included Draper Fisher Jurvetson and OVP
Venture Partners.
H. Perry Fell, Ph.D., NanoString CEO, discussed the funding and
a molecular bar coding system, "We are very pleased to have the continued support of two such well respected leaders in the
venture capital community. This completes the $8 million in financing that we set out to raise last year and will enable us
further our efforts in the development of the molecular bar coding system that we believe has the potential to support a variety
of biological assay applications in industry sectors as diverse as gene expression, clinical diagnostics, agriculture, and
biosurveillance."
NanoString describes its technology as a nanotechnology-based platform
for high speed, highly multiplexed, single molecule identification and digital quantification. The company elaborates that
the technology may become the basis of a biological operating system. Such a system would be used for the development of biomolecular
analysis applications.
APRIL 28th, 2005
Polychromix, a MEMS-based innovative wavelength management solutions
company, has reported the addition of Lighthouse Capital Partners as a new investor. Lighthouse, who now joins Siemens
Venture Capital, Seed Capital Partners, and Vanguard Ventures, added $3 million to the company's funding base. Polychromix
is a provider of MEMS based optical network and molecular spectroscopy solutions.
Polychromix plans to use the funds for R&D activities in optical
MEMS (MOEMS). The company is looking closely at optical telecommunications and the scientific instrumentation markets.
According to Ned Hazen, General Partner at Lighthouse Capital Partners. "Polychromix has succeeded in a tough optical
telecommunications market and has distinguished themselves from their competitors with their product's unique functionality
and attractive ROI to win current carrier bids. We are also very excited about being part of the advancement of a new generation
of scientific instruments being developed for applications in the pharmaceutical, agricultural and petro-chemical industries."
Polychromix products are based on a patented diffractive MEMS technology.
That technology, according to the company can attenuate, equalize or block wavelengths in telecommunications networks.
APRIL 25th, 2005
Intematix Licenses White LED Phosphor Nanotechnology to LumiMicro
Intematix Corporation, a Nano Discovery Engines company based in Moraga, California has entered into
a license agreement with LumiMicro of Suwon Gyunggi-do, Korea for its white LED phosphor technologies. Intematix' technology
is expected to be incorporated into LumiMicro product base, which includes for power LED applications such as camera flashes
and architecture.
The CEO of Intematix, Ruediger Stroh, addressed the significance of the
agreement, "Our two companies recognize the importance of the high power applications, especially in the context of the rapidly
growing and commoditizing backlight and camera flash segments. We are committed to the high power markets for the long-term,
and are willing to invest in those emerging applications while serving today's volume needs. LumiMicro is an innovator whose
products perform at the very highest levels of that competitive landscape, and we are honored by LumiMicro's validation of
our patent- backed phosphors in the context of these key market segments. The power LED market segment is very important to
all serious participants in the solid state lighting market. The availability of Intematix phosphors and their acceptance
by leaders such as LumiMicro will begin a market transformation leading to truly cost-effective, high performance power LED
production. The combination of our patent-backed phosphor compositions and the impressive technologies at LumiMicro will make
for a successful relationship on the road to transforming the industry."
APRIL 21, 2005
GenoMed, Inc. (Pink Sheets: GMED), a company that focuses on disease
management, announced that it has developed the Healthchip used to diagnose the most common types of cancers. The company
says that its own tests have shown that the Healthchip correctly identifies the type of cancer in 85 percent of all cases.
The chip, for example, examines a DNA sample for mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and indicates breast cancer if the
mutated genes are found. The company finds that its Healthchip has even higher accurately ratings for certain categories
of women – such as Caucasian, Dr. David Moskowitz, CEO of GenoMed, commented on the accuracy and false positives,
"It's important for any screening test to have as few false positives as possible. GenoMed's Healthchip currently has none."
The company says that tests for BRAC1 and BRAC2 mutations cost in
the order of $1200.00, but are for research purposes only.
APRIL 20th, 2005
Simpler Networks Corp., a company that has devised a way to automate
the expansion of once manual based copper distribution frames, widely used in the telecommunications market, closed $25 million
in Series B financing. Simpler listed its investors as BCE Capital, Highland Capital Partners, Kodiak Venture Partners, Solidarity
Fund QFL, and Lothian Partners.
Harry Carr, CEO of Simpler Networks commented on the company's micromachine
(MEMS) based system and the funding, "To deliver advanced services like VoIP, high-speed Internet and VoD over local copper
infrastructures, local service providers are seeking efficient solutions that simplify the management of their telecommunications
networks by automating labor-intensive processes. Our latest round of funding will continue to improve our ability to market
and sell a unique solution that enables local service providers to implement new services faster, more economically and more
reliably to the largest and smallest central offices."
Simpler Networks has developed a MEMS based relay, which is used
to expand the switching capabilities of central offices, automatically. The technology is reported to require 200 times less
room than conventional relays.
APRIL 20th, 2005
Nanotechnology apparently leaves no industry untouched. The MI2NT
awards, which are underwritten by the U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation and managed by the Chicago Microtechnology
& Nanotechnology Community were awarded to three companies, all involved in different segments of global industry. The
companies included Cima NanoTech Israel Ltd., Nutralease Ltd., and Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd. Cima's focus is on ink jet printing
systems, Nutralease on liquid nano-encapsulation of health and beauty related products, like nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals,
and essential oils and drugs and Sol-Gel on nano-encapsulated sunscreen and related nanosphere technologies.
APRIL 19th, 2005
TeraVicta Technologies, which offers RF MEMS switches as both stand
alone technology and as part of integrated electronic solutions, has closed a $10 million financing round. Convergent Investors
and Agave Capital were the lead investors, with a combined contribution of $7.5 million. Horizon Technology Finance
contributed $2.5 million.
Willard Hanzlik, a General Partner at Convergent Investors elaborated
on the investment, "We are very pleased with the team at TeraVicta and their progress in developing a technology that leads
the industry in performance, size, and cost. As investors in TeraVicta, we are excited to see the company add volume production
capability to complement its existing R&D and marketing efforts. The company has developed best-in-class solutions and
is generating high praise from industry leaders and customers."
In relation to Teravicta's volume manufacturing agreement with China
Resources, Mr. Zhu Jin Kun, Deputy Chairman and CEO of China Resources Logic Limited commented, "We believe there is a large
and growing worldwide market for RF MEMS switches and TeraVicta is best positioned to capture this market. After having performed
extensive diligence on RF MEMS technology, we quickly concluded that TeraVicta has the best electrical and mechanical operating
performance and is best aligned with our manufacturing expertise. Accordingly, we sought to partner with Teravicta to deliver
a volume manufacturing line in China."
Kenney Roberts, CEO of TeraVicta affirmed the products acceptance
and manufacturing plans, "Our customers have been waiting for a reliable RF MEMS switch that provides both the size and performance
advantages of our TT712. The feedback we are receiving is incredibly positive. We are excited about meeting our customers'
ever- increasing demands. TeraVicta is ramping production volumes in 2005, and we believe the announcement of both the financing
and manufacturing agreement come at the optimal time in our product development cycle to propel us to a new stage of company
growth."
APRIL 18th, 2005
SOI CMOS Process with MEMS Integration is commercialized
at Cypress Semiconductor Facility
American Semiconductor, Incorporated (AMI), known for its foundry services, has entered
into an agreement with Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE:CY) operating unit, the Silicon Valley Technology Center (SVTC) to
commercialize AMI's FlexFet advanced Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) CMOS wafer fabrication process. The FlexFet process offers
dynamic threshold control, the capability to support different dielectrics, metal gate materials and 3D structures such as
MEMS devices. The process is radiation resistant and operates at low power with voltage supply levels far below one volt.
Doug Hackler, Founder and President of ASI commented on the agreement, "By perfecting
our technology at SVTC, ASI is able to resolve fundamental limitations of CMOS for next-generation scaling of advanced microelectronics.
We are also able to cost-effectively move our business forward and more aggressively pursue and support our customer base."
Bert Bruggeman, SVTC's Managing Director indicated that R&D costs often play a
role in the selection of his company's process development and manufacturing services, "As R&D costs continue to rise,
companies with emerging technology development needs, capital equipment manufacturers and materials suppliers are challenged
to cost-effectively migrate their products and processes from prototype to manufacturability. Our work with ASI is an example
of how to overcome those challenges and allows ASI to realize a significant R&D cost savings while rapidly commercializing
its advanced process technology."
As part of the agreement SVTC's 200 millimeter wafer fab will be used to meet current
Flexfet demand and prototype production. Production is planned to take place at Cypress' Bloomington, Minnesota
facility. ASI's technology is expected to be eventually offered at the 0.13 micron and 90 nanometer resolution levels.
APRIL 14th, 2005
Arrowhead Research Corporation (NASDAQ:ARWR)(NASDAQ:ARWRW) has been
issued U.S. patent 6,879,012, entitled, Giant Planar Hall Effect in Epitaxial Ferromagnetic Semiconductor Devices. The patent
covers ferromagnetic semiconductor and magnetic spin technology, known as "spintronics", which is used to store information
as magnetic states instead of charge.
R. Bruce Stewart, President at Arrowhead discussed the significance
of the patent, "This patent covers foundational technology for what we believe will be the next-generation of semiconductor
devices. This patent further strengthens our diversified portfolio of patents in the nanotechnology space. Arrowhead and its
subsidiaries now control 36 issued U.S. patents and have licensed over 240 U.S. and international patents and patent applications."
APRIL 13th, 2005
GE indicates that it has increased capacity for the production of
high technology silanes used for the fabrication of silica tires. The company began production in the third quarter of 2004
and has increased production apparently to meet demand. According to Dr. Ian R. Moore, General Manager at GE's silanes unit,
""Demand has been very strong for our new NXT silane that helps enable fast and easy dispersion of silica during rubber compounding
for silica tires. We are focusing resources on new products and processes, and this is another move in our long-term strategy
for growth in the silica tire segment. In fewer than 24 months of design and construction, we developed and deployed an innovative
process that delivers vastly increased capacity for silanes."
Wayne Hewett, president and CEO of GE Advanced Materials-Silicones
talked about NXT Silane, the patented GE molecule, "Last month we introduced NXT LowV(a) and NXT Ultra-LowV(a) silanes that
emit significantly less ethanol during processes that need silanes for coupling unlike materials. GE has widened the manufacturing
envelope for mixing silica tire compounds. Our talented scientists and engineers have created and executed a new process to
produce NXT silanes. Their innovative process has expanded the NXT silane family with a lower volatile organic compound (VOC)
version."
GE has indicated that tire manufacturers and consumers benefit from
the silane technology. The tire rolling resistance is estimated to be around 20 percent lower than non-silane tires,
helping to provide safer driver control in difficult weather conditions. Additionally improved fuel consumption levels are
reported at 5 percent. Work on the silane process technology is done at GE's Global Research Center in Niskayuna,
New York.
APRIL 11th, 2005
WiSpry has entered into a investment and development agreement
with In-Q-Tel to bring WiSpry’s RF micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMs) products to market quicker. According
to Jeff Hilbert, president, CEO and co-founder of WiSpry, "We are pleased to announce this new investment by In-Q-Tel which
further validates the disruptive nature of our technology in a variety of RF-related fields. Our MEMS-based products reduce
space, power consumption and cost while simultaneously attaining outstanding RF performance, adaptability and agility.
This new investment will enable us to get these innovative products to market quicker, benefiting high volume, high performance
applications that focus on wireless and broadband communications, including consumer-based wireless products such as cellular
phones, wireless base stations, local and wide area wireless networking equipment and cable modems, as well as a growing number
of industrial and commercial applications."
Gilman Louie, President and CEO of In-Q-Tel also commented on his
company’s investment, "WiSpry's technology offers unique tunable RF technology. In-Q-Tel is excited about its partnership
with WiSpry and their promise of significant developments in the production and sales of its ground-breaking RF micro-electro-mechanical
systems (RF-MEMS) tunable filter and RF switch products, that will be beneficial to the government and commercial markets."
Other current investors that WiSpry lists include Blueprint Ventures,
American River Ventures, Sid R. Bass Associates, Shepherd Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels.
APRIL 11th, 2005
Altair and Bateman Joint Venture Signals the Age of Smaller
Factories and Capital Investments
Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI) and Bateman Engineering
BV have teamed together to address the titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment market. The two companies plan to utilize Altair' nano
altered patented TiO2 pigment process and Bateman's manufacturing expertise to launch Altairnano-Bateman Titania, which is
based in Nevada.
According to Altair 's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Alan J. Gotcher,
"The establishment of Altairnano-Bateman Titania will play a pivotal role for Altair to move from feasibility to plant design
and construction. The joint venture is part of the execution of our business strategy -- which is for Altair to out-license
its AHPP technology platform for the manufacturing of titanium dioxide pigment in return for a royalty on product sales. The
pigment industry in emerging growth countries is underserved. The $9 billion industry, with an annual growth rate of approximately
three percent, boasts an almost 13 percent annual growth rate in emerging growth countries as their needs for paint, plastics
and paper increase. If the venture is successful, the combination of the licensing of our AHPP process combined with Bateman's
ability to engineer and manufacture the production facilities has the potential to generate significant revenue streams for
both companies."
The Altair Hydrochloride Pigment Process (AHPP), billed as an environmentally
friendly process, has the potential to allow pigments to be manufactured with smaller factories and hence smaller initial
capital investments. This in turn has the potential to permit emerging countries to enter the pigment market and could possible
allow large corporations to free themselves of pigment outsource agreements. Altair indicates that the factories could be
built that process just 30,000 tons per year.
APRIL 6th, 2005
Sapporo Slashes DNA Microarray Production Costs 10 Fold
From Asia Pulse comes news that Sapporo Breweries Ltd. (TSE:2501)
has developed a method to fabricate DNA microarrays for the production of brewer's yeast, a vital component for the production
of beer. According to the report, Sapporo is able to produce the microarrays in six months and for a cost in the order of
tens of millions of yens, or about one-tenth of the price. The microarrays are considered critical for the development
of more flavor full beer and are expected to help Sapporo compete in the beer market. Sapporo worked with Hitachi Ltd. to
produce the brewers yeast DNA microarrays.
APRIL 5th, 2005
Analog Devices Continues Dominance in MEMS Market with 200 Millionth
Shipment
Analog Devices announced that it has shipped its two hundred millionth MEMS
based inertial sensro. The company attributes the record shipment in part to its iMEMS Motion Signal Processing technology
and its continued investment in micromachine based research and development. According to Bill Giudice, Vice President and
General Manager of the Micromachined Products Division at Analog Devices, "ADI pioneered and evangelized the field of micro
electro mechanical systems. Following the shipment of our first iMEMS accelerometer in 1993, it took nearly ten years to grow
the market to 100 million units. Today, the investment has paid off and Analog Devices' iMEMS Motion Signal Processing is
a proven technology and the most widely used MEMS inertial sensing technology in the world. The second 100 million was shipped
in just two and half years as our business moves rapidly beyond airbag systems." Analog Devices also indicates that its MEMS
devices are well accepted in the automotive market for a diverse number of safety applications and now is seeing rapid acceptance
in the consumer products segments. One market that is expected to propel MEMs devices are cellular phones, a 600 million unit
a year market.
MARCH 31st, 2005
Green is the color to describe environmentally safe technology.
Consumers, governments and business scrutinize for green tags on products that range from PCs to clothes. This trend towards
more environmental regulation and a healthier environment throughout the world, has resulted in the most technically advanced
companies placing the environment on the top of their business plan list.
Raymor Industries Inc. (TSX VENTURE:RAR) has gone one step beyond
the realm of applying technology to minimize environmentally dangerous products and manufacturing processes. Raymor's process,
by contrast, consumes pollutants. In this case the process used to produce carbon nanotubes consumes methane, a greenhouse
gas, and then converts it to carbon nanotubes and hydrogen. Because the process uses methane, the company states that it helps
Canada meet its commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. As well, because the byproduct of the process is hydrogen, the potential
exists for a source of emission-free hydrogen fuel. Besides these added benefits, the company reports that the nanotube process
is 25 times more efficient, less dangerous and less costly than other existing nanotube technology process.
Raymor's side wall carbon nanotubes (C-SWNT), which are actually
based on methane gas as the raw material, are reported to be 100 times stronger than steel, but only one-sixth the weight.
The company lists numerous areas where innovative applications of the technology can be found. These include automobile and
spacecraft components, biomedical components, chemical sensors, fuel cells, textiles and X-Ray machines. The technology, because
of its light-weight, could also give rise to the age of self-propelled air flight. Stephane Robert, President of Raymor hinted
at the technologies' potential, "There is no question that single-walled carbon nanotubes will have enormous impact on our
lives. This new process makes it easier and safer to produce the high quality nanotubes needed for breakthrough technologies.
Manufacturers around the world are looking for sustainable and efficient ways to incorporate nanotechnology into their products.
We've brought them one step closer with this Raymor process."
Raymor's technology was obtained just recently through an exclusive
worldwide rights agreement with the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS).
MARCH 31st, 2005
Lord Sainsbury, Science and Innovation Minister has announced £20
million of funding for micro and nanotechnology projects. The funding, which comes from the DTI's MNT Capital Facilities Programme,
is planned for use in the building of new advanced manufacturing facilities. The nanotechnology developments from the program
are expected to encompass everything from biomedical and electronic applications to textile and furniture self-cleaning applications.
Several companies involved in the semiconductor market have already
been given awards for eight different projects as part of this funding. These include MicroBridge, a LCD and medical diagnostic
company, which secured £2.5million; SEMEFABMEMS (Semefab Ltd), which secured £3 million for the development of sensors for
applications such as engine management systems, non-contact ear thermometers, and microwave ovens and Bangor UK-LMC (Wales
University), which received £1.8 million. Bangor plans to develop precision laser processing techniques for the production
of products used in electronic devices like cell phones, printers and televisions.
Another £20 million is also planned to for the 3rd call of the Capital
Facilities Programme that opened in February 2005 A total of £90 million was announced for the program in July 2003. The funding
is expected to culminate in a cohesive network of companies, which work with 12 different regional development agencies. The
overall goal is to give the United Kingdom a globally competitive position in the nanotechnology market.
MARCH 30th, 2005
The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority (BFTDA) , a Pennsylvania
state-funded network approved $200,000 in funding for The Pittsburgh Technology Council to establish the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials
Commercialization Center. The center is focused on polymer system enhancements, coatings, sensors and film applications. Companies
such as PPG, Bayer MaterialScience, U.S. Steel Corporation, and Alcoa, Inc. are to collaborate at the center with members
of the Pennsylvania Initiative for Nanotechnology.
MARCH 30th, 2005
Reports indicate that Canon, Inc., a company that is actively involved
in a number of technology areas, has in development a system for the mass production of DNA chips. The technology is based
on ink-jet technology used in printers. The entrance of printer companies into the biochip market is no surprise. Hewlett-Packard
bases its ink-jet printer technology on electronically controlled microfluidic devices. Hewlett-Packard has also been actively
developing its ink -printer MEMS technology for areas besides printers.
MARCH 17th, 2005
Superconductive
Instruments - A Must for Nanomaterial Research?
Will nanomaterials be a
requirement to compete successfully in industry over the next five to ten years? That’s a question that executives from
almost every industry segment are struggling with. The impact of nanomaterials could be great enough that those that don't
have the nanomaterials to produce the superproducts of the decade will be left out in the cold.
So how does a company develop
the latest nanomaterials? Quantum Design, in cooperation with two other superconductive companies, has one part of the answer.
Called the PPMS Nitrolab, the superconductive instrument, planned for an official introduction at the American Physical Society
Meeting in Los Angeles, incorporates High Temperature Superconductive (HTS) wire from American Superconductor
(AMSC) and HTS electromagnets from HTS-110 Ltd. The instrument, because it uses Liquid Nitrogen as coolant, offers low-cost
advanced material characterization. With the instrument the thermal, magnetic and electrical properties of different nanomaterials
can be characterized and then analyzed for supermaterial properties.
The basis for the precision
characterization is that the HTS electromagnet used in the instrument generates a magnetic field of 1 Telsa, which is reported
as 20,000 times stronger than the earth's magnetic field. The HTS wire also adds to precision capabilities of the instrument.
The HTS wire conducts more than 140 times the electrical current of copper wire of the same dimension. With the liquid nitrogen
coolant the HTS wire electrical resistance drops to the theoretical zero ohms.
According to Ron Sager,
chairman and CEO of Quantum Design, "The high power density and high electrical efficiency of AMSC's HTS wires makes it ideal
for creating a new addition to our popular line of physical property measurement systems," Mr. Sager also stated, "Because
this new instrument utilizes liquid nitrogen -- cheap and readily available everywhere -- operating costs will be significantly
reduced. We believe it will be attractive for scientists and educators around the world who need basic materials characterization
capability, but whose budgets might not support liquid helium."
MARCH 17th, 2005
More Funding for Starfire
Lightweight
Technology offers Fuel Savings and Micromachine Applications
Starfire Systems, Inc.,
through an option exercised by Harris & Harris Group, has secured another $500,000 in funding. So far to date, Harris
& Harris, a well-known investor in micromachine technology, has invested $750,000 in the company. Starfire Systems offers
silicon carbide (SiC) forming polymers for the manufacturer of advanced ceramic materials. These materials have applications
in automotive, transportation and microelectronics. Starfire demonstrated last year that its technology can improve the fuel
economy of an SUV significantly. An SUV equipped with brakes based on its ceramic material, had a fuel economy rating that
was rated at 8 percent per axel. The improved fuel economy was attributed to the lower weight of the brake rotors –
which only weigh 25 percent of traditional rotors. Micromachines are another
area that is expected to benefit from Starfire’s technology. The silicon carbide material, because of its anti-wear
resistance, high temperature capability and sturdiness, may allow a new breed of high powered microengines and micro steam
engines to be built. These engines are used to power toy planes and cars.
MARCH 16th, 2005
Will Conductive
Adhesive Nanomaterials Replace Lead Based Solder?
Since lead has been ruled
out of the solder game, companies and research organization have been looking at a number of different alternatives. With
so much attention placed on nanomaterial technology, something may appear soon. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology
in Atlanta Georgia point to a trail of glue as the path to a possible answer. What if glue could be developed that was conductive?
And what if that glue, unlike solder didn't have to be heated? You would have an electronic hobbyists dream. Go one step further
and build all integrated circuits into interlocking LEGO like conductive packages - and presto, electronic system design would
be a snap.
At the American Chemical
Society in San Diego, the Georgia Institute of Technology presented its research on conductive adhesives. Its work has been
in the area of sulfur based conductive materials called thiols. The thiols are used to form the basis for tiny wires that
can bond to gold. No mention was made of plastic LEGO.
MARCH
14th, 2005
Apogee Furthers MEMS Based Transdermal Drug Discovery Effort
Apogee Technology, Inc., noted for its
MEMs based audio speaker solutions, has signed an agreement with the University of Medicine
and Dentistry New Jersey (UMDNJ) Laboratory for Drug Delivery. The agreement is for research and testing on Apogee's MEMS
based transdermal delivery device. Dr. Nevenka Golubovic-Liakopoulos, Manager
of New Product Development for the MEMS Division at Apogee Technology indicated that UMDNJ has the necessary experts to help
Apogee develop the best product available for the market. Dr. Bozena Michniak,
Director of Laboratory for Drug Delivery at UMDNJ was also enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with Apogee's MEMS technology
and its insightful staff.
Apogee has already designed a transdermal
delivery platform based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The platform is for use in the field of large-molecule
pharmaceuticals. Such research is essential to find solutions for serious human problems such as chronic pain conditions.
MARCH 10th, 2005
Celtic House Venture Partners Closes $280 Million
Technology Fund
Celtic House Venture
Partners has closed its $280 million technology fund, called Fund III. The fund has been planned to provide venture capital
for semiconductor, systems, MEMS, optics and software companies. The fund has been further narrowed to primarily focus on
companies based in Canada
and the United Kingdom. The fund plans
to make individual investments that are in the order of $2 million to $5 million per financing round. Capital from The Fund
III will be allocated over the next three years.
MARCH 9th, 2005
Nanotechnology Funding is Where the Semiconductor Funding Is?
For months now, semiconductor
venture capital funding has been difficult to come by. Months were funding levels reached the $200 million mark are no longer
the norm but the exception. Part of the reason may be that venture capitalists have become more enamored with the prospects
of nanotechnology and renewable energy companies. Although nanotechnology funding sometimes addresses different areas than
electronics, electronic products such as semiconductors and sensors are very often direct beneficiaries of nanotechnology
funding.
Take for example, Nantero.
The company has just recently completed its Series C round, a $15 million round. Nantero Incorporated is using carbon nanotubes
for the development of integrated circuits. The company has a development agreement with digital ASIC company, LSI Logic (NYSE:LSI).
That agreement is to develop a CMOS semiconductor manufacturing process based on carbon nanotubes. Nantero also has development
agreements with other companies that have semiconductor and related sensor technology capabilities. These include BAE Systems
and Brewer Science. BAE Systems, besides electronic systems, produces micromachine based sensors for vehicle navigation systems.
Brewer Science Inc. has an agreement with Nantero to commercialize CMOS grade carbon nanotubes, which are to be used by Brewer's
semiconductor fabrication customers. Investors in the Series Round included Globespan Capital Partners, which led the round,
as well as Charles River Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Stata Venture Partners, and Harris & Harris Group (NASDAQ:TINY).
Another nanotechnology
company with operations in electronics, as well as biopharma and materials that closed financing this week included Advance
Nanotech, Inc. (OTCBB:AVNA). The company obtained $3.5 million from the financing of its common stock. The company plans to
utilize the capital to increase the level of its technology related acquisitions, with an initial focus in Singapore
and Thailand. The company will evaluate
the acquisitions candidates to see how well they complement the operations of its eighteen nanotechnology subsidiaries.
The clothes and fashion
market is another area that nanotechnology has made a mark on. Textile companies have adopted nanotechnology because of its
capability to make clothes more durable, wear longer, offer more comfort and obtain more resistance to stubborn stains. Nanotechnology
is also expected to eventually turn fabric into energy storage units to power everything from cellular phones to night vision
glasses.
Nano-Tex is one small
company that joins a number of multinationals in the nanotextile market. Investors this week were so pleased with that company’s
performance that they placed down $35 million in a Series A round. Some of the reasons new and existing investors were so
eager to invest is that the company has already licensed 80 textile mills worldwide to use its product treatments. Nano-Tex's
technology has been incorporated into over 100 apparel and interior furnishing brands. These brand names include a number
of well-known garment companies like Champion, Gap, Lee, Levi, Nike, and Simmons. The company has made an effort to expand
into the interior design textile market, where its products can be applied to drapes, upholstery and the like. Nanotechnology
offers consumer, for example, drapes that are more resistant to fading from direct sunlight and potentially shoes with soles
that are more resistant to wear.
Finally on this week’s
nanotechnology investment list is Spire Corporation (NASDAQ: SPIR). This company received a SBIR Phase I grant for $157,277
from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), to further develop
a technology that will enhance the capability of dental implants to attach to the jaw (bone fixation). Spire's technology
is based on a functional grade calcium phosphate coating and is planned to improve current technology because it will increase
the rate of bone growth. According to Spire the dental implants are a $1 billion per year market.
Besides the above companies,
Nanomix and Raymor Industries also received funding. Additionally the United
Kingdom announced government funding for nanotechnology products and Lucent Bell Labs announced
the opening an Irish nanotechnology facility that will receive substantial funding.
Nanotechnology Funding is Where the Semiconductor Funding Is?
For months now, semiconductor
venture capital funding has been difficult to come by. Months were funding levels reached the $200 million mark are no longer
the norm but the exception. Part of the reason may be that venture capitalists have become more enamored with the prospects
of nanotechnology and renewable energy companies. Although nanotechnology funding sometimes addresses different areas than
electronics, electronic products such as semiconductors and sensors are very often direct beneficiaries of nanotechnology
funding.
Take for example, Nantero.
The company has just recently completed its Series C round, a $15 million round. Nantero Incorporated is using carbon nanotubes
for the development of integrated circuits. The company has a development agreement with digital ASIC company, LSI Logic (NYSE:LSI).
That agreement is to develop a CMOS semiconductor manufacturing process based on carbon nanotubes. Nantero also has development
agreements with other companies that have semiconductor and related sensor technology capabilities. These include BAE Systems
and Brewer Science. BAE Systems, besides electronic systems, produces micromachine based sensors for vehicle navigation systems.
Brewer Science Inc. has an agreement with Nantero to commercialize CMOS grade carbon nanotubes, which are to be used by Brewer's
semiconductor fabrication customers. Investors in the Series Round included Globespan Capital Partners, which led the round,
as well as Charles River Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Stata Venture Partners, and Harris & Harris Group (NASDAQ:TINY).
Another nanotechnology
company with operations in electronics, as well as biopharma and materials that closed financing this week included Advance
Nanotech, Inc. (OTCBB:AVNA). The company obtained $3.5 million from the financing of its common stock. The company plans to
utilize the capital to increase the level of its technology related acquisitions, with an initial focus in Singapore and Thailand.
The company will evaluate the acquisitions candidates to see how well they complement the operations of its eighteen nanotechnology
subsidiaries.
The clothes and fashion
market is another area that nanotechnology has made a mark on. Textile companies have adopted nanotechnology because of its
capability to make clothes more durable, wear longer, offer more comfort and obtain more resistance to stubborn stains. Nanotechnology
is also expected to eventually turn fabric into energy storage units to power everything from cellular phones to night vision
glasses.
Nano-Tex is one small
company that joins a number of multinationals in the nanotextile market. Investors this week were so pleased with that company’s
performance that they placed down $35 million in a Series A round. Some of the reasons new and existing investors were so
eager to invest is that the company has already licensed 80 textile mills worldwide to use its product treatments. Nano-Tex's
technology has been incorporated into over 100 apparel and interior furnishing brands. These brand names include a number
of well-known garment companies like Champion, Gap, Lee, Levi, Nike, and Simmons. The company has made an effort to expand
into the interior design textile market, where its products can be applied to drapes, upholstery and the like. Nanotechnology
offers consumer, for example, drapes that are more resistant to fading from direct sunlight and potentially shoes with soles
that are more resistant to wear.
Finally on this week’s
nanotechnology investment list is Spire Corporation (NASDAQ: SPIR). This company received a SBIR Phase I grant for $157,277
from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), to further develop
a technology that will enhance the capability of dental implants to attach to the jaw (bone fixation). Spire's technology
is based on a functional grade calcium phosphate coating and is planned to improve current technology because it will increase
the rate of bone growth. According to Spire the dental implants are a $1 billion per year market.
Besides the above companies,
Nanomix and Raymor Industries also received funding. Additionally the United
Kingdom announced government funding for nanotechnology products and Lucent Bell Labs announced
the opening an Irish nanotechnology facility that will receive substantial funding.
MARCH 8th, 2005
Nanoelectronic Device Company,
Nanomix, Closes $16 Million Oversubscribed RoundNanomix Inc., a company that has operations
in the nanoelectronic detection device market, has closed a $16 million funding round. Investors included well-known nanotechnology
and micromachine investment company, Harris & Harris Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TINY). Other investors included Alta Partners,
Apax Partners, EnerTech Capital Partners, Sevin Rosen Funds and STAR Ventures.
Nanomix's technology, which is based
on ultra-sensitive carbon nanotube networks, is named Sensation detection technology. The company plans to market these sensors
for a number of different applications in the environmental monitoring, respiratory diagnostics and biomolecular detection
industries. Nanomix intends to market the sensors this year. The company indicates that the sensor technology will be able
to provide diagnostic information that previously technology has not been able to ergonomically determine.
MARCH 8th, 2005
Optical MEMS Company, Gemfire, Acquires Assets
of Newport Opticom
In
a move to enhance its production capabilities, Gemfire Corporation, a Photonic Integrated Circuit company, completed the acquisition
of the assets of Newport Opticom Inc. (NOI). With the acquisition, Gemfire acquired NOI's advanced switch technology, a technology
that can be used in Gemfire's passive silica Planar Light Circuits (PLC) and Si-polymer PLC waveguide fabrication. The move
is seen as a way to expedite NOI's product commercialization efforts. Gemfire's eight inch MEMS and silica wafer fabrication
facility and process know-how is expected to shorten NOI's manufacturing, design and development time NOI had used MEMS foundry,
where the product manufacturing cycle has been noted to be lengthy. Because MEMs design is intricately tied to the manufacturing
process, foundries without solid MEMS process development experience can turn out to be a roadblock to quick commercialization.
MARCH 8th, 2005
Lucent Technologies Establishes Euro 43 Million Irish R&D Facility to Facilitate Nanocooling
Technology for Integrated Circuits and SystemsAs with automobiles, heat keeps chips
and systems from achieving their top operating speeds. The maximum operating frequency of microprocessors for example, increases
significantly as the operating temperature drops. Because of this simple fact of nature, designers have always searched for
new ways to economically keep chips in a comfortable cool environment. Supercooling is one technique that has been applied
to supercomputers to get them to calculate complex universe problems more quickly, but for low-cost commercial products, such
as PCs, these techniques are too expensive.
Lucent Technologies Bell Labs in its search to find a low cost answer
to the thermal management problem, has established a research center, Bell Labs Ireland, to examine how nanostructures can
be used to effectively transfer heat away from silicon to liquid coolants. These liquid coolants are expected to eventually
be piped through a chip with either nanotubes or microtubes no wider than a micron or so in diameter.
Lou Manzione,
is the Executive Director at the Bell Labs Centre in Ireland. His research focuses on what
Lucent calls nanograss. Nanograss, simply put, is an array of nanoscale silicon posts or silicon structures that have a textured
lawn like grass appearance.
Funding for the Bell Labs facility in Ireland
is expected to be in the order of euro 43 million. That investment includes funds from both Bell Labs and IDA Ireland. At
the facility, Bell will collaborate with different universities
in the area to enhance its own research efforts.
Lucent’s Irish research
center adds to The Bell Labs network of R&D facilities it has in Europe. These research
centers, staffed with over 5000 employees, are located in England, Germany, Poland, The Netherlands and Spain. The Irish facility has plans to employ about 40 researchers
when it is fully staffed. Lucent, in Ireland
altogether has approximately 575 employees. These include Mike Devane, Managing Director for Lucent in Ireland.
MARCH 7th, 2005
CMOS VOA From Kotura Rated
100X Faster Than MEMS VOA
Kotura has available
for sampling its Ultra VOA 1030, which is a variable optical attenuator (VOA) built from a standard CMOS silicon process.
Kotura says the silicon photonic based VOAs are 100 times faster than MEMS VOAs and 1000 times faster than ordinary VOAs.
Their high speed VOA offer designers a choice component for transient control and wavelength tracking applications. The CMOS
VOA also includes power balancing and channel equalization functions.
Kotura goes on to state
that its existing line of VOA products, which include 4 and 8 channel Ultra VOA arrays, have achieved full Telcordia qualification
and are in volume manufacturing.
Kotura's VOA 1030,
also does not have any moving parts - free carrier absorption is used to produce the necessary attenuation. The 1030, which
goes into production in October 2005, will be displayed at Booth 2010 at the OFC/NFOEC Conference in Anaheim this week.
MARCH 7th, 2005
LIGHTCONNECT Ships 40,000 MEMS Based VOA Device
Lightconnect with the shipment
of its 40,000th variable optical attenuator (VOA) reports that it now controls 50 percent of the VOA market. The company also
says it had 55 paying customers in 2004. The VOA market share also puts Lightconnect as a leader in the MEMS based component
and module market. Lightconnect's products are used in optical systems.
Lightconnect also has announced
that its Fast VOA 5000 has passed Telcordia based reliability standards. That MEMs based device has a tiny 5.4 mm diameter
and is controlled within a voltage range from just one to five volts. The device also has no epoxy in the light path and is
not effected by in-situ shock or vibration.
MARCH 7, 2005
Raymor Industries' Private
Placement Wins $2.2 Million Coat for Nanomaterials
Raymor Industries Inc.
(TSX VENTURE:RAR), as a result of a non-brokered private placement of 11,659,737 units at $ 0.19 each has secured $2,215,350
in funding. The units consisted of one common share and one warrant.
Proceeds from the placement
are planned for the production and development of advanced metal and nanomaterial technologies. RAYMOR has four operational
divisions, which include a metal and ceramic coatings division, a spherical metallic powders division that focuses on biomedical
applications, a nanotechnologies division which develops nanopowders, nanocoatings and carbon nanotubes and a net shape forming
division.
MARCH 2, 2005
Molecular Printing System Completes
Phase I of Launch
BioForce Nanosciences Inc. has completed
Phase I of the launch of its molecular printing system, NanoArrayer. Michael
Lynch, product manager at BioForce, indicated that the product had applications in a number of different markets. These include
molecular detection and diagnostics. BioForce Nanosciences patents, which the
NanoArrayer stems from, are primarily related to the nanoscale and near-nanoscale level placement and patterning of active
biomolecules.
BioForce is primarily focused on the life
science markets, where its NanoArrayer may be used to design and manufacture miroarrays and microfluidic chips (biochips).
The semiconductor industry has shown a great interest in this market. The integration of electronic circuits and microfluidic
technology into ultra small silicon or biosilicon chips should allow for the ability to reduce the size of bulky laboratory
instruments several orders in magnitude.
MARCH 1st, 2005
BioSilicon Begins Search for Silicon Bandage Partners
So will silicon be
in your next band aid? There is a good chance. Tissue can utilize silicon as
a porous platform to intertwine itself through and close wounds quickly. As well, silicon can be made such that it will dissolve
and decompose safely.
pSivida Limited
(Nasdaq:PSDV) is now on the look out for partners who may be interested in that type and other applications for its BioSilicon
technology. For that task it has signed on Puretech Development LLC to help evaluate out-licensing opportunities for BioSilicon.
BioSilicon, which according to the company is a nano-structured porous elemental silicon, has numerous potential healthcare
and possible environmental applications. These include biocompatible and biodegradable
semiconductors and micromachine applications for tissue engineering applications. BioSilicon has a honeycomb structure that
is often found in nature. Your teeth, for example, have a honeycomb structure. It is in these honeycombs where numerous bacteria
live. For those that love sugar, bear in mind that so do those bacteria.
FEBRUARY 26, 2005
Nanotechnology
Trends – From Transistors to MicroVehicles
Intel and QinetiQ,
as a result of a two-year development project, have produced an Indium Antimonide (InSb) transistor. The material results
in transistors with a power-speed product that is an improvement in the order of 10 times over transistors used today. Because
of the low power and high speed of the transistors, InSb is considered a candidate as a primary material for the construction
of microprocessor chips. The new transistor, a quantum well transistor, is not expected to reach commercialization until the
middle of the next decade. The transistor marks a nanomaterial research trend that Intel plans to pursue further.
QinetiQ through QinetiQ
Nanomaterials Limited (QNL), a unit of QinetiQ Group, has also developed a nanopowder that is expected to enhance the properties
of steel. The material, called Tesimorph ES-25 is billed as a magnetic stainless
steel material, which will allow the production of materials that can be employed at the nanoscale level. Specifically, Tesimorph is expected to permit the production of alloys at the nanoscale level, which
may give unprecedented strength and lightness, which will more readily permit the construction of ultra-small industrial micromachines
and microvehicles. QNL Commercial Director Dr Mike Pitkethly stated that the company is now ready to actively seek industrial
partners to further develop its metallic nanomaterials.
QinetiQ Group is a
large research-oriented, technology company, based in the United Kingdom with over 10,000 employees. The company has a wide
range of products that are of interest to the technology world. One such product,
a miniaturized GPS system, was developed in conjunction with Global Point Technologies, Durham University and the Centre of
Excellence for Nanotechnology, Micro and Photonic Systems (CENAMPS).
Nanomaterials have
come into the forefront of the technology markets as a result of the advancements in optical resolution and atomic, cellular
and molecular visual simulation technology. Material scientists with nanoscopes, the modern day version of the microscope,
have been able to understand the structure and behavior of materials at the nanometer level much quicker. Because of the new
atomic and molecular simulation tools, manufacturing process engineers can quickly assess the electrical properties of the
proposed compounds without the need to develop actual physical prototypes.
FEBRUARY 26, 2005
New Five Nanometer
Zinc Oxide for Electronic Applications
If one examines the
ingredients of a number of household products, one will find Zinc Oxide listed. Because Zinc Oxide is fundamental to everyday
products, nano-enhanced Zinc Oxide is expected to have a bright future. According to Applied NanoWorks, Zinc Oxide is best
known for its ultra-violet light absorption and its antibacterial qualities. Applications for Zinc Oxide include cosmetics,
coatings, electronics and personal care products. Zinc Oxide is also used in temporary dental fillings, which can be purchased
over the counter in most drug stores.
In order to address
the Zinc Oxide market, Applied NanoWorks has introduced its improved Pinnacle Zinc Oxide. The Pinnacle Zinc Oxide, a nanomaterial
based product is noted for its small median particle size, below 5 nanometers. The
Pinnacle Zinc Oxide’s other unique and important features are its optical transparency and neutral pH.
Zinc Oxide has also
been shown to be important in the advancement of semiconductor technology. Fairly recently, researchers at the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) used Zinc Oxide to grow nanowires with a diameter of just 3 nanometers. By contrast, today’s
most advanced commercial semiconductor manufacturing processes have a feature length of 65 to 90 nanometers and above. Before
the NIST demonstration, most research was focused on 10 nanometer nanowire development.
FEBRUARY 26th, 2005
Xidex’s
Carbon Nanotip Effort Critical to 32 Nanometer Process Node
In a development that
signals the arrival of 32 nanometer process technology for semiconductors, Xidex Corporation in conjunction with the Advanced
Materials Research Center and SEMATECH have reported on carbon nanotube tips for scanning probe microscopes (SPM). The carbon
nanotube tips are expected to replace silicon tips because of their much smaller inner diameter. Carbon nanotube tips should
allow for SPM to make accurate measurements in the one nanometer range. John Allgair, a SEMATECH lithography metrology program
manager, indicated that one of the goals of the program was to ensure a commercial supply of the tips for its members. Carbon nanotube tips can be grown to customer specification on commercially available
SPM cantilevers.
FEBRUARY
26th, 2005
Diversified
Nanomaterial Strategy Results in Significant Revenue Increases
Altair Nanotechnologies,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI), a company that develops nanomaterials for the air purification, coatings, cosmetics, dental materials,
drug delivery, pharmaceuticals, photovoltaic, paint, renewable energy, and water
treatment markets, announced that it has increased its revenue flow. The company for its fourth quarter and year ended December
31, 2004 reported revenue of $0.5 million and $1.2 million respectively. This
compares to $0.03 million and $0.07 million for the same periods in 2003.
FEBRUARY 23rd, 2005
Celtic House Ventures Partners Fund III Obtains
$50 Million Commitment
Celtic House Ventures, a venture firm whose latest Fund III emphasizes early-stage semiconductors, micro-electro-mechanical
systems (MEMS), optics and software companies, has received a commitment from the CPP Investment Board of $50 million United
States dollars. The commitment brings the CPP
Investment Board’s total commitment to Canadian private equity funds to $1.5 billion.
FEBRUARY 23rd, 2005
Malaysian Venture Capital Management Bhd to Invest RM200 Million
Malaysian Venture Capital Management, which has invested over RM300 million in over 60 companies since 2001, has announced
that it will invest another RM200 million in 50 more companies over the next two years. Notable MEMS companies that Malaysian
Venture has invested in the past include MEMS Technology Bhd, That public company is involved in the potentially lucrative
miniaturized MEMS microphone and speaker market.
FEBRUARY 23rd, 2005
Wispry, an RF MEMS Company, Lands $6.5 Million
Wispry, Inc., a company that focuses on RF MEMS based tunable filter and switch products for the cellular phone market,
announced it has closed its $6.5 million in Series A financing. The investment
was led by Blueprint Ventures. Other investors included American River Ventures, Sid R. Bass Associates and Shepherd Ventures
and a number of existing investors. Bart Schachter, managing partner of Blueprint
Ventures indicated that the investment came after an evaluation of many RF MEMS companies. Some of the compelling reasons
why Wispry was selected include its industry reputation. capital efficiency and its market traction.
FEBRUARY 23rd, 2005
Ultrasound Microcatheter Technology Obtains $18 Million in Series B Round
A number of venture capital funds have invested
a total of $18 million in Series B funding into Bothel, Washington based
EKOS Corporation. The company has been developing an ultrasound energy-based microcatheter used to dissolve blood clots in
the brain, peripheral arteries or legs. The technology, considered a minimally invasive technology, is described in a number
of EKOS’ United States patents.
The patents describe a system that delivers ultrasound energy to a localized treatment center within a vessel. The system,
besides an ultrasound energy delivery system, also includes drug delivery ports. Investors involved in the funding of EKOS
included NGN Capital, Med Ventures, Morgan Stanley, and EGS Capital. EKOS, with the funding, plans to double its staff from
50 to 100 employees.
Although it has not been determined if EKOS’
microcatheter technology is micromachine based, it would be no surprise if it were. Olympus Corp., based in Japan, is one company that has devoted significant efforts
towards the development of MEMS based microcatheters. Olympus developed active bending microcatheters.
These devices include multiple silicon piezoelectric MEMS pressure sensors and tactile sensors. Olympus Corporation’s
interest in microcatheters stems from its Medical Systems Group, which is one of the largest producers of endoscopes. Endoscope’s
may soon however be replaced completely with camera-based pills, which are just swallowed.
Given Imaging is one company whose revenues have soared as a result of its camera pill product, referred to by the
company as a PillCam Capsule
Endoscopy.
Olympus Optical also is involved in the digital camera
market. Digital imaging technology is fundamental to today’s endoscope products, which are used to visually examine
the inner digestive system.
FEBRUARY 15th, 2005
Kronos, Developer of NanoFans for Microchips, Announces
Earnings
Kronos Advanced Technologies, Inc. a company that produces air purification
and fan systems, that have no moving parts, has announced an increase in revenues. For the first half of its fiscal 2005 year,
revenues from its wholly owned subsidiary, Kronos Air Technologies, Inc., increased 60 percent from $242,000 to $381,000.
Kronos also reported that it continues to prepare for mass production of the electronics used in its air purification line.
Kronos has developed an air cooling and air filtration system, which
propels air at speeds ranging from 0 to 1,500 feet per minute, and at the same time eliminates harmful pollutants such as
allergens, gases, viruses, mold and bacteria. The company’s product has applications in numerous industries. A few applications
include semiconductor clean rooms, medical centers and operating rooms, scaled microchip cooling systems, and air-to-water
conversion machines. Kronos states its air purification systems are virtually silent and energy efficient.
In December of 2004, Kronos and the University of Washington were
awarded a project for the development of microelectronic cooling products. The project was entitled "Heat Transfer Technology
for Microelectronics and MEMS." The Washington Technology Center awarded the funding. Request More Information - Specify Company, Product,
Etc.
FEBRUARY 15th, 2005
Do-Coop Technologies Ltd, a company that plans to alter the applications
of water through the addition of nanoparticles, has been given the "2004 Enabling Technology in Nano-medicine" award and will
receive the "2005 Excellence in Medicine Award". Frost & Sullivan, a long-standing market research company, granted the
awards.
D0-Coop believes that its neowater product will break the Life Sciences’
miniaturization barrier as has already happened in the microelectronics industry. The overall goal of the development work
at Do-Coop is to reduce the price / performance ratio of biotechnology products, such that research and biotechnology products
will be cost-effective for everyday use. The company’s technology could significantly lower the costs of genetic-based
therapeutics related to DNA arrays and associated reagents. Hitachi, as recently reported on the Semiconductor Evening News,
has developed a technique that is expected to reduce the cost of DNA microarrays by about 10 fold. Request More Information - Specify Company, Product,
Etc
FEBRUARY 15th, 2005
Texas Instruments (TI) reported this week that it has been named as one of
the lead suppliers of digital light processing subsystems. Based on numbers from several market research firms, Texas Instruments
owns about half of the market.
Texas Instruments
provides DLP subsystems for both rear and front projection display systems. Over 75 companies use its DLP technology to manufacture
TVs and projectors. There are over 350 projectors and large screen television models based on TI’s micromachined, micromirror-based
DLP technology. John Van Scoter, Senior Vice President and General Manager of DLP Products at Texas Instruments indicated
that continued strong consumer demand for the company’s DLP products is expected. Since 1996, Texas Instruments has
shipped more than 5 million DLP subsystems – many of which were shipped in the last year. Request
More Information - Specify Company, Product, Etc.
FEBRUARY 14th, 2005
Emertec2
Fund Raises 20 Million Euro for Chips and Nano
Emertec
Gestion SA, based in France, plans to use its recent capital to invest in semiconductor
and nanotechnology companies. Investments markets mentioned include electronic design automation (EDA), chip sets and RFID
as well as advanced materials and processes. Investors in the 20 million Euro fund included AXA Private Equity, CEA Valorization,
CDC Entreprises, CNRS, Natexis Private Equity, and RBC Technology Ventures. CNRS
is a French research organization.
The
Emertec fund is expected to be dispersed to about 15 to 20 startups. Emertec plans to increase the fund size to about 40 million
Euros by the time fund closes. The fund traditionally has invested in European
based companies.
FEBRUARY 14th, 2005
Microbridge
Receives $5.5 Million For its MEMs Based Resistor Technology
Microbridge
Technologies Corp. announced that it has just closed a $5.5 million Series B financing round. The round brings Microbridge’s
funding to date to $7.5 million. Microbridge’s product, an electronically
programmable resistor, which also can have its temperature coefficient programmed, is based on CMOS and micromachine (MEMS)
technology. In 2004, Microbridge selected X-Fab Semiconductor Foundries as its foundry. Microbridge pointed to X-Fab’s
combination of MEMs and CMOS manufacturing expertise as the reason.
The
company plans to use the funds for manufacturing production increase and to further its marketing effort. Zon Capital Partners
led the round joined by the Business Development Bank of Canada Venture Capital, Schneider Electric Ventures, the Solidarity
Fund QFL and Innovatech Montreal.
FEBRUARY
14th, 2005
Applied
DNA, Producer of Chip-Based Counterfeit Technology, Funded
Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. announced that it has just closed over $7.3 million of funding. The company offers a unique and potential replacement to RFID chip technologies. Applied
DNA’s encapsulated botanical DNA can be embedded into currency or microchips. The technology is considered a low-cost
way to obtain near 100 percent protection against counterfeit products and currency. In 2004, Applied DNA filed a patent for
technology related to a DNA embedded chip and access system for integration into radio frequency identification (RFID) or
wireless technology. Also in 2004, Applied DNA appointed well-know RFID semiconductor
expert Richard W.
Durkee to its advisory board. Durkee was COO of Matrics, Inc, a well known RFID microelectronic device company.
Applied
DNA Sciences has won a number of contracts and has arranged partnerships in a number of markets that RFID chips have targeted
– including textiles and currency. Investors in this round included Vertical Capital Partners, Inc., Starboard Capital
Partners, LLC and Galileo Asset Management SA
FEBRUARY 14th, 2005
Venture
Firm Closes $400 Million Technology Fund
BA
Venture Partners, a venture capital partnership, announced the closing of BAVP Fund VII, a $400 million fund. BA plans to
use the capital for investments in digital consumer and the therapeutics market. Specifically $150 million is earmarked for
the digital consumer space and $100 million for therapeutic technology companies.
Specifically
BA Ventures sites several different industries that have been targeted. In the
electronics hardware industry, segments include semiconductors, network electronics and consumer electronics. In the services
markets, the fund is looking at internet and wireless services, as well as software-as-service applications. Medical technology,
which BA Ventures sees as positive as the world ages, includes therapeutic technology for oncology, inflammation, neurology
and dermatology. Finally, BA Ventures also plans to invest in medical devices for orthopedic, cardiovascular and neurological
problems.
Fund
VII is expected to be completely invested over a period of four years.
FEBRUARY 10th, 2005
Reports Indicate Hitachi will Lower DNA Chip Costs With RFID
Asia Pulse has reported that Hitachi Ltd. has developed a low-cost alternative to DNA array chip technology. The technology is said to permit the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms
(SNPs), critical for identification of genetic differences. Doctors armed with this knowledge will be able to determine if
a patient will have an adverse reaction to a drug prescription – over 100,000 people die a year because of adverse drug
reactions (ADRs). Hitachi’s new technology is based on an optical sensor
and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) smart tags. These RFID tags send out a radio signal if a specific SNP is detected. Test time is reported to be less than an hour. The smart tags are expected to reduce
both reader and DNA chip costs by a factor of about 10. However, the cost of reagents necessary to perform the tests is still
expensive. Hitachi expects to have the system ready in five
years.
Hitachi has been involved in the medical research area through several different operating divisions
as well as its Central Research Laboratories for several years. Hitachi Instruments Group has manufactured Nanogen Incorporated’s
Nanochip, a technology used for DNA analysis.
FEBRUARY 10th, 2005
Wafer or Nano Battery Innovation? Take Your Pick
Altair
Nanotechnologies, Inc. and Electro Energy Inc. have both reported on new technology
that are expected to significantly increase battery power, life and applications. Altair
has developed an electrode nanomaterial, which the company says will allow rechargeable batteries to have three times the
power of existing Lithium Ion batteries at the same price – but with a recharge time of only a few minutes. Electro
Energy’s reports that its patented bipolar battery design offers reduced weight and volume with increased discharge
efficiency and lower manufacturing costs. What is unique about Electro Energy’s battery is that combines wafer cell
design with gel polymer electrolyte-based lithium ion (Li-ion) technology. The bipolar Li-ion cells are reported to have 50
percent more power, 30 percent lower volume and 25 percent lower manufacturing costs than competing technologies. Electro Energy has begun pilot operations for the new battery in Colorado
Springs, Colorado.
FEBRUARY
10th, 2005
Acacia Research Obtains $19.6 Million Commitment
Acacia Research Corporation, which is comprised of two units, Acacia Technologies and CombiMatrix Group, announced that it has obtained commitments
to purchase $19.6 million of its of its Acacia Research-Acacia Technologies common stock in a registered direct offering.
Institutional investors affiliated with Apex Capital, LLC were named. Acacia Technologies develops, acquires and licenses
a wide variety of patented technologies. CombiMatrix is involved in the biochip market.
FEBRUARY 9th, 2005
Atlas
Mining Obtains Major Clay Nanotube Order
Atlas
Mining Company announced that it has a purchase order for 5,000 tons of its processed halloysite clay. The halloysite clay
is considered vital for the production of low-cost nanotubes. Atlas Mining states the price for the clay will be $500 per
ton. Atlas says it has already remitted a purchase of 500 tons against the purchase order.
The order was from Nanodynamics. Atlas
has previously agreed to issue a one-year warrant to NanoDynamics to purchase up to 1 million shares of Atlas common stock.
Nanodynamics is a diversified nanotechnology company, which has operations in nanomaterials and energy. The company has recently
obtained stature in the golf community with a revolutionary golf ball it has created.
FEBRUARY 8th, 2005
Altair Nanotechnologies
and Genesis Team Up to Clean Air
What nanotechnology will
do for the air is a big health and ozone question. Titanium dioxide nanocompounds
may be an answer to improved air quality in the homes, factories and schools throughout the world. Altair’s ceramic-based titanium dioxide nanotechnology and Genesis’ Air Photocatalyst technology
are to be the basis for a new air purification system that is beyond what the present day market has to offer. Nanotechnology
based air purification systems may also offer a short-term solution to in-home and in-office asbestos pollutions. Asbestos
was a once popular building material.
Genesis Air is an established
member of the building community. It has been affiliated with numerous organizations in a variety of different capacities.
These organizations include the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and
Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); Air Conditioning Contractors Association (ACCA); National Association of Home Builders
(NAHB); National Association of Realtors; Institute of Real Estate Management; CCIM Institute (Commercial & Investment
Real Estate); Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA); and Society of Professional Engineers.
FEBRUARY 8th, 2005
World’s Smallest Projector Based On TI’s Mirror Chip
Based on Texas Instruments’
(TI) latest DLP micromirror chip, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America's Presentation Products Division has brought out
its PocketProjector. Not just any projector, this projector is billed as the world’s smallest LED projector. It weighs
under a pound, at 14 ounces and will fit, according to the company in your palm or a coat jacket. The projector has been designed to work with a wide variety of computers, games and other multimedia electronic
devices. Also on the slide show is the projectors long lamp life. The advanced lighting technology permits the light to last
20,000 hours.
FEBRUARY 8th, 2005
Heat Pump Funding Cools Chip Problems
Harris & Harris Group,
Inc. reported a $1 million dollar investment in Nextreme Thermal Solutions, Inc. The investment was part of an $8 million
Series A Preferred round. Nextreme has a material which can be used for the construction of a miniature heat pump. The heat
pump, when placed directly on the surface of a chip package, is used to draw substantial amounts of heat away from semiconductor
devices. Overheated semiconductors are a potential show stopper for the next generation of ultra-high speed chips. Without
a way to dissipate the heat from the next-generation chips, applications for the chips in portable applications could be severely
limited.
Other investors in the
round included Spacevest (which led the round), Aurora Funds and RTI International.
Nextreme is based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
FEBRUARY 7, 2005
Nanotechnology Center Funding For $88 Million on Track
Approximately $55 million
of a planned $88 million total was reported to have been guaranteed to fund The American Technion Society’ Russell Berrie
Nanotechnology Institute. Contributors to the research center, which will research
the use of nanotechnology in a number of different areas such as electronics, energy, and environmental technology, included
the Russell Berrie Foundation, which pledged $26 million. Another $26 million
has been guaranteed by the
Israeli Government’s Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The facility is to be located
at The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. The Technion has done extensive research work in nanotechnology.
FEBRUARY 7, 2005
Nanotech Funding To Bring Fuel Savings
to Market, Soon!
Oxonica Limited, a diversified
nanotechnology materials company with operations in fuel technology and biotechnology, reported that it had raised approximately
2.7 million British Pounds. The funds were raised through the issuance of new ordinary shares, which included shares issued
to employees of the company. The investment was underwritten by Seighford Investment
Company Limited and Mr. Richard Farleigh, both original investors in the company. The offering was reported to be well supported
by the company’s three largest investors, BASF Venture Capital GmbH, Foresight Technology VCT and TriVest VCT.
The funds are planned for
the product marketing of the company’s Envirox Fuel Borne Catalyst and Optisol UV Absorber. The fuel product, which has been selected for use in Stagecoach Group’s bus fleet, offers a
potential fuel economy savings of up to 10 percent. Stagecoach Group plc, based
in the United Kingdom, operates around 16,000 vehicles
Oxonica Limited also has
signed a distribution agreement with DMX Technology Corp to distribute the fuel product in partnership with BASF. The diesel
fuel saving additive will be distributed in the Philippines.
Additionally Optisol reports that its ultraviolet skin protection product, UV Absorber, was selected by Boots Group, a company
also based in the United Kingdom. Boots
has over 75,000 employees and product sales in over 130 countries. Boots will
use the product in a range of sun care products.
FEBRUARY 4, 2005
Toray’s Nanotechnology
Makes Clothes More Durable, Water Cleaner
Toray Industries, a company
deeply involved in the manufacture of textiles, has applied nanotechnology to make clothes more durable and perhaps even more
comfortable. The company has gone to great lengths to investigate the nanotechnology-textile connection.
Toray appears almost set
to bring the new line of textiles to market. One clue is that Toray has developed a waste water system, again based on nanoscale
process technology, which significantly reduces contaminates associated with textile production. With waste water pollution greatly reduced, Toray can increase the production of its textiles, which are
restrained by environmental protection laws. Other reports indicate that Toray’s
nanotechnology filter system have been able to reduce industrial waste water contamination by a factor of seven.
FEBRUARY 4, 2005
Dust Networks Contract and Funding Promises Reduced Electric Bills
Dust Networks, a wireless
micromachine company, whose technology has the potential to reduce your electric bill, has completed a $22 million round of
funding. The funding was led by Crescendo Ventures also included Cargill Ventures, Foundation Capital and Institutional Ventures
Partners. The series B funding brings Dust Networks funding to date to $30 million.
Along with the funding
comes news that the United States Department of Energy (DOE) selected Dust Networks to participate in a program to make commercial
and residential buildings more energy efficient. Dust will work with SVA Lighting
and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Livermore Berkeley National Laboratory on an advanced lighting system. The lighting
control system is a wireless system that turns on and off lights based on user occupancy and security needs. Because the wireless
control system does not need wires, buildings and homes save on costs associated with the wiring of light switches –
so watch out electricians.
According to the Department
of Energy about 30 percent of the 600 billion kilowatt hours used for powering buildings and homes is for lighting needs.
Studies have indicated that the wireless lighting control technology could save up to 40 percent on lighting costs or about
$8 billion in the United States alone. SVA Lighting has high hopes for the technology. That company
anticipates Dust Networks Smartmesh networks will greatly reduce the installation costs of dimmable fluorescent ballasts,
which in turn will result in widespread acceptance of the energy saving devices.
FEBRUARY 3, 2005
GyroSensors Keep
BEI on Track
BEI Technologies along with
record first quarter 2005 revenue of $76.9 million reported increased sales of its Gyrosensors. BEI reports that a major component
of the sales increase was from a $4.9 million increase in automotive sensor sales, which were largely GyroChip sensor sales.
BEI expects that second quarter sales to grow somewhere between 3 and 7 percent. Gyrosensors
are used in the latest Electronic Stability Systems. These systems, which give a novice driver expert ability to stay in control
on ice, have been mandated in a number of countries.
BEI forecasts that GyroChip
automotive sensor shipments will be somewhere between 5.0 million units to 5.6 million units for the 12 month period ending
September, 2005. For the recent quarter, BEI’s Systron Donner unit shipped
1.26 million GyroChip sensors.
FEBRUARY 3, 2005
NanoTechnology Basis
of One Inch DBS Antenna
MB Tech Inc., based in Korea,
announced that it and Teltron’s 2D phased array antenna has just passed
the needed tests to be used for the Korean DBS Sky Life television programming services. Next, MB Tech and Teltron plan to
develop a new phased array antenna based on silicon phase shifter and nanotechnology. That antenna, with a height of only
one inch, will easily fit into the roof of today’s automobiles.
FEBRUARY 3, 2005
Nanotube Chips May
Be Forthcoming
Reports from Asia Pulse
indicate that NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) has made progress in the use of carbon nanotubes for interconnects
in semiconductors. NTT lowered the cutting voltage of carbon nanotubes from 100,000 volts to several hundred volts. NTT was
able to reduce the electron beam cutting voltage by first exposing the carbon nanotube to the electron beam, than exposing
the nanotube to air. NTT is expected to develop a chip based on nanotubes next. The nanotube based interconnect chip is expected
to have a higher operating speed than traditional aluminum and copper interconnected chips.
FEBRUARY 2, 2005
Yield
Increase Secret to Ultra-Tiny Molecular Computer Systems
Molecular
electronics or nanoelectronics, whichever you prefer, offers potential grand reductions in electronic system costs and size.
Researchers claim that nanoelectronics can be used to create nanotransistors which are one ten-thousands of today’s
current technology. This would mean that today’s computers are grandiose. Tomorrow’s supercomputers should fit
easily into a shirt button and require very little energy – perhaps just a little sunlight.
The
problem with molecular electronics is, like in the beginning days of the transistor, yield. NIST, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, indicates that one of the major molecular yield issues
is the molecular – electronic contact. The research organization reports on its patented process, which allows for copper
contacts to be attached to molecular electronic molecules. NIST says that the process has allowed a cross-hatched pattern
of 10 micrometer wide copper lines to be attached to organic electronic molecules with a contact printing deposition process. NIST says it has a simple, chemical way to solidly attach electrical contacts to molecular-scale
electronic components. The manufacturing technique requires that the chip be
immersed in a copper ion solution. NIST refers interested parties to its U.S. patent, no. 6,828,581 available
at its web site.
The
NIST research may be of particular interest to Hewlett-Packard. Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Quantum Science Research (QSR)
division recently reported on its developments in the nanotransistor field. Specifically
QSR reports that it developed a working nano-crossbar latch. The latch consists of a few wires with a electrically switchable
molecular-scale junction. One of the researchers at QSR includes Phil Kuekes, a senior
computer architect. Kuekes has a patent on the nano-crossbar latch, U.S.
patent number 6,586,965. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has supported Hewlett-Packard’s nanotransistor
research.
FEBRUARY 1, 2005
Alternative Energy Financing Emerges
With the interest in solar
energy and numerous government incentives, venture capitalists and lending institutions are expected to bring out the red
carpet. GE's Technology Lending and Energy Financial Services Initiative is one
recent example. The organization just announced a program to provide financial solutions to clean energy companies. Clean Energy companies’ products range from fuel and solar cells, to wind and wave power, and biomass
gasification among others.
For those that want to
speak in person with GE, Cleantech Venture Forum VI is the place to go. The conference is to be held March 22 to 24, 2005
in San
Francisco. GE is a co-sponsor for the event.
FEBRUARY 1, 2005
Mirrors Cut Solar Cell Energy Costs in Half
Energy Innovations, Inc.,
which has under development a low-cost rooftop photovoltaic based solar concentrator system, has announced the acquisition
of Prevalent Power Inc. Prevalent (to be called EI Solutions) will assist with Energy Innovation’s Sunflower solar concentrator.
Sunflower is based on mirrors, which track the sun, and concentrate the sun rays onto a solar panel. Energy Innovations reports
that Sunflower will be able to provide energy at a lower cost than the utilities presently can. The company indicates that Sunflower will be able to reduce the cost of solar electricity by 50 percent
or more.
FEBRUARY 1, 2005
Harris & Harris Invests in Biological Electronics
Harris & Harris announced
that it has invested in Cambrios Technologies Corporation, a company that is developing electronics products based on biologically-directed
synthesis of inorganic materials. Investors besides Harris & Harris, for the Series B round, included In-Q-Tel, Headland
Ventures, and previous investors, Alloy Ventures, ARCH Venture Partners, Avalon Ventures, Lux Capital, and Oxford Bioscience
Partners. Cambrios founders developed the directed-evolution technology.
FEBRUARY 1, 2005
EV Group Opens MEMS Foundry in Korea
EV Group announced that
it will open the Technology Innovation Center of Sung Kyun Kwan University (SKKU) in Suwon, Korea.
The facility, designated the JML lab is for MEMS, advanced packaging processes and nanoimprint lithography. The facility is expected to also provide MEMS foundry services. The facility has been scheduled to open
in March of 2005 and is to be accompanied with a workshop on nanoimprint lithography and wafer binding processes.
JANAURY 31, 2005
Dalsa’s Semiconductor
Business announced revenue of $16.2 million in the fourth quarter (2004), an 18.6% increase from the same period last year.
Total semiconductor revenue for the year was $65.8 million, up 22.1% over 2003.
Dasla reported activity from
ASICs. Its application specific contract revenue was $2.1 million in the quarter. Follow-on sales from the application specific
contracts increased 75 percent in 2004 over 2003 levels with strength reported in the fourth quarter.
Dalsa anticipates increased
sales in the second half of 2005. One of the reasons is volume production of MEMS devices based on new process technologies.
JANUARY 27th, 2005
Nanotechnology Patent Power Houses
The Dow Chemical Company has entered
into an agreement that grants access and ownership of its dendrimers patents to Dendritic NanoTechnologies Inc. (DNT). Dow Chemical has 196 patents related to dendrimers. Under the agreement, Dow will obtain
an equity interest in DNT. Starpharma, which is DNT’s largest shareholder, has access to DNT’s and Dow’s
dendrimer technology for pharmaceutical applications. Starpharma received FDA
clearance for human clinical testing of VivaGel, the first HIV vaccine to do so. The dendrimer patents are expected to be
essential in the development of vaccines and other drugs that will be able to conquer a wide number of formidable diseases.
JANUARY 27th, 2005
Paint
Pigment Used to Make Highly Sensitive, Low-Cost Hydrogen Sensor
Toyo Ink Mfg. Co., a high
tech ink company in Japan, was reported to have developed a method to make a low cost hydrogen sensor. The electrode developed from a mixture of paint pigment and nitrogen will change its
conductivity 100,000 fold when the electrode comes into contact with hydrogen.
JANUARY 27th, 2005
New Nanotechnology Material
May Boost Battery Efficiency 10 Fold
In Japan, the National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology was reported to have developed a nanotechnology material that would increase the power density
of a lithium-ion rechargeable battery by a factor of 10. The material is related
to titan oxide.
JANUARY 27th, 2005
Texas Instruments' Micromirror IC Technology Challenged
A recent study that Epson
America commissioned indicates that its 3LCD chip technology offers a higher level of quality than DLP technology offers.
The study involved EPSON’s PowerLite S1+ projector and a projector based on DLP chip technology (the technology Texas
Instruments is most noted for). The results showed that 64 percent of the respondents preferred the color quality of the EPSON
projector to the equivalent DLP projector. Epson’s 3LCD technology is based
on the use of three different chips. Each chip is responsible for full time display of one of the three primary colors: blue,
red and green. This is different than color wheeled based DLP technology. The DLP technology, according to Epson, displays
each primary color sequentially as opposed to simultaneously. Newman-Stein, a
national market research firm conducted the study.
JANUARY 26th, 2005
In Other Biochip News
Sysmex Corp. announced that it has developed a multi protein analysis chip which can monitor 20 types of proteins in
the blood. This type of analysis can be used to help prevent cancer cell growth.
JANUARY 26th, 2005
Biochip Market Marker In
Affymetrix Inc., the well-known leader of the biochip market, announced revenues for 2004 and its fourth quarter ended
December 31st, 2004. The company’s year-over-year revenue increased to $346.0 million from $300.8 million in 2003. The
company’s fourth quarter came in at $107.7 million, significantly above the $89.2 million in last year’s fourth
quarter. Affymetrix’s sales for its third quarter, 2004, were $79.9 million. Fourth quarter 2004 revenue included a
record $57.4 million in GeneChip’ sales, and product and wafer sales to Perlegen Sciences Inc. of $1.3 million.
JANUARY 26th, 2005
World Am Communications, Inc. announced today its intent to acquire 90 percent of Senz-It, Inc. Senz-It has technology,
which allows for the identification of molecular structures. Based on molecular imprinted molecular polymers, the cost
of sophisticated sensors, that is sensors that can detect impurities in the air and water in the parts per billions, is expected
to drop to a level that will be affordable for many home and office applications.
JANUARY 26th, 2005
New Sensor Offers Safe Sun Bathing
So why didn’t the integrated circuit companies think of this one? SunHealth Solutions, LLC, based in Naples, Florida,
launched its self-adhesive UV Sensor. This inexpensive colorful sensor changes color as it is exposed to the ultraviolet rays
of the sun. The product is used to avoid sun burns and is planned to be available in March this year.
JANUARY 26th, 2005
ApNano Materials, a company that has developed a nanosphere and
nanotube based technology to reduce friction, that is a solid lubricant, announced that it raised $5 million in second round
financing as part of its goal to build a nanolub production facility. Additionally, the company announced it has planned an
IPO for 2006.
The pilot facility is expected to produce about 150 Kilograms of
NanoLub, which may potentially fill the need for over 1000 tons of the lubricant the company projects the world demands. The
IPO is expected to provide further funding for a much larger factory.
The nano-lubricant is expected to fill the needs for numerous lubricant
applications. One reported application is an automobile engine that does not require an oil change. Because most cars require
that the oil be changed every 3,000 to 6,000 miles, the potential oil savings could be significant.
There are also numerous other applications. Industrial equipment,
such as found in semiconductor factories is just one. Because the nano-lubricant is so refined and solid, it should also permit
machines to be built with rougher surfaces. Such a lubricant may also help Active Power Inc. This company, which doubled
its revenue for its fiscal 2004 fourth quarter, offers a flywheel energy storage system, which is a battery less, backup solution
to supply power to systems when the utility grid fails.
JANUARY 25th, 2005
Micromachines Get Ready to Take On Oil?
MEMS USA and Accelon Energy Systems Inc. announced that their joint venture, Cam-Am Ethanol One, Inc. engaged Merrill Lynch as its strategic advisor.
For a reason that looks related to micromachine technology, MEMS USA has obtained an interest in Can-Am Ethanol One,
Inc., which is to be the first biomass-to-ethanol plant in British Columbia. At a cost of $150 million, will the factory contain biomass MEMS that
will change the energy world?
JANUARY 25th, 2005
How is the MEMS Market?
The MEMS market is difficult to monitor. One reason is that it is diversified and addresses different end-markets.
Another is that there are few public companies that address only the MEMs market. However there are a few MEMS company that
could be considered pure plays. One of these is MEMSCAP, based in Europe. Although the company reported an improvement in margins, and has announced significant
foundry shipments for MEMS microphones, from such companies as Knowles, MEMSCAP doesn’t seem to quite have the power
to overcome the fall of the United States
dollar and a number of delays.
In terms of Euros, the company increased revenue to 8.8 million in 2004 from 7.7 million in 2003. However for its latest
fourth quarter, in terms of Euro, sales decreased from 2.1 million to 1.8 million. In
terms of U.S. dollars the numbers were better however. For the full year, which ended December 31, 2004, revenues were $10.9
million compared to $8.8 million for all of 2003.
JANUARY 25th, 2005
MEMS and Nanotechnology Conferences Multiply
The 18th International Vacuum
Nanoelectronics Conference, July 2005, Oxford, UK
Nanotechnology: Issues for Business, April, 2005, Brussels, Belgium
Microsystems USA Show and Conference, March 2005, Chicago IL, USA
Simposium BioMEMS, March 2005, Monterrey, Mexico
JANUARY 24th, 2005
High Throughput DNA Chip May Become Microarray Standard
From
Jiji Press Ticker Service comes news that DNA Chip Research Inc. and Sumitomo Bakelite Co. have developed a DNA chip with
a sensitivity 100 times greater than traditional DNA chips. The process is based on Sumitomo's coated plastic
substrate. The chip is reported to be able to amplify and entirely analyze DNA from a cell in less than three hours.
JANUARY 21st, 2005
Dmetrix, Inc., a company specializing in scanner and microscope
technology, has developed a microscope based on an array of lenses and image sensors - that is 80 image sensors according
to the Arizona Daily Star. The microscope is also reported to be five times faster than present day microscopes and has a
resolution of up to 54,000 dots per inch.
So is MEMs technology or CMOS image sensor technology behind this
new microscope? Dmetrix's recently received patent, "Multi-axis imaging system having individually-adjustable elements" U.S.
Patent No. 6,842,290, dated January 11th, 2005, implies that might be so. The patent directly states the positioning devices
may be made by the LIGA process, which is a MEMS process developed in the early 1980s at the Institute of Microstructure Technology.
Other references cited in the patent include The MEMS Handbook and several MEMS technical papers.
JANUARY 21st, 2005
Nanotube's Holy Grail
Atlas Mining's Dragon Mine in Juab County, Utah could be the Holy Grail for low-cost nanotubes.
This real life story could turn out just like the movie - Indiana Jones in the Holy Grail. In that story, the jewel studded
grail was the incorrect choice. The simple clay grail was the secret to life. Atllas' Dragon Mine is home to halloysite
clay, which contains natural nanotubes. These tubes, like expensive man-made carbon nanotubes, offer external diameters with
similar dimensions - less than 100 nanometers, as well as internal diameters from 20 nanometers on up. Unlike carbon nanotubes,
these tubes structure is based on a natural inorganic molecule composed of aluminum, silicon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
So what is the cost? NaturalNano Inc. has recently entered into an
agreement with Atlas to purchase the clay. Atlas Mining says it expects about $500 per ton for that order. As well,
Atlas will have the right to license NaturalNano's separation process, vital to the production of the nanotubes. NaturalNano
is not the only company interested in the clay. In early January, Atlas Mining entered into an agreement with Nanodynamics,
Inc. to develop applications for the nanotubes. NaturalNano's subsidiary Technology Innovations LLC is also investigating
new applications for natural nanotubes.
JANUARY 21st, 2005
Agilent to Lower Cell Phone Power with Fabless Acquisition
Wavics, a fabless chip company based in Korea, is to become a part of Agilent Technologies.
Agilent plans to use Wavic's design technology to produce its cellular modules, but with lower power. These new modules
will also contain Agilent's popular MEMs technology, the FBAR (film bulk acoustic resonator) MEMs duplexor. The duplexor has
enabled Agilent to reduce the overall size of cell phones.
JANUARY 20th, 2005
Nanotechnology and Solar Cells Collide Or Separate?
ObjectSoft Corp., as part of its plan to enter the nanotechnology
market, announced it has agreed to acquire the nanotechnology assets of Terra Solar Development Corp. and Accusealed. Specific
patent technology to be acquired includes nanotube technology related to nickel-carbon nanotube batteries and hydrogen storage.
Terra Solar Development Corp. is involved in photovoltaic cells and nanotechnology. The deal is expected to close in February
2005. ObjectSoft has also made plans to change its company name to Nanergy Corp. - subject to shareholder approval.
JANUARY 20th, 2005
Funding for MEMS Industry Group
The MEMS Industry Group (MIG) announced it has received funding from
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The funding is for the development of a MEMS Cost Assessment Tool (MEMS
CAT). The MEMS CAT tool would enable MEMS companies to determine the development and manufacturing costs associated with the
commercialization of an actual micromachine design.
JANUARY 20th, 2005
Researchers Claim Molecular ICs Already Here
Researchers associated with The California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI)
have reported that circuits such as 64-bit random access memories (RAM) logic circuits, sensors and rectifiers have been designed
and do work. The circuits are based on bistable rotaxane molecules. Work is currently in progress on a 16 Kbit RAM molechip.
The researchers suggest that molecular chip industry might follow the famous Moore’s law, used in the IC industry. They
also indicate that hybrid silicon/molecular chips may also evolve.
JANUARY 19th, 2005
Our Cable’s Days Numbered
Millennial Net, Inc., a micromachine company, announced that it has released a wireless sensor networking system to
replace RS-485 cabling (used most often in buildings for energy management). Millennial Net develops self-organizing, wireless
sensor networking technology.
JANUARY 19th, 2005
Zyvex Learns the Art of Nanomanipulation
Zyvex Corporation announced that is has been issued its 20th patent from the United States Patent and Trademark
office. The patents are related to the company’s NanoWorks and NanoSolve Materials product lines and deal with an invention
on how to make reliable mechanical and electrical connections accurately –also know as nanomanipulation.
JANUARY 19th, 2005
Kronos Grant Enables MEMS Air Conditioner Research
Kronos Advanced Technologies Inc. was awarded a grant from the Washington Technology
Center for a project entitled “Heat Transfer Technology for Microelectronics
and MEMS." The technology to be developed entails the development of a method to cool integrated circuits. Heat has become a major issue as integrated circuits operate at higher operating speeds, and as a barrier
as chip speeds increase further in the future. Part of the development funds were shared with the University of Washington.
JANUARY 18th, 2005
Intel’s
Shake Up for Health
Intel has restructured its operations into five business units. One
unit, the Digital Health Group, is expected to develop products for the medical industry. The decision to start a health group
may have been predicted, as Intel has already made significant investments in biotechnology. The development of medical electronic
products may serve as pathway for future biotech products Intel or its investments offer. The other four groups are The Mobility
Group, The Digital Enterprise Group, The Digital Home Group and the Channel Products Group.
JAN 14 2005
Crossbow’s Move Motivated by Micromachined Sensor
Growth
Crossbow has moved to a new address in Silicon Valley. The facility
is three times the size of its former building. Crossbow, which offers sensors and sensor networks, attributes the move to
record growth. The company stated that 2004 was a record year for revenues. Crossbow has shipped over 500,000 of its smart
dust sensor motes to over 1000 customers. Crossbow’s revenue could increase even further. Sun Microsystems (the Next
Generation Crypto Team at Sun Microsystems Laboratories) in December reported that it had developed a server the size of quarter.
The server is based on technology from Crossbow. Posted Jan 14, 2005.
Nanomix Issued Another Nanotech Patent
Nanomix, a nanosensor company, announced it has received a patent
that pertains to the development of hydrogen fuel technology. The patent relates to an invention that permits hydrogen fuel
to be stored at higher temperatures and at a lower pressure - potentially making hydrogen a safer fuel technology.
Nanomix develops sensors based on carbon nanotubes. Multiple nanosensors
can be placed on one chip. The company has its own manufacturing facility. Posted Jan 14, 2005.
Agilent’s Microarray Service Offers Low Cost Production
Service For Researchers
Microarrays appear to have a taken a que from multiproject foundry
services offered in the semiconductor industry. Agilent’s shared microarray production service is now offered as an
affordable alternative to the low volume production of microarrays. This service may very allow researchers and small companies
to develop high quality prototype DNA microarray chips for either research or future mass scale production. The first two
organisms (or perhaps IP cores) if your from the semiconductor industry) available under the program are a worm and a fungus.
Posted Jan 14th, 2005. 
Semiconductor Company Mixes Chips and Water
One of the most difficult to resolve problems in the manufacturing
of semiconductors has been the appearance of microorganisms in the water used to clean wafers. Bacteria from the depths of
water wells have been known to be able to tolerate the very high temperatures required in the semiconductor manufacturing
process. These microorganisms find that the layers between 0.1 micron wide interconnects can make comfortable homes. What
happens? The bacteria result in an electrical chip defect. Because bacteria can move, it makes one wonder if bacteria have
the capability to turn on and off an electronic device.
JMAR Technologies, noted for the production of semiconductor equipment,
may have plans to ruin the chip-based homes of microorganisms. JMAR has entered a series of agreements that portend to the
creation of a system that detects water borne microorganisms. Such a system would not only have applications in semiconductor
manufacturing but water quality and safety. The technology revolves around the BioSentry product and intellectual property
obtained from NASA, the United States government space agency and PointSource Technologies. Posted Jan 14th, 2005.
JAN 13
2005
Sensant
Corp. wins MEMS Ultrasound Order
Sensant Corp., a developer of MEMS based silicon transducers for medical imaging applications, announced that it has won its first commercial
order for its advanced Silicon Ultrasound imaging probes. The order was from
ESAOTE S.p.A, a medical equipment company based in Italy. Posted Jan 13, 2005.
Jan 12 2005
Bioscrypt’s Script Points To Continued Market Acceptance
Bioscrypt Inc. (TSX: BYT), which in 2004 announced an agreement with Texas
Instruments regarding its biometric algorithms and TI’s DSP chip development technology, announced that BearingPoint
has selected its hardware and software for a Homeland Security project. BearingPoint was awarded the $12 million contract
from the United States government agency in August of 2004.
Also in the biometric market, Atmel’s finger sensor chip was selected
for use in the new HP IPAQ hx2700 Series Pocket PC.
Biochips Get Green Light to Prevent Deadly Adverse Drug Reactions
It has been well documented that hundreds of thousands die every year from adverse reactions to pharmaceutical drugs.
With the approval of Roche’s microarray based AmpliChip CYP450 Test by the FDA this could now change. Affymetrix and
Roche have been worked to develop a system that will identify whether an individual will have an adverse reaction to a prescribed
drug. With such a test, doctors with a DNA sample from the patient will be able to determine if the patient will have a fatal
reaction to a specific drug.
JANUARY 10th, 2005
BioSilion May Further Drug Delivery Technology
From Australia comes news that Psivida Ltd. (through its pSiMedica unit) was granted its fourth United States Patent. The
patent relates to Psivida’s BioSilicon wafer technology. The patent is entitled, "Bonded products and methods of fabrication
therefore" U.S. patent number 6,832,716.
Psivida has focused its product developments efforts on microelectronic pill applications. One potential application
for the company’s microelectronic pill technology is drug overdose analysis. The microelectronic pill could be
swallowed, then used to determine the specific drug, and then relay the antidote information to the doctor.
JANUARY 7th, 2005
Biochip Patent Issued
to Nanogen
Medical Patent
Business Week reported that Nanogen, Inc. has been issued U.S. Patent No. 6,838,053 entitled "Platinum silicide permeation
layer device with microlocations," by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The
patent relates to NanoGen’s silicon Electronic Microarray chips, which are used for the analysis of biological molecules like
nucleic acids.
Micromachines End
Up In Golf Clubs
The recreation and sports
market is one more application for MEMs devices. Smartswing, a company which offers golf learning systems, has implanted Analog
Device’s MEM gyroscope chip into the shaft of the golf club.
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| Acacia Research Corporation |
| ACLARA Biosciences Inc. |
| Advanced Custom Sensors |
| Affymetrix |
| Agilent Technologies, Life Sciences |
| Akustica |
| Alexion Pharmaceuticals |
| Apogee Technology |
| Applied MEMS, Inc. |
| Applied Sensor |
| Asia Pacific Microsystems |
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| BAE Systems |
| Ball Semiconductor |
| BEI Technologies, Inc. |
| Bioprocessors |
| Bluebird Optical |
| Canadian Microelectronics |
| Cavendish Kinetics |
| Chipsense |
| Colibrys SA |
| Concept to Volume C2V |
| Delphi Delco Electronics |
| Digital Bio Technology |
| Discera |
| Dolphin Integration |
| Draper Laboratory |
| Dust Network Inc. |
| Endevco |
| EnOcean GmbH |
| Excellin Life Sciences, Inc. |
| Ferro Solutions |
| Fluilogic Systems OY |
| Form Factor |
| Gemac Gesellschaft, |
| GenoMEMS |
| Hightec MC AG |
| HRL Laboratories |
| IBM Microelectronics |
| IC Mechanics |
| Icurie Lab Inc. |
| Illumina |
| IMEC |
| Innovative Microtechnology |
| Integrated Micro Instruments |
| Integrated Micromachines |
| Integrated Sensing Systems |
| Intelligent MEMS Design |
| Ion Optics |
| Kionix |
| Knowles, Inc. |
| Kulite Semiconductor Products |
| Lightuning |
| Macrogen Inc. |
| Maxim |
| Measurement Specialties Sensors |
| Melexis N.V. |
| MEMS USA |
| MEMSCAP |
| MEMSIC |
| MemsTech |
| MEMSware Co. |
| MEMX |
| Metrodyne |
| Micralyne Inc |
| Microbridge Technologies, Inc. |
| Microfab Bremen |
| Microfabrica |
| Micromotive Gmbh |
| Micronit Microfluidics |
| Microsens SA |
| MicroSensors Inc. |
| Millennial Net, Inc., |
| Murate Electronics North America |
| Nanochip |
| NanoNexus |
| Nanostructures, Inc. |
| Nippondenso Company Ltd. |
| Norcada |
| Olympus Partnership Development Group |
| Onix Microsystems |
| Polychromix |
| Reflectivity |
| Robert Bosch GmbH |
| Sandia National Laboratories |
| Sarnoff Corp. |
| Silex Microsystems |
| Silicon Microstructures |
| Silmag |
| Siwave Inc. |
| Solus Micro Technologies |
| SonionMicrotronic (Denmark) |
| Sporian Microsystems |
| STMicroelectronics |
| Tecan Ltd. |
| TERAOP |
| Teravicta |
| Texas Instruments, Sensors and Control Division |
| thinXXS |
| Tronic's Microsystems |
| Verimetra, Inc., |
| Very Small Technologies |
| VTI |
| Wafergen |
| Walsin Lihwa |
| Zyomyx |
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MEMS FEATURE STORIES
Send your Micromachine News, Comments, Article
Submissions or Ad Copy Requests to
marketing@perfectdisplay.com.
Micromachines or Micro Electro Mechanical (MEMs) is an emerging technology
that encompasses many different technologies. Micromachine technology refers to the micro miniaturization of machines
(at the micrometer level). Micromachines can be found that incorporate silicon based electronic circuitry, micropumps,
micropipes optical micro mirrors and cantilevers. Micromachines are closely related to electronic sensor technology. The process
for the manufacture of micromachines is closely related to the integrated circuit manufacturing process. However, there are
many micromachine processes that are strictly based on polymers or metals
MEMS
/ Biochip News November 8, 2004 Edition
Biochip technology
from EMX Corporation (New York and London) is the basis of a new line of cellular phones from
Ghanz EMF Telecom (New York). Reports indicate
that the use of the radiation-free cellular phones will reduce the odds for the development of cell abnormalities related
to cancer. The technology is expected to be applied to other electronic devices.
VTI Technologies
reported that it will expand its products to include absolute pressure sensors for health and safety applications. The absolute pressure sensors are based on 3D MEMs technology.
Lumera
Inc. has reported production delays for its biochips. The company has in development biochips to isolate DNAs and
proteins for testing. Pilot production is expected to commence in early 2005.
Agilent
Technologies has announced that it has sold over 1 million Labchips.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2004 Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.
reported revenues increased two fold from $28.0 million to $56.0 million. Product revenue increased from $18.3 million to
$39.8 million. Service revenue increased nearly five fold to $10.1 million.
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