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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Future PC's



Future PC's
 
 From Shoshanna
1-18-6


Gates was on TV this morning from Las Vegas.  It was really interesting.  He says we will have these things in about 4 years.
 
 WOW...looks like Bill Gates was right a couple of years ago when he said "You haven't seen anything yet"
 
---- whaddya think these are?
 
 
 
 
 
look closely n' guess what they could be...
 
 
 
 
 
PENS WITH HIDDEN CAMS??
 
any wild guesses now?
 
no clue?...
 
ladies and gentlemen... congratulations! You have just now looked into the future...
 
yep that's right! no booing now... you have seen something that would replace your PC in the near future....
 
NOW SEE THIS...
 
 
 
 
 
In the revolution of miniature of computers, the scientists are ahead with Bluetooth technology... See the forthcoming computers within our pockets .. 
 
 
 
 
 
This pen sort of instrument produces both the monitor as well as the keyboard on flat surfaces from where you can just carry out the normal operations you do on your desktop.
 
 
 

 
 
 

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The Future of Computers

The Future of Computers

The history of computers and computer technology thus far has been a long and a fascinating one, stretching back more than half a century to the first primitive computing machines. These machines were huge and complicated affairs, consisting of row upon row of vacuum tubes and wires, often encompassing several rooms to fit it all in.
As anyone who has looked at the world of computers lately can attest, the size of computers has been reduced sharply, even as the power of these machines has increased at an exponential rate. In fact, the cost of computers has come down so much that many households now own not only one, but two, three or even more, PCs.
As the world of computers and computer technology continues to evolve and change, many people, from science fiction writers and futurists to computer workers and ordinary users, have wondered what the future holds for the computer and related technologies. Many things have been pictured, from robots in the form of household servants to computers so small they can fit in a pocket. Indeed, some of these predicted inventions have already come to pass, with the introduction of PDA's and robotic vacuum cleaners.
Beyond these innovations, however, there are likely to be many, many more. One of the most important areas of research in the world of computers is that of artificial intelligence. When many people think of artificial intelligence, they may picture fully aware machines, complete with emotions, and the problems that can arise from them. Even though this remains the goal of many artificial intelligence researchers, in fact artificial intelligence technology is already in place and already serving the needs of humans everywhere.
One of the most powerful uses of artificial intelligence thus far is in the world of speech recognition. This powerful technology is already in place in call centers, banks, brokerage centers, insurance companies and other businesses throughout the world. While speech recognition is still imperfect, it has improved greatly in recent years, and in the future many routine, and even non-routine, phone calls and telephone inquiries may be handled completely without human intervention.
Robot technology has also come a long way, but it still has a long way to go. Robots in the future are unlikely to take human form, expect in a few specialized applications. Instead, robots are likely to do a great deal of work that is simply too dangerous for humans to accomplish. From spaceflight applications to search and rescue, robots are likely to continue down the learning curve they have already entered, further enhancing human lives and providing valuable services for a fraction of the cost of today's robot helpers.
Quantum computers are also likely to transform the computing experience, for both business and home users. These powerful machines are already on the drawing board, and they are likely to be introduced in the near future. The quantum computer is expected to be a giant leap forward in computing technology, with exciting implications for everything from scientific research to stock market predictions.
Nanotechnology is another important part of the future of computers, expected to have a profound impact on people around the globe. Nanotechnology is the process whereby matter is manipulated at the atomic level, providing the ability to “build” objects from their most basic parts. Like robotics and artificial intelligence, nanotechnology is already in use in many places, providing everything from stain resistant clothing to better suntan lotion. These advances in nanotechnology are likely to continue in the future, making this one of the most powerful aspects of future computing.
And if history is to be any guide, some of the most powerful advances in the world of computers and computer technology are likely to be completely unforeseen. After all, some of the most powerful technologies of the past have taken us by surprise, so stay tuned for a truly fascinating future. Let CBT Planet help you with your computer training needs. Get certified or get the skills you need to succeed in today's IT world.
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What is a supercomputer?

supercomputer

A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for computers. A supercomputer is typically used for scientific and engineering applications that must handle very large databases or do a great amount of computation (or both).
At any given time, there are usually a few well-publicized supercomputers that operate at extremely high speeds. The term is also sometimes applied to far slower (but still impressively fast) computers. Most supercomputers are really multiple computers that perform parallel processing. In general, there are two parallel processing approaches: symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and massively parallel processing (MPP).
IBM's Roadrunner is the fastest supercomputer in the world, twice as fast as Blue Gene and six times as fast as any of the other current supercomputers. At the lower end of supercomputing, a new trend called clustering, takes more of a build-it-yourself approach to supercomputing. The Beowulf Project offers guidance on how to put together a number of off-the-shelf personal computer processors, using Linux operating systems, and interconnecting the processors with Fast Ethernet. Applications must be written to manage the parallel processing.
Perhaps the best-known builder of supercomputers has been Cray Research, now a part of Silicon Graphics. In September 2008, Cray and Microsoft launched CX1, a $25,000 personal supercomputer aimed markets such as  aerospace, automotive, academic, financial services and life sciences. CX1 runs Windows HPC (High Performance Computing) Server 2008.
In the United States, some supercomputer centers are interconnected on an Internet backbone known as vBNS or NSFNet. This network is the foundation for an evolving network infrastructure known as the National Technology Grid. Internet2 is a university-led project that is part of this initiative.
Read more about it at:
> The Top500 project updates their list of the world’s fastest supercomputers twice a year.
> Elizabeth Montalbano reports on Microsoft and Cray's personal supercomputer.
> Wikipedia has more information in their entry about supercomputers.
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What Is The Difference Between DDR2 & DDR3 RAM [Technology Explained]

ddr memoryRAM, or Random Access Memory, is your computer’s short term memory. If your computer needs information and does not find the RAM, it then needs to journey to the hard drive to try and retrieve the data, which is far more time consuming. Many older computers that feel sluggish can be given new life if upgraded with additional RAM.
However, capacity is only one specification. RAM is also available in a variety of versions and speeds. A 2GB stick of DDR2 800 RAM is not the same thing as a 2GB stick of DDR3 1333 RAM. Understanding the difference is important because computers will generally accept only certain types of RAM.

Let’s take a look at the different types of DDR memory on the market and how they are different from each other.

The Big Issue: DDR2 vs DDR3

In late 2008, Intel released the first Core i7 processors. These processors were paired with a new motherboard chipset called X58. This chipset introduced the need for a new type of memory called DDR3.
what is the difference between ddr2 and ddr3
In the last two years the entire industry has converted over to DDR3. All of Intel’s new processors can only be used with a motherboard that requires DDR3. Recent AMD motherboards are also changing over to DDR3.
The term “DDR” stands for Double Data Rate RAM. This term came into use at the turn of the century when the first Double Data Rate RAM modules arrived. Double Data Rate RAM was capable of two data transfers per clock cycle, giving it twice the theoretical peak bandwidth of previous SDRAM while running at the same clock speed.
difference between ddr2 and ddr3
DDR2 and DDR3 are improvements on the same technology and further increase the number of data transfers per clock cycle. DDR2 RAM provides 4 data transfers per cycle, while DDR3 increases the number to 8. Assuming a base clock speed of 100Mhz, DDR RAM will provide 1600 MB/s of Bandwidth, DDR2 provides 3200 MB/s, and DDR3 provides 6400 MB/s. More is always better!

Performance & Compatibility Consequences

Does this mean you’ll notice a big difference between DDR2 and DDR3 systems? Well, maybe not. While the increase in memory bandwidth is great, the truth is that 99% of programs are not capable of creating a workload that will be restricted by memory bandwidth. The issue is most relevant to server and workstation class products.
To see a difference in performance you’ll usually need to use a benchmark program capable of testing memory bandwidth.
ddr ram
However, purchasing DDR2 or DDR3 RAM isn’t usually a matter of preference. DDR2 and DDR3 RAM are not compatible. If your motherboard uses DDR2, you cannot upgrade to DDR3 without upgrading your motherboard. This means that if you currently own a computer with DDR2 RAM and you want to upgrade to a brand new processor and motherboard you have to throw your your perfectly good DDR2 RAM and buy new DDR3 RAM.
There are a few motherboards which are exceptions to this rule, but they are exceptions only because they provide both DDR2 and DDR3 RAM slots, and these exceptions are available only on older chipsets.
I know – it’s a bummer, but there isn’t much you can do about it. Both Intel and AMD have committed to DDR3 RAM for future products, so you’ll be forced to either buy new RAM and deal with your computer becoming a dinosaur.

Clock Speed – The Other Part Of The Equation

ddr memory
Another important specification to consider when looking at RAM is the clock speed. Clock speed is an indication of how well the RAM will perform in much the same way that clock speed indicates how well a processor will perform, and it is part of the equation that determines the maximum theoretical peak bandwidth of memory. A higher clock speed is better. However, as I mentioned previously, this is a difference that is unlikely to be noticeable in normal daily use. The typical enthusiast won’t see much benefit from memory with a higher clock speed.
With that said, there are motherboards that only accept memory within a limited range of clock speeds. It is always a good idea to consult a motherboard manufacturer’s website to double-check the RAM that is compatible. Motherboards are usually very flexible in this regard, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Conclusion

The bad news is that the invention of DDR3 is making DDR2 obsolete by force. I have four sticks of spare DDR2 memory that are no longer capable of finding a home in a new system, even a low-power HTPC or office computer, because of the change. The good news is that new RAM technology is at least several years off, so DDR3 purchased today should be good for a while. Just be sure to check the type of RAM a new motherboard requires before purchasing RAM to go with it!
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Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

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Check out our Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide!
SEO is an acronym for "search engine optimization" or "search engine optimizer." Deciding to hire an SEO is a big decision that can potentially improve your site and save time, but you can also risk damage to your site and reputation. Make sure to research the potential advantages as well as the damage that an irresponsible SEO can do to your site. Many SEOs and other agencies and consultants provide useful services for website owners, including:
  • Review of your site content or structure
  • Technical advice on website development: for example, hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript
  • Content development
  • Management of online business development campaigns
  • Keyword research
  • SEO training
  • Expertise in specific markets and geographies.
Keep in mind that the Google search results page includes organic search results and often paid advertisement (denoted by the heading "Sponsored Links") as well. Advertising with Google won't have any effect on your site's presence in our search results. Google never accepts money to include or rank sites in our search results, and it costs nothing to appear in our organic search results. Free resources such as Webmaster Tools, the official Webmaster Central blog, and our discussion forum can provide you with a great deal of information about how to optimize your site for organic search. Many of these free sources, as well as information on paid search, can be found on Google Webmaster Central.
Before beginning your search for an SEO, it's a great idea to become an educated consumer and get familiar with how search engines work. We recommend starting here:
If you're thinking about hiring an SEO, the earlier the better. A great time to hire is when you're considering a site redesign, or planning to launch a new site. That way, you and your SEO can ensure that your site is designed to be search engine-friendly from the bottom up. However, a good SEO can also help improve an existing site.
Some useful questions to ask an SEO include:
  • Can you show me examples of your previous work and share some success stories?
  • Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
  • Do you offer any online marketing services or advice to complement your organic search business?
  • What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe? How do you measure your success?
  • What's your experience in my industry?
  • What's your experience in my country/city?
  • What's your experience developing international sites?
  • What are your most important SEO techniques?
  • How long have you been in business?
  • How can I expect to communicate with you? Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site, and provide detailed information about your recommendations and the reasoning behind them?
While SEOs can provide clients with valuable services, some unethical SEOs have given the industry a black eye through their overly aggressive marketing efforts and their attempts to manipulate search engine results in unfair ways. Practices that violate our guidelines may result in a negative adjustment of your site's presence in Google, or even the removal of your site from our index. Here are some things to consider:
  • Be wary of SEO firms and web consultants or agencies that send you email out of the blue. Amazingly, we get these spam emails too:
    "Dear google.com,
    I visited your website and noticed that you are not listed in most of the major search engines and directories..."
    Reserve the same skepticism for unsolicited email about search engines as you do for "burn fat at night" diet pills or requests to help transfer funds from deposed dictators.
  • No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google. Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google. There is no priority submit for Google. In fact, the only way to submit a site to Google directly is through our Add URL page or by submitting a Sitemap and you can do this yourself at no cost whatsoever.
  • Be careful if a company is secretive or won't clearly explain what they intend to do. Ask for explanations if something is unclear. If an SEO creates deceptive or misleading content on your behalf, such as doorway pages or "throwaway" domains, your site could be removed entirely from Google's index. Ultimately, you are responsible for the actions of any companies you hire, so it's best to be sure you know exactly how they intend to "help" you. If an SEO has FTP access to your server, they should be willing to explain all the changes they are making to your site.
  • You should never have to link to an SEO.Avoid SEOs that talk about the power of "free-for-all" links, link popularity schemes, or submitting your site to thousands of search engines. These are typically useless exercises that don't affect your ranking in the results of the major search engines -- at least, not in a way you would likely consider to be positive.
  • Choose wisely. While you consider whether to go with an SEO, you may want to do some research on the industry. Google is one way to do that, of course. You might also seek out a few of the cautionary tales that have appeared in the press, including this article on one particularly aggressive SEO: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002002970_nwbizbriefs12.html. While Google doesn't comment on specific companies, we've encountered firms calling themselves SEOs who follow practices that are clearly beyond the pale of accepted business behavior. Be careful.
  • Be sure to understand where the money goes.While Google never sells better ranking in our search results, several other search engines combine pay-per-click or pay-for-inclusion results with their regular web search results. Some SEOs will promise to rank you highly in search engines, but place you in the advertising section rather than in the search results. A few SEOs will even change their bid prices in real time to create the illusion that they "control" other search engines and can place themselves in the slot of their choice. This scam doesn't work with Google because our advertising is clearly labeled and separated from our search results, but be sure to ask any SEO you're considering which fees go toward permanent inclusion and which apply toward temporary advertising.
  • What are the most common abuses a website owner is likely to encounter?
    • One common scam is the creation of "shadow" domains that funnel users to a site by using deceptive redirects. These shadow domains often will be owned by the SEO who claims to be working on a client's behalf. However, if the relationship sours, the SEO may point the domain to a different site, or even to a competitor's domain. If that happens, the client has paid to develop a competing site owned entirely by the SEO. Another illicit practice is to place "doorway" pages loaded with keywords on the client's site somewhere. The SEO promises this will make the page more relevant for more queries. This is inherently false since individual pages are rarely relevant for a wide range of keywords. More insidious, however, is that these doorway pages often contain hidden links to the SEO's other clients as well. Such doorway pages drain away the link popularity of a site and route it to the SEO and its other clients, which may include sites with unsavory or illegal content.
  • What are some other things to look out for?
    • There are a few warning signs that you may be dealing with a rogue SEO. It's far from a comprehensive list, so if you have any doubts, you should trust your instincts. By all means, feel free to walk away if the SEO:
    • owns shadow domains
    • puts links to their other clients on doorway pages
    • offers to sell keywords in the address bar
    • doesn't distinguish between actual search results and ads that appear on search results pages
    • guarantees ranking, but only on obscure, long keyword phrases you would get anyway
    • operates with multiple aliases or falsified WHOIS info
    • gets traffic from "fake" search engines, spyware, or scumware
    • has had domains removed from Google's index or is not itself listed in Google
    If you feel that you were deceived by an SEO in some way, you may want to report it. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) handles complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices. To file a complaint, visit: http://www.ftc.gov/ and click on "File a Complaint Online," call 1-877-FTC-HELP, or write to:
    Federal Trade Commission CRC-240 Washington, D.C. 20580
    If your complaint is against a company in a country other than the United States, please file it at http://www.econsumer.gov/.
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Renaming the Start Button.....

How to hack / change your start button in Windows XP Professional


Category: Operating Systems, Software


Hacking the Start button

This works on XP Pro Build 2600 (The final verison), and it should work on all other versions as well.

ALWAYS BACKUP EVERYTHING YOU EDIT OR DELETE. I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU MESS YOUR COMPUTER UP BY DOING THIS HACK. DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

First off, you need to download a program called Resource Hacker. It's kinda like a hex editor, it allows you to change bitmaps, text, ect. in program files.
Windows XP has a feature called Windows File Protection. This feature stops you from changing important system files, that could leave your operating system, non-fuctional. The file that we need to edit, Explorer.exe, is protected by Windows File Protection. What we need to do, is make Explorer.exe not part of Windows File Protection. Once we do that, we will be able to edit Explorer.exe when we want, and as much as we want.

There are two way's of doing this. One way, is taking explorer out of the the file protection. The other way is to totally disable Windows File Protection so that you can edit any file you want without Windows replacing it.

Click on your start button -> then Run and type in "%systemroot%\system32\Restore" without the quotes. Now you should see the file filelist.xml. What? You don't see it? We can fix that. In windows explorer click Tools->Folder Options->View and scroll down where it says Hide protected operating system files (recommend) and un-check it. Also click where it says Show hidden files and folders, and uncheck Hide extensions for unknown file types. Lastly, hit Ok. Now, you should see filelist.xml listed. Right click on filelist.xml and click properties. Uncheck where it says Read Only and then click OK. Good, now we can edit filelist.xml. Right click filelist.xml again, and click Open with then on Notepad. The file should now be opened in notepad. This is where Windows File Protection looks to see if it needs to protect a file or not. Where it says:

%windir%\system.ini

add this a line above it:

Now, click file -> Save. (NOT Save as)

Next click on your start menu-> run and type in "%systemroot%\system32\dllcache" without the quotes. In this DIR, find and delete Explorer.exe. This is a backup copy of Explorer.exe and windows might try and replace this copy with your hacked copy if it isn't deleted. After you delete it, windows will popup a message, just hit cancel then yes.

We should now be able to edit Explorer.exe as we wish. Run Resource Hacker (The file you downloaded earlier). In ResHacker click File-> Open and open Explorer.exe. Mine is located in C:\winnt\explorer.exe yours maybe located in C:\windows\explorer.exe. Once you have it open you should see something like this:

To change the "Start" text on the start button go to: String Table -> 37 -> 1033. To the right, you should see the words "start". You can change this to anything you want. I changed mine to LinuXProX. Next, hit the Compile Script button above. Now, go to String Table -> 38 -> 1033. Again, to the right you should see "Start". Change this to the same thing you changed the other one to, mine says LinuXProX. Next, hit the Compile Script button above. Now, if you just wanted to change the start button text, you can skip down to "Saving".

Don't you hate the little icon (image) on the start button? Well, we change it, and it's very easy to do.
In ResHacker, go to Bitmap -> 143 -> 1033. You should see the window that is on the start button to the right. To change it, you Action -> Replace bitmap -> Open with new bitmap. Now you can make your own image, or you can use my image . If you want to make your own, it has to be 25x20 and 16 million colors. Once you found the bitmap you want to use, just click open then click Replace.

Lastly, to change the Start Menu border, go to Bitmap -> 167 -> 1033. (This is Windows XP Pro. If you have Home Editon It's Bitmap->166->1033) Click Action -> Replace bitmap -> and where it says Select bitmap to replace: scroll down to 167 or 166 if you have XP Home Editon. Now, click Open file with new bitmap and find the image you want to replace it with, click open, then on Replace.
It's best to make your own image on this one, I just edited the default bitmap since I'm not that great with graphics. Maybe someone will make me a cool one, and send to me. *Hint* *Hint* :) If you want to edit the default image, or use it as a template, just right click on the Windows XP Pro/Home image and click copy. Now, open up your favorite graphics program, I have Jasc Paint Shop Pro, and hit CTRL-V. That should paste the image from your clipboard to your graphics program. If you want to make your own, it has to be 21x233 16 million colors. Once your down editing, just save it as a .bmp somewhere on your drive. I saved mine to C:\test.bmp :).

UPDATE10/4/01 3:42PM

I keep finding more and more stuff to hack in explorer :) It's almost like linux, well maybe not.. Anyway, if you're like me and HATE the Help and Support button, you can take it off the start menu real easy. Load up ResHacker, open Explorer.exe go to Menu -> 204 -> 1033. On the right, find where it says Help and Support and delete that whole line. Lastly, click compile.

-Saving

There are alot of bitmaps in Explorer.exe along with Text Strings, that you can change, just hack around in it and see what you can find. If you try and save Explorer.exe it wont save. Why? Because Explorer.exe is currently running on your computer and it can't save it while the program is running. So how am I suppose to save it? Well, there are a few ways to do that. One, you could save your hacked version to floppy, boot to dos and copy it. Two, if you dual boot you could save it from within another operating system. Or three, the easiest and fastest way, save it without rebooting, and here is how:

Hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and Windows Task Manager should popup. Click on the processes tab and find Explorer.exe, and click it once. Now, hit the end process button at the bottom (Make sure you don't have any other programs open). Your taskbar at the bottom of the screen should disappear. Hold ALT then click tab while holding ALT, then let off the ALT. Keep doing this until Resource Hacker comes in to view. We can now save Explorer.exe because it is not running. Click File-> Save as-> and find Explorer.exe again, mine is located in C:\winnt\. It will ask you if you want to overwrite, just click yes. Now, ALT-TAB back to Windows Task Manager and click on File -> New Task -> in the black type in Explorer.exe, or type in the full path to explorer like: C:\winnt\explorer.exe. If you did everything correctly, you should see your new image and name on the start button, along with the start menu border.

Here is what mine currently looks like:


I'm working on changing the Green color of the Start Button. I found the bitmap of it, and I'm currently hacking around the digital signature. I'll add a guide of it, once I get it completed.


-Update- 11/05/01

Okay, after a few weeks of playing around with this, and asking around, I have found a way to change the color of the windows xp start button.
You must first download a program called Styles XP once you install it, reboot your machine. Browse to X:\winnt\resources\themes and replace x:\winnt with the path to your windows dir. Now, make a copy of the stylesXP_1 folder. Rename this to stylesXP_2
Open stylesXP_2.theme with notepad and browse to the bottom of the file, find this line : Path=%ResourceDir%\\Themes\\StylesXP_1\\StylesXP_1.msstyles change that to: Path=%ResourceDir%\\Themes\\StylesXP_2\\StylesXP_2.msstyles Open stylesXP_2.msstyles with Resource Hacker You should know by now, how to use resource hacker. Open the Bitmap folder. Click Action, replace bitmap, find the COLORHERE_STARTBUTTON_BMP (colorhere = blue, homestead or metallic) Find the bitmap of your new startbutton and click replace, then File > Save. Now, right click on your desktop, Properties. Themes : stylesXP_2

That's it! If the start button dosen't change its most likely that your not using the color of the startbutton you changed, ie : you changed the silver button but your using the blue color theme.

If you run into problems, try copying your "Luna" folder and rename the copied version to stylesXP_2. Then copy Luna.theme and rename the copied version of it to, stylesXP2.theme. (Ofcourse edit that file like I said above).
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Nanotechnology and Nanoscience

The next few paragraphs provide a brief introduction to the core concepts of molecular nanotechnology, followed by links to further reading.
Manufactured products are made from atoms. The properties of those products depend on how those atoms are arranged. If we rearrange the atoms in coal we can make diamond. If we rearrange the atoms in sand (and add a few other trace elements) we can make computer chips. If we rearrange the atoms in dirt, water and air we can make potatoes. Todays manufacturing methods are very crude at the molecular level. Casting, grinding, milling and even lithography move atoms in great thundering statistical herds. It's like trying to make things out of LEGO blocks with boxing gloves on your hands. Yes, you can push the LEGO blocks into great heaps and pile them up, but you can't really snap them together the way you'd like.
In the future, nanotechnology will let us take off the boxing gloves. We'll be able to snap together the fundamental building blocks of nature easily, inexpensively and in most of the ways permitted by the laws of physics. This will be essential if we are to continue the revolution in computer hardware beyond about the next decade, and will also let us fabricate an entire new generation of products that are cleaner, stronger, lighter, and more precise.
It's worth pointing out that the word "nanotechnology" has become very popular and is used to describe many types of research where the characteristic dimensions are less than about 1,000 nanometers. For example, continued improvements in lithography have resulted in line widths that are less than one micron: this work is often called "nanotechnology." Sub-micron lithography is clearly very valuable (ask anyone who uses a computer!) but it is equally clear that conventional lithography will not let us build semiconductor devices in which individual dopant atoms are located at specific lattice sites. Many of the exponentially improving trends in computer hardware capability have remained steady for the last 50 years. There is fairly widespread belief that these trends are likely to continue for at least another several years, but then conventional lithography starts to reach its limits.
If we are to continue these trends we will have to develop a new manufacturing technology which will let us inexpensively build computer systems with mole quantities of logic elements that are molecular in both size and precision and are interconnected in complex and highly idiosyncratic patterns. Nanotechnology will let us do this.
When it's unclear from the context whether we're using the specific definition of "nanotechnology" (given here) or the broader and more inclusive definition (often used in the literature), we'll use the terms "molecular nanotechnology" or "molecular manufacturing."
Whatever we call it, it should let us
  • Get essentially every atom in the right place.
  • Make almost any structure consistent with the laws of physics that we can specify in molecular detail.
  • Have manufacturing costs not greatly exceeding the cost of the required raw materials and energy.

There are two more concepts commonly associated with nanotechnology:

Clearly, we would be happy with any method that simultaneously achieved the first three objectives. However, this seems difficult without using some form of positional assembly (to get the right molecular parts in the right places) and some form of massive parallelism (to keep the costs down). The need for positional assembly implies an interest in molecular robotics, e.g., robotic devices that are molecular both in their size and precision. These molecular scale positional devices are likely to resemble very small versions of their everyday macroscopic counterparts. Positional assembly is frequently used in normal macroscopic manufacturing today, and provides tremendous advantages. Imagine trying to build a bicycle with both hands tied behind your back! The idea of manipulating and positioning individual atoms and molecules is still new and takes some getting used to. However, as Feynman said in a classic talk in 1959: "The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom." We need to apply at the molecular scale the concept that has demonstrated its effectiveness at the macroscopic scale: making parts go where we want by putting them where we want!
One robotic arm assembling molecular parts is going to take a long time to assemble anything large — so we need lots of robotic arms: this is what we mean by massive parallelism. While earlier proposals achieved massive parallelism through self replication, today's "best guess" is that future molecular manufacturing systems will use some form of convergent assembly. In this process vast numbers of small parts are assembled by vast numbers of small robotic arms into larger parts, those larger parts are assembled by larger robotic arms into still larger parts, and so forth. If the size of the parts doubles at each iteration, we can go from one nanometer parts (a few atoms in size) to one meter parts (almost as big as a person) in only 30 steps.




More Information

Nanofactory Collaboration
Foresight's nanotechnology resource page
E-Drexler.com

News and topical discussions

Nanodot

Books

These and other books can be ordered from The Foresight Institute's book store

Journals, publications and newsgroups

Conferences and events

The Feynman Prizes

Some articles on the web

Drexler and Smalley debate feasibility of molecular nanotechnology in Chemical & Engineering News cover story.

  • Foresight issues press release. "[Smalley] offers vehement opinions and colorful metaphors but no relevant, defensible scientific arguments..."
  • Kurzweil analyzes the issues. "Smalley's position, which denies both the promise and the peril of molecular assembly, will ultimately backfire"
  • Howard Lovey's nano blog covers Clash of the nanotech titans. "...I've covered local and national government enough to confidently question the motives of those who side with the Smalley camp."
  • The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) issued a press release. "If Smalley's goal is to demonstrate that machine-phase chemistry is fundamentally flawed, he has not been effective..."
  • The New York Times :"The debate has caught widespread attention among nanotechnology researchers..."
  • A bibliography on mechanosynthesis and proposal for further research. Computational chemistry can validate the feasibility of mechanosynthesis, what's needed is funding.
  • Lawrence Lessig in Wired says: "Should science tell the truth? You'd think that question would need no answer. But in the vortex known as Washington, DC, the obvious too often gets bent."

Other sites

Some Frequently Asked Questions

Some groups focused on nanotechnology

Other pages

This is the home page of Ralph C. Merkle's nanotechnology web site. It can be found on the web at http://www.zyvex.com/nano.
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