ASET Technology Alberta Summer 2021 - 17

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NANO AND
ITS APPLICATIONS
Source: Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology
Image courtesy of NanoCanada.
NANOENCAPSULATION
The technology of placing materials
of solid, liquid or gas, also called the
core or active, inside a secondary
material, called a matrix or shell,
to create nano capsules. The core
contains the active ingredient (e.g.,
drugs, perfumes, biocides, vitamins)
and the shell isolates the core and
protects it from the surrounding
environment.
" Something from the technology perspective is: How do you
utilize your material in a way that can control or minimize
those risks while also taking advantage of the benefits offered
by working at the nano scale? "
Wong says that solving those concerns begins in the laboratory
setting and ends with rigorous testing to ensure the solutions
are safe enough for use.
Meanwhile, NanoCanada has taken steps to stay on top of
safety concerns by establishing a health and safety committee,
made up of nano experts around the country.
Even with a bulwark of protective measures, there's still a
lot of nano panic floating in the air. Warkentin has seen and
heard plenty of this. To her, the key to clearing up misconceptions
begins with readily available resources.
" Could it be better? Yes. Should there be more research resources
online? For sure. Nano, you see in the US or some
places in Europe, sort of has the GMO [reputation]: 'Oh, it's
scary!' And it's not, it's just a fact. Nano just means small. So
it's sort of that education piece. "
The invisible, infinitesimal land of nanotechnology might not
yet be a trillion dollar one, but it's nevertheless on a steady
growth trajectory. If Alberta and Canada remain chugging
along on the same track, their real estate in this landscape
only stands to grow.
NANO GRIPPERS
Micro or nanoactuators equipped with
multiple end effectors, capable of
applying controlling, opposable forces
on nanoscale objects. This allows
objects to be lifted free from a surface,
held in a well-defined position, moved
to another position, and/or precisely
placed. These devices let materials on
a nanoscale be manipulated through
varying forms of stimulation (light,
electricity, heat, etc.).
NANOMANIPULATION
OF BIO CELLS
Use of precise manipulation techniques
to understand problems in biological
cells at the nano scale. Using
nanomanipulation allows for the precise
control of a cell's position, assembly,
characterization, and more. The result
of this precision grants study of a cell's
properties at a very small scale.
NANOROBOTICS
Connects nanotech and robotics to
create nanoscale or microscale robots
that can operate either automatically
or through remote control. Many of
the applications for this field focus on
using nanorobots to interact with living
beings (for instance, highly precise
drug delivery inside the body).
TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA | SUMMER 2021 | 17
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/07/16/2062964/0/en/Global-Nanotechnology-Industry.html
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