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Nanowho? Nanowhat? Nanowhen? Nanohow!Aren’t you even a little bit curious about nanotechnology? What if we told you that even teenagers could learn how to use nanotechnology to create amazing structures like car bumpers that truly are impervious to damage, self-cleaning windows and clothes, and flexible materials that are 10 times lighter and 100 times stronger than steel. It is not unfeasible to develop paints that repair themselves when chipped. Or for computers the size of blood cells with tiny wireless transmitters to report on the health of a patient without requiring surgery. Or even for nano-scale cleaning particles to identify and fight contaminants in our waterways. So what’s stopping us from exploiting this amazing science? The right education. Nano Goods and Services has fixed this with Nanobits, a learning package for students, families and business that allows them to see, touch, build and wear nanotechnology in action. Nanobits is one of several local products under discussion today at a workshop in Melbourne, where forty Australian and Korean companies are meeting to share ideas, technologies and markets. The Korean trade mission, referred to as a Techno Caravan is seeking business and technology matching opportunities with their Australian peers. Mathew Dipnall, managing director, Nano Goods and Services says, “Nanobits is an introductory package that caters for different learning styles. It comprises information and 12 simple experiments which demonstrate the underlying principals for engineering at the atomic and molecular level.” He says that nanotechnology structures can be created using two techniques—one that builds up objects and particles by combining atomic elements; the other that uses tools and equipment to create mechanical nanoscale objects. “Till now manufacturing methods have been quite basic when dealing with micro-particles—it's like we've been building sandcastles by heaping up piles of sand with a bucket and spade.” Nanotechnology will allow manufacturing of the future to manoeuvre individual components—atoms and molecules—to build precise, complex structures and to combine those structures with other particles to create new mechanisms of extraordinary strength or flexibility or durability or lightness. If we can specify the molecular structure of an object or part of an object, nanotechnology and the laws of physics are the foundation stones for allowing us to build it. The resulting size of the devices also allows movement into places (for example the bloodstream) and be used in ways (for example cell repair) that have only been imagined in the past. The prototype learning package has been developed over the last two years by Nano Goods and Services and Nanotechnology Victoria. Important contributions have been made by teams from RMIT University and The University of Melbourne, local design group Bayly Design, and specialist printer Fineline Printing. Nano Goods and Services is looking to develop the kit as a product that can be distributed not only in Australia, but also to the global market. The novel “carbon nanotube” package includes a manual, a CD-ROM and nanotechnology-based materials for the 12 experiments. The Korean trade mission is being organised with the support of the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (AEEMA), the Korean Industry Technology Foundation (KOTEF) and ITECplace. For further information:
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