Last Updated: May 7, 2008 11:28 AM

• Advance Nanotech appoints Bader as new CEO
  
• Nano-enabled chem/bio/nuclear radiation-blocking fabric wins patent
  
• MEMS pioneer Petersen joins APM foundry's technical advisory board
  
• MEMS developer Dolomite developing microfluidics to enable nanoparticle synthesis
  
• Asylum Research AFM nano-research tool on CSI: Miami
  
• MEMS gyro maker InvenSense secures $19 million Series C funding
  
• Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) improves nanoporous layers, says NIST
  
• National Academies convocation champions nanotech, science education
  
• Nanophase achieves record Q1 revenue
  
• Picosun, Tohoku U collaborate on atomic layer deposition nanotech
  
• MEMS developer Colibrys appoints Stoops as global ops VP
  
• Pudles new CEO of nanotechnology R&D firm API Nanotronics
  
• NIST, UAlbany partner to tackle sub-atomic measurement and other nanotech challenges
  
• Nano-enabled golf club helps Trevor Immelman win Masters
  
• neosino nanotechnologies AG's new name: adinotec AG; new focus: beyond nano
  
• NanoSight sells 100th nanoparticle tracking analysis system
  
• MEMS accelerometer wave approaching, says ABI
  
• NanoDynamics targets printed electronics apps with nano-scale metals
  
• Industrial Nanotech coating gets EU building-code approval
  
• Lux says "big oil" industry turning to nanotech
  
• FUJIFILM Dimatix materials printer leverages MEMS for research
  
• UAlbany Nanocollege draws >1000 to inaugural Community Day
  
• Materials Research Society meeting features nanoscale structure discussions
  
• Binghamton University opens microelectronics manufacturing center
  
• AlwaysReady makes first public demo of NanoBattery
  
• memsstar MEMS tools enter Japanese market under Canon agreement
  
• Tiny buckyballs hold super-dense volumes of nearly metallic hydrogen
  
• Pioneer Consulting expects market for nanotech in wireless handsets to soar
  
• Colibrys releases micro inertial sensors for harsh environment
  
• NanoBioMagnetics receives US patent
  
• TU Dresden orders Pegasus system from STS
  
• Tegal receives order from Penn State for PZT MEMS
  
• Tegal signs WESI Technology for plasma etch and PVD products
  
• Governor Rendell announces $9.8 million for nano projects
  
• mPhase Website showcases Smart NanoBattery
  
• Space Micro awarded contract for MEMS-based weather instrument
  
• Rosetta Resolver System supports Affymetrix GeneChip Gene 1.0 ST arrays
  
• Omron Electronics customizes MEMS mass flow sensor range
  
• New nanotechnology TV series does "sweat the small stuff"
  
• Microvision has deal with Tier 1 auto supplier
  

Advance Nanotech appoints Bader as new CEO

May 7, 2008 -- Advance Nanotech, Inc., (BULLETIN BOARD: AVNA), developer of chemical detection systems, has confirmed the appointment of Bret Bader as its incoming Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Bader is currently CEO of Owlstone Nanotech, Inc., Advance Nanotech's majority owned subsidiary. Mr. Bader is a recognized authority on the availability and effective deployment of security technology, with emphasis on explosive, chemical, biological, narcotics and weapons detection systems, the company said.

The appointment of Mr. Bader as CEO is in line with the previously announced plan of transitioning Advance Nanotech into an operating company focused on the chemical detection industry. Mr. Bader's appointment to CEO will become effective upon completion of the Exchange Agreement, as previously disclosed. In the interim period, Mr. Bader shall be responsible for all aspects of furthering the Owlstone business along with all necessary steps to complete the Exchange Agreement.

"We are excited to have Mr. Bader taking the senior leadership position in Advance Nanotech at this important transformational point in the company's development. The company has just concluded an extensive realignment of operations, financial metrics and performance targets, which will ensure that Advance Nanotech's growth potential is realized in the near and long term as Advance Nanotech shifts from being a portfolio of technologies into an operating company focused on the Owlstone Nanotech chemical detection system. Mr. Bader has been and will be instrumental in the product development and next-generational mission critical chemical detection solutions for our customers," commented Peter Rugg, acting Chairman of Advance Nanotech.

Mr. Bader was the general manager and vice president of Smith's Detection, Americas from 2004 to 2005. He was responsible for the generation and implementation of business strategy and development plane, and is well versed in the oversight of US accounting and controller operations. His previous experience (1999 to 2004) as general manager of the U.S. Security Inspection Division in the Heimann Systems organization (acquired by Smiths Detection), and with the EG&G Astrophysics Corp. (1989 to 1999) brings invaluable expertise with the creation, management and delivery of detection technology business strategy, to Advance Nanotech. Currently, Mr. Bader has been CEO of Owlstone Nanotech, Inc. since August 2006 and has been responsible for establishing corporate structure and its rapid progress towards commercialization.

As a temporary measure to facilitate the completion of the Exchange Agreement, Mr. Lee Cole has accepted the position of acting Principal Executive Officer and Mr. Peter Rugg has accepted the position of acting Chairman of the Board of Directors.

May 7, 2008 -- Radiation Shield Technologies (RST) says it has been granted a new Australian patent for its nanotechnology-enabled Demron fabric, which it calls "the world's first nuclear radiation-blocking, anti-chemical and biological-protection material."

RST describes Demron -- which is covered by other patents in Australia, the United States, Singapore and Russia -- as a radiopaque nano-polymeric compound fused between layers of fabric and manufactured into several lightweight, nuclear-radiation blocking garments. This latest patent secures all its applications, including full-body nuclear, biological, and nuclear-biological chemical (NBC) suits, tactical anti-nuclear vests, high-energy suppression blankets, medical X-ray vests and aprons. Its first Australian patent concerns the Demron compound and its manufacturing processes.

"The global demand and deployment of Demron exceeds our expectations and reaffirms its leadership as the only nuclear radiation-blocking material that also provides anti-chemical and biological protection," said RST's president and CEO Ronald DeMeo, the surgeon who developed Demron. "Demron's patents will help us expand its market potential, and we will continue to secure patents worldwide."

Recent deployments include a NATO-funded purchase of a record number of Demron suits for use by the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus. Demron also is deployed worldwide by NATO, NASA, the National Guard, US Navy, UAE and the governments of South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia and Australia, among others. Scientists have selected it for space suits for future Mars and other space travel.

"Demron is a liquid metal that feels like fabric, and the suits are cool, lightweight and flexible," DeMeo said. "Demron helps individuals more comfortably perform a broader range of duties and with the confidence of knowing they're well-protected."

Demron suits are made from a nanotechnology that surpasses the current NBC suits, which provide limited protection against radioactive sources. It is a lead-free, toxin-free, and PVC-free material that allows heat dissipation and resists chemical penetration and cracks. RST says Demron is proven to block gamma rays and X-rays, as well as other nuclear emissions, by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, part of the National Nuclear Security Administration within the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

May 6, 2008 ? Taiwan-based Asia Pacific Microsystems (APM), which calls itself one of the world's leading independent MEMS foundry service providers, says that MEMS pioneer Dr. Kurt Petersen has joined its technical advisory board. In this role, Petersen will advise APM on its 8-inch transition strategy, advanced technology roadmap, new MEMS applications, and new partnership opportunities.

Petersen is one of the founders of SiTime, and served as the company's CEO until the fall of 2007. Previously, he was co-founder, president, and CTO at Cepheid (NASDAQ:
CPHD), and before that was a cofounder and VP of technology of NovaSensor for 10 years.

APM is currently running 6-inch MEMS wafer processes in its 27,000 square feet facility at Hsinchu Science Park of Taiwan. APM serves many global customers who are designing state-of-art MEMS sensors and actuators, such as pressure sensors, inkjet heads, inertia sensors, microphones, RF relay and optical mirror actuators. APM President, Dr. Ming-Ru Chen, says "APM has been very focused on the foundry business model since UMC and Unimicron made a strategic investment into APM in late 2006. We want to maintain the position of being the top foundry choice for the fab-less MEMS design houses. Dr. Petersen's appointment as a member of TAB will strengthen our ability to focus on developing cutting edge technologies and providing the 8-inch migration path for our customers."

During his 9 years at Cepheid, Petersen was responsible for product development and helped guide the company to a public offering in 2000. General Electric acquired Petersen's first startup, NovaSensor, in 2003. In 2001, Kurt was listed by Red Herring Magazine as a Top 10 Innovators of the Year. Kurt holds a BA degree from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. from MIT. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a recipient of the 2001 IEEE Simon Ramo medal.

May 6, 2008 -- Dolomite, a MEMS/microfluidics specialist based in the U.K., says it has been working with Newcastle University to explore using microfluidics to synthesize nanoparticles for biochemistry applications.

For this project Dolomite created a custom glass MEMS microchip with multiple reaction chambers. This was manufactured undertaking processes such as lithographic patterning, isotropic etching of glass substrates and the accurate thermal bonding of glass substrates.

"The manufacture of this type of device is a very complex process," said Dr Gillian Davis, Commercial Director at Dolomite. "However, microfluidics offers high efficiency, versatility, speed, and economy of analysis. This technology also has a very low consumption of reagents and analytes, so it brings both cost and environmental benefits to bioscience and drug discovery projects. Furthermore, its greatest advantage is the ability to perform parallel-array or multidimensional types of analyses in a small localised environment."

The nanoparticle synthesis project at Newcastle University is headed by Mike Loughran, Team Leader Microfluidics & Sensor Technologies, at the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials. Working with Dolomite and Dr Andrea Beck from HAS Budapest, Loughran has been exploring how, in the future, scientists will be able to control specific chemical reactions in a localized microchip environment, enabling different nanoparticles to be designed for a specific purpose -- e.g the synthesis of silicon based fluorescent nanoparticles (quantum dots) to label biomolecules for diagnostic assays, polymeric nanosensors for intracellular analysis and drug delivery, and catalytic nanoparticles for specific chemistries or for purification by adsorbing pollutants.

"I am very happy with the professionalism and attention to detail that I have received from Dolomite," said Mike. "In particular I am very impressed with the speed of the processing, alignment and bonding of the glass microchips . . . Previously I waited months for clean room glass processing. With Dolomite it was completed within weeks and to a much higher standard."

Established in 2005 as "the world's first microfluidic application centre," (according to the company) Dolomite won funding from the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry's Micro and Nano Technology (MNT) Manufacturing Initiative that same year. The funding has allowed Dolomite to establish microfabrication facilities, with cleanrooms, precision glass processing facilities and applications laboratories. In addition to this, Dolomite has managed to attract top quality engineering and scientific staff with strong backgrounds across the broad range of disciplines required for success in bringing microfluidics applications to market.

May 5, 2008 -- Aside from performing cutting edge research in nanotechnology, the Asylum Research MFP-3D atomic force microscope (AFM) was in the spotlight on the CBS hit television show CSI: Miami. The AFM was featured in the episode 619 "Rock and a Hard Place" on May 5, 2008.

Late last year, Asylum released the Piezo Force Module, an add-on to the star performer MFP-3D, which comes in multiple versions.

"I was really surprised when CSI: Miami producers called me to use our MFP-3D AFM," said Terry Mehr, Director of Marketing. "Only days earlier, I had received an email from our VP of Asia Pacific telling me about a customer that was interested in doing forensics on our AFM and how great it would be to have our AFM on CSI. Then lo and behold, I get a call from the producers asking to use the equipment. It's exciting to have our AFM featured in the episode."

The MFP-3D AFM was used as a forensics instrument to procure information about a sample. Asylum Research manufactures advanced AFMs for nanoscale science and technology. For additional information, please contact Terry Mehr.

May 2, 2008 -- InvenSense, Inc., provider of MEMS-based motion sensing systems for mobile consumer applications, says it has secured $19 million dollars in Series C venture capital financing.

Earlier this year, InvenSense announced it had released the "world's smallest" dual-axis gyroscope -- another MEMS/microsystem device.

This latest funding round brings InvenSense's total funding to date to $38 million. It was led by new investor Sierra Ventures, with participation from previous investors Artiman Ventures, Partech International and Qualcomm Ventures. Several strategic investors also participated in the Series C investment round including Foxconn, Inventec Appliances Corp, both from Taiwan; Skylake Ventures from Korea; DoCoMo Capital, a wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of NTT DoCoMo Japan, and VentureTech Alliance (whose majority LP is TSMC). Ben Yu, managing director at Sierra Ventures, will join InvenSense's board of directors.

The latest infusion of investment funding will accelerate the next phase of company growth and evolve both the company business and product strategy. InvenSense will expand sales operations to support new customers and bring a new family of the world's first integrated motion sensing solutions based on multi-axis MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers with embedded intelligence. These products address the fast-growing need for motion sensors in portable consumer electronics markets that will fuel a host of innovations in next generation applications such as 3D-games and gesture-enabled mobile phones.

"InvenSense has already demonstrated a clear leadership position in mass production of very advanced MEMS motion sensing solutions with wide acceptance by many major consumer electronics companies," said Ben Yu, managing director, Sierra Ventures. "We are excited about the enormous market potential for InvenSense's upcoming, innovative solutions and are convinced that InvenSense will be the dominant provider of a new generation of motion sensors for the burgeoning consumer handheld market."

"Sierra Ventures was the ideal partner to lead this round for us, and we are pleased with participation by a high quality list of Asian strategic investors. We have now solidified our commitment to Asia and to some of the largest consumer electronic companies in the world," said Steven Nasiri, chief executive officer and founder of InvenSense.

May 2, 2008 -- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) says its work has helped resolve whether nanoimprint lithography (NIL) can accurately stamp delicate insulating structures on silicon wafers without damage -- and in fact makes them better.
One candidate for a semiconductor insulator is spin-on organisilicate glass, a porous glassy material applied as a thin fluid film; when heated it turns into a thin glass film laced with nanopores to enhance electrical insulation. Whereas conventional photoresist etching processes can compromise the delicate material, NIL could pattern SOG layers with wiring trenches, and eliminate litho steps by patterning the film accurately without destroying the lacework, NIST claims.

Last fall NIST published a paper in Advanced Materials addressing the patterning issue, showing that NIL used on functional SOG material could transfer patterns with <100nm detail and minimal distortion due to processing.

Now, in another Advanced Materials paper, NIST scientists claim they extend the effect of the embossing process on the nanopore structure in the glass. Using a combination of techniques to measure nanopore distribution in the insulator, they found that the NIL embossing process actually increases the population of small pores, improving performance, reducing population of larger pores, and creating a thin, dense protective skin across the material's surface.

Together, NIST says, these two papers suggest that NIL "can produce superior nanoporous insulator layers in advanced semiconductor devices with significantly fewer -- and easier -- processing steps than conventional lithography."

May 1, 2008 -- The National Academies -- advisers to the nation on science, engineering and medicine -- held a national convocation this week (April 29) in Washington, D.C. that focused in part on nanotechnology. In his speech to the participants, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez emphasized the importance of basic research to nanotechnology innovation and application. "NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology) has created the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology. Nanotechnology is just one area where the basic research funded by ACI [America Competes Initiative] has real world impacts," noted Gutierrez. "Advances in manipulating matter on the tiniest of scales is spurring business creation around the world, showing tremendous potential for new health benefits, economic growth and productivity."

Called "Rising Above the Gathering Storm Two Years Later: Accelerating Progress toward a Brighter Economic Future," the convocation was organized by the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academies with support from the National Math and Science Initiative.

The event aimed to take stock of what has occurred since the fall of 2005, when the National Academies released the report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future.

Major accomplishments since then include the passage of the bipartisan America Competes Act, which was signed by the President last August, as well as initiatives by several states and by the private sector. In addition, the convocation worked to strengthen engagement among the various stakeholders seeking to renew American innovation and explore how progress can be sustained and accelerated.

But work remains to be done -- in terms of intellectual property protection, immigration, free trade, and commitment to science education. "The 'Gathering Storm' report articulated ways in which we must address our nation's shortages of talented educators and scientists," he said -- and then urged Congress to act. "Maintaining America's technology leadership requires a commitment to basic science . . . The Administration has also set a goal to increase the number of scientists and engineers at NIST by 1,500, but this goal will only be met if the President's proposal to double funding for basic research is implemented."

April 28, 2008 -- Nanophase Technologies (Nasdaq: NANX), provider of nanomaterials and advanced nanoengineered products, says that for the quarter ending March 31, 2008, its total revenue was $3.05 million compared to $2.9 million in the first quarter of 2007. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue increased to 35%, versus 25% in the first quarter of 2007, while gross margin dollars increased 48%.

Nanophase, which recently won a patent for nanoparticle surface treatment, notes that it is continuing to narrow its losses with increasing revenues and gross margin growth. The company reported a net loss of $950,000, or $0.04/share, versus a net loss of $1.2 million, or $0.06 per share, in the first quarter of 2007. Management noted that of the $950,000 loss, approximately 71%, or $670,000, was due to non-cash items.

"Nanophase delivered another solid quarter, especially in a difficult economic environment," noted Joseph Cross, Nanophase's president and CEO. "In spite of some general and specific market caution entering 2008, comparing the first quarter of 2008 to the prior year, we experienced relatively solid customer demand in personal care and sunscreens, an 82% increase in architectural coatings revenues, twenty-five fold revenue growth in chemical/mechanical planarization nanomaterials, and 37% growth in biosensor nanomaterials. The Company's revenue declined 26% for industrial coatings and plastics, primarily, we believe, reflecting one customer's inventory build in the first and second quarter of 2007 that was not duplicated during the first quarter of 2008. We anticipate that industrial coatings and plastics revenues should improve over the next three quarters."

Cross continued, saying, "our business model requires developing unique value-added solutions that are ready to integrate into customers' products and, therefore, command higher margins. We believe Nanophase's consistent margin growth since 2005 has demonstrated that our model and market tactics are having positive effects. Our gross margin this past quarter continues that trend."

"Operationally, Nanophase continues to perform at a high level with
100% on-time delivery and absolutely zero customer returns in the first quarter. The Company also ended the first quarter with over 875,000 hours, or over 420 man years, worked without a lost time accident -- a quite exemplary record for a company of our size," he added

Cross noted that while first quarter revenue was encouraging, the company continues to have limited visibility and is maintaining its 5-15% revenue growth estimate for 2008. "Using our improved market development and sales approach, we have made sound progress adding targeted new revenue opportunities to our stage gate sales process," he explained. "While we continue to work closely with our market partners, we have been developing a greater in-house ability to directly market new nanomaterial-based solutions. To further that effort, we increased our sales staff this past quarter with the addition of an experienced chemical sales professional to expand targeted customer initiatives."

"But, it remains pragmatically difficult for us to accurately forecast the speed of movement through the stage gates, the start of revenue generating activities, and the ensuing growth ramp," Cross noted. "At this point, we anticipate that second quarter 2008 revenue will be relatively flat with the current quarter. We do not believe that the inventory build-up from two major customers that benefited the second quarter of 2007 will recur in 2008."

Cross said that the Company finished the first quarter with $16 million in cash and equivalents and should be adequately capitalized to meet its growth objectives in the foreseeable future. Nanophase believes that it has adequate facilities and equipment to support a $20-25 million revenue run rate, depending on product mix, and does not anticipate material capital spending during 2008.

Cross concluded by stating, "We continue to expect an increased revenue run rate in the second half of 2008 based on market partner forecasts and opportunities that we are pursuing. As we see how the second quarter unfolds and have increased information on new opportunities, we will re-evaluate our 2008 outlook at the appropriate time."

April 25, 2008 -- Tohoku University of Japan has joined the network of Finland's Picosun Oy, developer of tools for the nanotechnology application of atomic layer deposition (ALD). "Our co-operation will lead to new results in implementation of ALD in nanotechnology applications and further strengthen the market position of our SUNALE ALD process tools in Japan," stated Juhana Kostamo, Managing Director of Picosun Oy.

ALD, a gas phase chemical process, is used to create extremely thin coatings for various applications including MEMS and CMOS manufacturing.

According to Professor Makoto Kohda of Tohoku University, "In semiconductor spintronics, gate controlled spin manipulation and its device application are one of the important technologies for realizing spin based functional devices. AI2O3 formed by SUNALE R-75BE ALD-reactor system enables us to realize pin-hole free and thinner gate insulator on top of semiconductor two dimensional electron gas and shows excellent device characteristics."

Professor Junsaku Nitta's Quantum and Materials Science Laboratory at Tohoku University studies a new paradigm: electronics based on the spin degrees of freedom of the electron requiring a way of controlling electron spins in semiconductor channels by using gate bias voltage.

"Picosun possesses 30 years experience in ALD technology . . . More and more customers in need of high-quality ALD tools both in industry and academia are now choosing Picosun as their partners," stated Hiroshi Sato, General Manager of Altech Co., Ltd.

Picosun, part of Stephen Industries Inc. Oy, is an international equipment manufacturer with world-wide sales and service organization. Picosun develops and manufactures Atomic Layer Deposition reactors for micro- and nanotechnology applications. Based in Espoo, Finland, the company has its US headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Tuomo Suntola, inventor of ALD technology, is Chief Scientific Advisor and member of the board of directors of Picosun.

April 24, 2008 -- Colibrys, a Switzerland-based supplier of MEMS motion sensors, has appointed Don Stoops to the role of VP, Global Operations. Stoops will be responsible worldwide for the strategic management of the Colibrys operations, including manufacturing, product development, quality, environmental health & safety, and central services. In addition, Stoops will serve as EVP and general manager for Colibrys Inc.

Before joining Colibrys, Stoops spent 15 years in executive management positions within the semiconductor industry at Advanced Micro Devices and Cypress Semiconductor. In 1995 he began work in MEMS as COO of Microflow, Inc, the catalyst for Input/Output's subsidiary Applied MEMS which was purchased by Colibrys in 2004. Most recently Stoops has been coaching executives and serving on business advisory boards in a wide range of industries.

"We will highly benefit from his experience, success and passion for the MEMS technology," said Sean Neylon, CEO of Colibrys. "Colibrys's growth opportunities require a strategic vision and coordination of all our efforts. Don's leadership will strongly help ensure we exploit the best potential of our global operations and succeed in our future growth opportunities."

"Colibrys is an exciting company in a strong growth phase with great business opportunities," said Stoops. Just last month, the company launched its MS9000 family of inertial accelerometers specifically designed for harsh environment and safety critical applications.

Colibrys is a world-leading supplier of standard and semi-custom MEMS-based motion sensors to the harsh-environment (military, aerospace and energy) and safety critical (industrial and instrumentation) applications. Colibrys has operations in Houston, TX, USA and Neuchatel, Switzerland.

April 24, 2008 -- API Nanotronics, Corp. (OTCBB: APIO), supplier of electronic components and nanotechnology research and development to the defense and communications sectors, says its board of directors has appointed Stephen B. Pudles to serve as the company's CEO, effective immediately. Mr. Pudles succeeds Phillip DeZwirek who will continue to serve as chairman of the board and chairman of the executive committee.

Mr. Pudles brings more than 25 years of electronics industry experience to API Nanotronics. He previously served in several executive and leadership roles at Nu Visions Manufacturing, LLC, including president and CEO, where led the company from $10 million in revenue to over $100 million in a six-year period.

Pudles also served in a variety of other executive and operational positions for a number of electronic manufacturing services companies and began his career as a manufacturing engineer and operations project leader at ITT Defense Communications Division and as an industrial engineer at McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co. He holds a Bachelors of Engineering and a Masters of Science in Management from Stevens Institute of Technology. Pudles was recently elected secretary and treasurer of the IPC, an electronics industry global trade association, where he has served on their board of directors for the past 8 years.

Phillip DeZwirek, Chairman of API Nanotronics Inc., said, "[Pudles'] vast operational and leadership experience is ideally suited as API continues to capitalize on its leadership position in the defense and communications electronics and nanotechnology industry."

According to Pudles, API Nanotronics "has an unparalled technological and scientific position and an impressive roster of long standing blue-chip customers. The industry is taking notice of API's leading position and I look forward to building on this momentum to further establish the company as a forward-looking leader in our industry."

April 24, 2008 -- In the wake of securing nearly $900,000 for the Center for National Competitiveness in Nanoscale Characterization (NC3), which triggered an additional investment of almost $15 million, New York's U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced a landmark agreement between the Center and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The partnership aims to advance the established collaboration between NIST and University of Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) by providing the framework for both organizations to share research, equipment, staff and other key resources.

The agreement marks the first formal partnership between the Albany Nano Campus and the Federal Government and is expected to help both organizations tackle critical challenges facing the nanotechnology industry, including obtaining precise measurements at the atomic and sub-atomic levels. As semiconductor chips become smaller and smaller, this challenge grows.
Schumer, along with Dr. James Turner, the head of NIST, Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and George Philip, Interim President of the University at Albany, announced the deal as the latest in efforts to ensure the Capital Region remains the driving force behind keeping the U.S. at the forefront of nanotechnology across the globe.

"This groundbreaking agreement will propel the Capital Region and our entire nation into the epicenter of an increasingly global nanotechnology sector," said Schumer. "This is a win-win for Tech Valley. The research will help keep the United States competitive in the global technology marketplace and it will help deliver federal funding and more private investment to the Albany area. After securing the initial money, we saw the great ability of UAlbany's Nano Center to grow as investments in their exciting research swelled to over $15 million. The partnership with NIST will allow UAlbany to combine the region's dynamic workforce and already cutting-edge research with federal expertise and resources that will solidify its spot as one of the best nano campuses in the world."

Dr. James M. Turner, the Deputy Director of NIST, said, "Our shared aim is to develop the measurement science infrastructure that is absolutely essential to U.S. innovation and economic competitiveness in nanotechnology. NIST is eager to forge a productive collaboration that leverages this impressive collection of intellectual and physical resources."

Founded in 1901, NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S Department of Commerce. NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. Prior to the creation of NIST, lack of standardized measurements complicated commerce in this country. For example there were several definitions for a liquid gallon and in Brooklyn alone there were four separate measurements for a foot. Standardization of those measurements and thousands of others has simplified commerce, improved products and brought reliability and integrity to our economic system.

In much the same way as it did one hundred years ago with a gallon of milk, today NIST is addressing the issues of standardization and precision in groundbreaking nanotechnology.

Through NIST's Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology and NC3, leading scientists will work collaboratively to formulate and deploy pioneering techniques for the measurement of materials at the nanoscale - a critical element in the development of smaller and faster computer chips that offer higher performance and reduced power consumption for use in a wide range of industries, from health care, energy and telecommunications to military, aerospace and transportation.

The UAlbany CNSE is the first college in the world dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. In May 2007, it was ranked as the number one college for nanotechnology and microtechnology in the annual college ranking by Small Times magazine. CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex is a $4.2 billion, 450,000-square-foot facility attracts corporate partners from around the world.

April 23, 2008 -- PowerMetal Technologies Inc., supplier of nanotechnology enhanced materials to the sporting goods and consumer products industries, announced that PGA Tour professional Trevor Immelman won the 2008 Masters using its EPIC shaft, a golf shaft designed in conjunction with Grafalloy to enable golfers to hit longer and straighter golf shots thanks to its proprietary nanofuse construction.

"Key to Immelman's convincing wire-to-wire victory was his long and straight drives at a golf course known for its stingy scoring conditions," the company says. "Wielding EPIC golf shafts in his driver, fairway wood and hybrid, the South African drove the ball beautifully, he led in driving accuracy with a tournament-best 85% of fairways hit. He also finished fourth in driving distance with a blistering 287 yards off the tee."

"The greatest strength of the week for him was his driving," said CBS commentator Jim Nantz as Immelman was walking up the famed 18th. Fellow CBS commentator and Masters Champion Nick Faldo added, "His cumulative of driving distance and accuracy, he will beat everybody by miles and that has been his absolute number one club this week."

"We are delighted that our technology and product was the key to winning on golf's biggest stage," said Edward Hughes, Founder, President & CEO of PowerMetal Technologies. "PowerMetal's nanotechnology powers not only golfers but also is used by the world's top players in squash and racquetball. It is very exciting to see players win using our nanotechnology at Majors in golf and at World Championships in racquet sports."

The EPIC Shaft was first introduced to the golf world at the beginning of 2007 and Golfweek magazine has called it "the next big thing." According to PowerMetal, what makes the EPIC's performance so powerful is its proprietary and patented nanofuse technology, combining the benefits of steel with the lightweight and feel advantages of graphite. In a case of good timing, PowerMetal's patent on the Epic shaft was approved and issued by the US patent Office two days before the Masters tournament started.

PowerMetal has several key nanotechnology platforms that it is using to create both sporting goods and consumer products. Its nanofusing on composite platforms such as the Epic Shaft and HEAD Metallix racquets has received industry praise, and its nanofusing on aluminum for golf heads and baseball bats will result in several products new products in 2008. In a recently announced strategic alliance with DuPont, its nanofusing on polymers hold promise in the both the sporting goods and consumer products markets. At grain sizes of 20 nanometers (1000 times smaller than the grain size of typical metallic structures), the nano-crystalline metal is much stronger and harder than conventional metals.

See past report on PowerMetal.

April 22, 2008 -- The shareholders of the Griesheim, Germany-based company neosino nanotechnologies (FRA:N1N) have decided to rename the organization adinotec AG. The move follows from a change in focus beyond nanotechnology development.

"The name adinotec stands for 'advanced innovative technologies'. On the one hand, this demonstrates that we still claim to launch new and advanced technologies onto the market, but at the same time makes it clear that in future, we shall no longer be restricting ourselves to nanotechnology," said Executive Board Chairman Edmund Krix.

The new company name will become effective as soon as it is entered in the register of companies, which normally takes 2-4 weeks. Following this, the shares will be immediately listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the new name.

Until now the company specialized in developing and marketing nanotechnology-based products, offering solutions for sectors such as the construction industry, and nanosilicea particle-based products -- including nutrition supplements, supplements for athletes, and cosmetics -- as well as in licensing and patents. The company's products include neosino Nanosiliceo-Kapseln, a supplement taken in capsule form containing minerals, silicon dioxide, magnesium and calcium in the form of nanoparticles; and neosino SPORT Nano-Liquid, a mineral supplement taken in liquid form and aimed at athletes. The company also offers shampoo, body lotion, as well as sun and after sun lotions. It has its subsidiaries in Austria and in Switzerland.

The company is listed in the Entry Standard on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

April 22, 2008 ? The U.K.-based NanoSight Limited, supplier of equipment for nanotechnology R&D, says it has received the 100th purchase order for its nanoparticle tracking analysis system, which counts individual particles in liquid.

The NanoSight system uses an optical microscope combined with a digital camera to record 30 frames per second of individual nanoparticles moving under Brownian motion in liquid as they pass through a laser beam. Each particle will scatter light and it is this light path that is followed. Advanced software enables the path of each particle to be "tracked" to give a very accurate size dispersion calculation which is invaluable when studying systems with different size ranges. According to NanoSight, the system is the only offering of its kind on the market.

Professor Steffen Petersen of the University of Aalborg in Denmark selected the NanoSight LM10 to study the build-up of multi-layered, targeted nanoparticle drug delivery systems. His particular attraction to the LM10 is its ability to not just to size particles but to investigate the potential to provide information about an individual particle's refractive index.

Among the goals of Petersen's group is the construction of drug delivery vehicles around an iron oxide core that will enable the researchers to study how effective different targeting molecules are using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

NanoSight Ltd, provides a range of instruments for the optical detection and real-time analysis of sub-micron particles. The Company claims its instruments offer significant advantages compared to other instruments based on light-scattering techniques. The LM10 is one of several metrology solutions currently under scrutiny with the National Physical Laboratory as a potential next-generation characterization standard.

April 15, 2008 -- The Nintendo Wii's motion-sensing remote control and the Apple iPhone's self-orienting display represent the advance wave of what will be a rising tide of new and innovative uses for tiny MEMS accelerometers, according to ABI Research.

"In the very creative consumer electronics market," says ABI analyst Doug McEuen, "the sky's the limit. The growth rate of this market will be determined by the imaginations of designers as they think up innovative and unexpected ways to incorporate accelerometers into new devices. The arrival of another wildly popular consumer product that sells large numbers worldwide could give this market a significant boost."

"Other major game console manufacturers are following Nintendo's lead in seeking accelerometer applications for their next-generation products," he says. "But games are only one use for these specialized devices. They are already widely used in automotive airbag systems (where the high sales volume has helped drive down prices.) They can measure vibration in industrial machinery; they are used in exercise step-counters, and we will see them in growing numbers of other phones and PDAs."

A relative handful of manufacturers share this high-potential market. A "big three" -- Analog Devices, Freescale, and ST Microelectronics -- are joined by just a few others, including OKI Semiconductor and Hitachi Metals America.

ABI's report, MEMS Accelerometers, examines MEMS accelerometer technology and the requirements for competitive solutions, including essential product capabilities. It includes an in-depth market forecast that numerically tracks both positive and negative market forces. The study concludes with profiles of key manufacturers and early-adopting handset/CE vendors.

April 9, 2008 -- NanoDynamics is targeting the printed electronics industry with a range of metal flakes and powders. "With rapid advancement towards smaller, more complex circuitry, along with a host of innovative printing substrates, the unique properties offered by nano-scale metals including silver, copper and silver-coated copper have become significant to further industry development," said Dr. Alan Rae, V.P. of Innovations at NanoDynamics.

"Factors including low melting and sintering temperatures that address heat-sensitive applications, and more environmentally responsible and flexible circuit printing methods are ideally addressed through the employment of nanometals," Rae added.

Among NanoDynamics' products for this market are ND Silver powders (from 30 nm to 80 nm) and platelets (500 nm), which promise unique stability at elevated temperatures and do not exhibit room temperature sintering and migration.

ND Copper has a crystalline structure that "provides low oxidation and excellent conductivity," according to NanoDynamics. Powders and flakes are available in sizes from 200 nm to 6 microns. And Silver Coated ND Copper, used extensively in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, conductive adhesives, inks and transparent conductive films, promises high corrosion-resistant surface properties and low-temperature processing capabilities Silver Coated ND Copper materials are available as flakes in 4 to 10 microns.

April 9, 2008 --Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Pink Sheets:INTK) says that its patented Nansulate energy-saving protective coatings are now approved under the stringent EU building codes. Nansulate is the company's patented product line of specialty coatings containing a nanotechnology based material that promises thermal insulation, corrosion prevention, resistance to mold growth, and lead encapsulation in an environmentally safe, water-based, formulation.

"This is a significant milestone for Industrial Nanotech in the European building insulation market," stated Francesca Crolley, V.P. of Operations and Marketing. "Nansulate has proven its effectiveness and gained market share in the EU in the industrial and 'do-it-yourself' homeowner markets for the last four years. This certification will open many doors for its use throughout Europe in the burgeoning market of commercial and residential building insulation. Energy conservation through the efficient use of resources has become a priority for governments across Europe. Energy prices continue to soar and governments are putting in place standards and guidelines to compel limitation of energy consumption. Hence, the government, builders, and consumers are demanding more efficient thermal insulation materials for buildings and our Nansulate products offer them that solution."

Nansulate was tested by Istituto De Ricerche E Collaudi M. Massini, of Milan, Italy, a highly regarded institute which has been operating in the field of quality control and certification of products for over 35 years.

Nansulate was tested according to building insulation specifications and was approved according to results from the UNI EN ISO 8990:1999 test method.

The approval certification for building construction standards in the European Union was obtained by the company's distributor for Italy and Spain, Aktarus Group, based in Milan, Italy.

April 8, 2008 -- A new report from Lux Research, "Petroleum Players Seek Nanotech Solutions to Oil Supply Woes," says that new collaborations are needed to apply nanotechnology effectively to petroleum discovery.

Oil and gas exploration is increasingly fruitless, says Lux: Since 1999, the world's five largest international oil companies have replaced only 82% of the reserves that they've consumed, and even Royal Dutch Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer has said that "easily accessible supplies of oil and gas will no longer keep up with demand." Nanotechnology can help the oil and gas industry find new fields and extract more from existing ones -- but only if new collaborations bridge the industry's historical divides.

"Underground oil inhabits nanoscale pores; oil wells' extreme temperatures and pressures benefit from nanostructured materials and coatings; and engineered nanocatalysts can upgrade heavy oils to lighter, more valuable ones," said Mark Bunger, Research Director at Lux Research. "With these benefits in store, it's no surprise that 78 nanotech start-ups focus on oil and gas ? and that associations like the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Advanced Energy Consortium are investigating everything from subsurface nanosensors to autonomous nanobots."

Lux's report includes a global inventory of research initiatives, corporate R&D programs, and start-up companies in the field. It concludes that:

-- Tiny oil and gas R&D budgets constrain large companies' nanotech development. International oil giants are spending just 0.2% to 0.5% of revenue on R&D -- 50 to 100 times less than in other technology-dependent sectors like aerospace, biotech, and information technology.

-- The oil and gas industry's fractured history keeps players from combining their efforts. Increasingly bitter rivalry keeps international oil companies like Shell and ExxonMobil (which have a history of deploying new technology) from collaborating on nanotech with national oil companies like Sinopec and Gazprom (who own the reserves but have not focused on technology in the past).

"Petroleum Players Seek Nanotech Solutions to Oil Supply Woes" is part of the LR Nanomaterials Intelligence service. For further information contact John Schwartz.

April 8, 2008 -- FUJIFILM Dimatix, supplier of drop-on-demand inkjet printheads for industrial applications, says researchers have used its cartridge-based Dimatix Materials Printer (DMP) to devise a novel method of rapidly producing, testing, and optimizing new materials that hold promise for efficiently producing hydrogen from water and sunlight.

The new inkjet-based method developed by researchers at the Department of Chemistry at Colorado State University relied on a FUJIFILM Dimatix DMP-2800 Materials Printer to quantify the optimal proportions and deposition conditions of promising new metal oxides by precision-printing controlled arrays of finely-graded compounds onto transparent conductive substrates.

The new method allowed the researchers to readily quantify mixtures of compounds in a printed matrix that were the most promising candidates for further research. Using it, the researchers were able to isolate a particular chemical compound that has potential for water photoelectrolysis. (Water photoelectrolysis ? also known as "solar water splitting" ? involves converting sunlight into an electrical current, and using that current to divide water into hydrogen and oxygen. Photoelectrolysis process efficiency is critical for energy-efficient hydrogen production.)

Precision jetting and other advanced features of the FUJIFILM Dimatix Materials Printer allowed the researchers to accurately determine droplet volumes of the different compound gradients, the number of nozzles firing, the jetting waveform for individual nozzles and the frequency of nozzle firing. "All of these parameters are important for a quantitative determination of the amount of each component printed within the combinatorial template," said Michael Woodhouse, PhD, a Colorado State University researcher who worked with Professor Bruce Parkinson, and who is now on the research staff of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The Dimatix Materials Printer, which was used with Dimatix Materials Cartridges to jet 10-picoliter-sized droplets, also allowed the researchers to further optimize the performance of the most promising metal oxide compounds by printing different spot densities or multiple layers in order to vary the thickness of the resulting multicomponent metal oxide film; and to test entirely new compounds in a controlled fashion by adding other materials to the optimized composition.
The compound optimized during the research is composed of three common elements ? aluminum, cobalt and iron ? providing hope that the method can be used to find new solar water splitting materials that are not only functional but also inexpensive, said Dr. Woodhouse.

"As oil prices continue to rise and political and environmental problems become more of a concern, the quest to discover such materials for the production of alternative transportation fuels becomes very appealing," he explained.

The research was funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant and has been published by the American Chemical Society journal, Chemistry of Materials.

The Dimatix Materials Printer is a turnkey, bench-top materials deposition system that leverages FUJIFILM Dimatix' ink jet technology and Shaped Piezo Silicon MEMS fabrication processes in depositing picoliter-sized droplets of functional fluids on all types of surfaces. By employing single-use cartridges that researchers can fill with their own fluid materials, the DMP system minimizes waste of expensive fluid materials, thereby eliminating the cost and complexity associated with traditional product development and prototyping. FUJIFILM says that the DMP is suitable for prototyping and low-volume manufacturing, and the technology is scalable from R&D to production.

April 7, 2008 -- More than 1,000 children, adults and families throughout New York State's "Tech Valley" got an up-close look at the world of nanotechnology when the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) held its inaugural Community Day on Saturday, April 5.

The first-ever event was part of Nanotechnology Explorations for Science, Training and Education Promotion (NEXSTEP) spearheaded by CNSE's NanoEconomics Constellation in partnership with KeyBank. NEXSTEP is a collaborative program that includes educational initiatives designed to promote greater understanding of the region's changing economic and business environment driven by nanotechnology, with a special emphasis on children, citizens and community.

CNSE's Community Day featured presentations, booths and interactive demonstrations highlighting the exciting technological breakthroughs being enabled by nanotechnology, including those in the fields of health care, energy, environment, electronics and economics; tours of the cutting-edge cleanroom facilities at CNSE's $4.2 billion Albany NanoTech, which calls itself "the most advanced research complex in the academic world;" and, a chance for children and adults to participate in hands-on activities that provided greater understanding of the science described by the National Nanotechnology Initiative as "leading to the next Industrial Revolution."

CNSE's Community Day was planned in conjunction with the national celebration of NanoDays, a week of community-based educational outreach events held March 29 - April 6, 2008 to raise public awareness of nanoscale science and engineering.

During the recent Materials Research Society (MRS) spring meeting, Professor A. Paul Alivisatos of UC-Berkeley described, as part of his Kavli plenary lecture in nanosicence, recent work by his group and others on transformations in nanocrystals. Ed Korczynski, Senior Technical Editor of Solid State Technology reports on this and other happenings at the event, including nanoscale structures that can switch between measurable states to function as memory cells.

April 3, 2008 -- Binghamton University inaugurated its Center for Advanced Microelectronics Manufacturing (CAMM) facility this week. A collaborative effort by Binghamton University, Endicott Interconnect Technologies and Cornell University, the CAMM plans to pioneer microelectronics manufacturing research and development in a roll-to-roll (R2R) format. These efforts are expected to generate flexible, rugged, lightweight electronic components and innovative products for applications in areas such as military and homeland security, lighting, energy and power generation, displays, and product identification and tracking.

The CAMM is a component of Binghamton University's New York State Center of Excellence in Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging. Plans for the CAMM were initiated in 2005 when the United States Display Consortium (USDC) selected Binghamton University to manage this new initiative. The USDC provided $12 million in equipment to establish the CAMM, which is hosted by Endicott Interconnect Technologies and draws collaborative resources from Cornell University.

"Binghamton University is a world leader in small scale systems integration and packaging research," said Binghamton University President Lois B. DeFleur.
Currently, most advanced electronics components are produced on silicon or quartz wafers, or on plates of specialized glass in a "batch" process that has been the backbone of the integrated circuit (IC) and flat panel display (FPD) industries. A R2R process, which integrates electronics on flexible plastic means, in theory, that components can be produced more efficiently, at higher yields and at a lower cost than is common practice today and opens up potential new application areas for flexible electronics.

April 3, 2008 -- mPhase/AlwaysReady, Inc. says it made "battery history" today by demonstrating for the first time, during an event in New York City, a "significant breakthrough in battery technology." The company's Smart NanoBattery uses microfluidics to transfer liquid electrolyte through a nanostructured separator known as a membrane which makes contact with the solid electrodes, enabling activation of an electrical device. The membrane is designed to keep the electrolyte separate from the electrodes until activation is initiated (see the video).

"This microfluidic phenomenon serves as the basis for a new type of battery with unlimited shelf life that can be used to provide power in portable electronic devices for commercial and military applications," said Ronald A. Durando, CEO of mPhase Technologies Inc.

The mPhase/AlwaysReady Smart NanoBattery was recently mentioned by Credit Suisse, a global research and investment banking firm, on page 5 of its report, Nanotechnology for Energy Systems of the Future.

April 3, 2008 -- Edinburgh, Scotland-based memsstar Technology, a supplier of etch and deposition equipment supplier to the MEMS industry, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Canon Marketing Japan to cooperatively market and promote memsstar products to leading Japanese MEMS manufacturers and developers.

The partnership supports the company's increased focus on the Asia-Pacific region. This follows the recent opening of offices in the United States, due to the growing interest and demand for memsstar's chemical etching and coating technology in the region.

memsstar uses vapor phase single wafer processing for the release etch and surface modification process steps as required in most MEMS devices. The company says its systems deliver fast throughput, small footprint, low consumption and emissions, scalable platforms, process controls and high repeatability at a low entry level cost.

March 20, 2008 -- Materials scientists at Rice University have made the surprising discovery that tiny carbon capsules called buckyballs are so strong they can hold volumes of hydrogen nearly as dense as those at the center of the planet Jupiter.

"Based on our calculations, it appears that some buckyballs are capable of holding volumes of hydrogen so dense as to be almost metallic," says lead researcher Boris Yakobson, professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at Rice. "It appears they can hold about 8% of their weight in hydrogen at room temperature, which is considerably better than the federal target of 6%."

Yakobson says scientists have long argued the merits of storing hydrogen in tiny, molecular containers like buckyballs, and experiments have shown that it's possible to store small volumes of hydrogen inside buckyballs. The new research by Yakobson and former postdoctoral researchers Olga Pupysheva and Amir Farajian offers the first method of precisely calculating how much hydrogen a buckyball can hold before breaking.

Using a computer model, Yakobson's research team has tracked the strength of each atomic bond in a buckyball and simulated what happened to the bonds as more hydrogen atoms were packed inside. Yakobson says the model promises to be particularly useful because it is scalable, that is it can calculate exactly how much hydrogen a buckyball of any given size can hold, and it can also tell scientists how overstuffed buckyballs burst open and release their cargo.

The research was supported by the Office of Naval Research and the Department of Energy.

March 19, 2008 -- As nanotechnology aids in improving the performance of wireless handsets, the market for nanotech-enabled wireless components is expected to grow rapidly. Pioneer Consulting's latest report, entitled, "Nanotechnology in Wireless Handsets," forecasts that the market for nanotech-enabled components in wireless handsets will grow at a CAGR of 70% from 2007 to 2012 and will reach $15 billion by the end of 2012.

Among the various handset components, the largest market share will be for batteries, followed by displays, processors, and memories. According to the report, the only components that are currently using nanotechnology include RF and display modules, while the other components will undergo a phased introduction between now and 2012.

Aditya Kaul, senior analyst of the emerging wireless practice at Pioneer, says, "Although the short-term investments required for introducing nanotechnology into handset components are huge, the stakeholders in the handset industry will need to focus on the long-term advantages that nanotechnology has to offer."

Kaul adds that "the cost-benefit analysis of the various nanoprocesses and nanomaterials leads us to believe that improved performance of handset components outweighs the initial investment risks taken by stakeholders. In the long-run, the incremental process and material improvements coupled with the large economies of scale will lead to lower Bill of Material costs, allowing for a subsequent ROI."

Some of the nano processes and materials included in the report are carbon nanotubes, buckyballs/fullerenes, spintronics and quantum dots. Other product-specific nanomaterials included are hydrocarbon fuel membranes, electron based LEDs, and bulk acoustic oscillators.

March 19, 2008 -- Colibrys has launched its MS9000 family of inertial accelerometers specifically designed for harsh environment and safety critical applications.

This new generation of products comes in a LCC20 (8.9mm x 8.9mm) ceramic package, some 3x smaller than current sensors and in a variety of g ranges from ±2g to ±250g. These sensors can operate over extended temperature ranges with just a few milli g bias stability guaranteed over extended lifetime, according to company claims. These sensors conform to MIL-STD-883-E as typically required by the aerospace, military, and geophysical markets.

March 19, 2008 -- NanoBioMagnetics Inc. (NBMI), a nanobiomaterials company with core technology focused on designed structures of magnetically responsive nanoparticles to cause or drive a desired physiological event, announced the issuance of its first patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office. The patent, titled "Method and Apparatus for Improving Hearing," is based on the use of magnetically responsive nanoparticles implanted in the organs of the middle ear to drive tissue vibrations in the amplification of sound.

The technology was the first demonstration of the nanomechanical movement of tissue and operates in principle much like a typical commercial electromagnetic hearing aid. Development and validation was done during 2002 to 2004. The company now will move the technology through commercialization partnerships.

Charles Seeney, CEO and founder of NBMI, and co-inventor on the patent, says, "Miniaturization of hearing devices through ever smaller electronic components is part of an emerging trend based on applying nanotechnology to human healthcare needs." A companion technology, based on the targeted delivery of bioactive materials to the inner ear, continues under development.

March 19, 2008 -- Surface Technology Systems plc (STS), which deals with plasma process technologies required in the manufacturing and packaging of MEMS and advanced electronic devices, has sold a Pegasus Deep Reactive Ion Etch (DRIE) tool to the Institut fur Halbleiter- und Mikrosystemtechnik (IHM, or Semiconductor & Microsystems Technology Laboratory), part of the Technische Universitat Dresden.

The IHM's research involves a wide range of semiconductor and microsystems applications, such as chip copper wiring, investigation of high-k materials (in cooperation with Namlab and Qimonda, fabrication of microfluidic systems and sensors, and bumping technologies for chip connection. They will be using STS's DRIE technology in the development of advanced packaging solutions, in particular, investigating the use of through-wafer vias for 3D-IC interconnects.

March 19, 2008 -- Tegal Corporation has received an order for a Tegal 6540 plasma etch tool from the Pennsylvania State University. The Tegal 6540 system will be installed in the Penn State Nanofabrication Laboratory, a National Science Foundation National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network site, where the plasma etch tool will be used to perform research on complex oxide materials.

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT), which is one of several complex oxide materials being studied at Penn State, is a piezoelectric material useful for fabricating MEMS devices such as wireless communication switches in next-generation cell phone handsets, and medical ultrasound transducers for diagnostic imaging.

According to Theresa Mayer, associate director, Materials Research Institute, and professor of electrical engineering, "Penn State University has extensive experience in the deposition, etching, characterization, and integration of complex oxide thin films for piezoelectric, pyroelectric, tunable dielectric, and electro-optic device applications. The Nanofabrication Laboratory at Penn State offers our academic and industrial users unique access to these advanced processing capabilities. The Tegal 6540 plasma etching system that we purchased will add significant new strengths—for example, the etching of thick PZT—to our growing suite of complex oxide device fabrication systems."

The Tegal 6540 is a high-density plasma etch tool featuring the HRe- reactor, and Tegal's patented dual-frequency RF power technology and magnetic plasma confinement. The system is a critical enabler for etching noble metal electrode and capacitor materials, including PZT, as well as other ferroelectric, magnetic, high-K dielectric, compound semiconductor, and interconnect materials.

March 17, 2008 -- Tegal Corp., a designer and manufacturer of plasma etch and deposition systems used in the production of integrated circuits, MEMS, and nanotechnology devices, has signed an agreement with WESI Technology (China) for sales distribution as well as service and technical support of Tegal's plasma etch and PVD products in China and Taiwan. WESI is a joint venture between WKK Technology, a publicly traded company specializing in the distribution of capital equipment and services in the Greater China market, and ECI Technology Inc., a manufacturer of online chemical monitoring systems for VLSI dual damascene and wafer bumping plating processes.

Vahan Tchakerian, VP global sales and field operations at Tegal, remarked, "With the signing of WESI as our China and Taiwan distributor?we will be servicing our large installed base of etch and PVD systems in this region using the more than 200 experienced sales and service team members WESI and WKK bring to our new China and Taiwan organization."

WESI, through its partner WKK Technology, has offices and support personnel throughout mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. WESI serves virtually every semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor packaging customer in the region with a suite of capital equipment, materials, and technical support services, ranging from front-end process to back-end packaging.

March 15, 2008 -- Governor Edward G. Rendell's drive to make Pennsylvania home to groundbreaking technological innovation will continue with $10 million in state investments in six projects.

In a recent news conference at Carnegie Mellon University, Governor Rendell said investments in research and commercialization of nanotechnology projects will stimulate economic development and boost the creation of jobs.

"Across the world, the competition to find the next great scientific advancement continues to grow," Governor Rendell said. "As a competitor in the global marketplace, it is Pennsylvania's responsibility to give our universities, companies and partners the best opportunities to be on the forefront of these advancements."

The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority approved six projects through the Pennsylvania Initiative for Nanotechnology.

The projects include the following:

• Lehigh University will receive $500,000 for the Lehigh Nanophotonics Technologies for research and transitional technology development for use in green energy nanophotonics, biomedical nanophotonics, and silicon nanophotonics:
  
• Lehigh will also receive $900,000 for the PA Materials Research Science and Engineering Center , which will focus on economic development, research, and education in advanced materials synthesis, nanocharacterization, Interfacial Kinetic Engineering, and Mesoscale Interface Mapping;
  
• Penn State University was allocated $2.5 million for the Penn State Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Research and Commercialization Program;
  
• Penn State will also receive $1.4 million for the Pennsylvania Nanotechnology Manufacturing Technology Partnership for educational improvements, development of new tools and educators, student recruitment, and industry outreach;
  
• The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeast Pennsylvania will receive $3.5 million for the Nanotechnology Institute (NTI). In conjunction with regional universities like Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania, the funds will be used to accelerate nanotechnology commercialization and company formation; and
  
• The Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center will receive $1 million to expand the center's existing commercialization project activities.

March 15, 2008 -- mPhase Technologies Inc. has launched a Website to showcase its Smart NanoBattery.

"Our new Website reflects our accomplishments in battery technology and provides a fresh new look into the future of the company," says Gerard Adams, mPhase Technologies managing director of investor relations, adding that the site will be updated frequently.

March 14, 2008 -- Space Micro Inc. has been awarded a Phase I SBIR Contract from the US Air Force, AFRL, for research and development of a novel miniaturized space weather instrument.

David J. Bozek, VP of the space electronics division, says that "Space Micro has teamed
with the US Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, CO, to develop a MEMS-based miniature instrument with supporting electronics. The plan is to productize this technology and provide satellite designers with a device that offers a sensing capability that is equal to or better than current products on the market, but in a smaller package and at a lower price point."

"Our approach to meeting Air Force needs is to highly leverage commercial off-the-shelf COTS technologies, including commercially available MEMS foundries," says David J. Strobel, president and CEO at Space Micro. "Phase I is on track to be completed in late 2008, which will validate the lab feasibility of this concept to monitor aspects of space weather."

March 13, 2008 -- Rosetta Biosoftware has announced that the most recent version of its Rosetta Resolver gene expression data analysis system, version 7.1, now supports Affymetrix GeneChip Gene 1.0 ST (Sense Target) arrays.

The gene arrays from Affymetrix enable scientists to query the entire transcriptome—with increased sensitivity for detecting expression levels—for a given species. The Resolver system enables support of the arrays, including import and data analysis within the Resolver system and interaction with third-party programs, such as RMA, gcRMA, and Affymetrix PLIER.

"The Affymetrix gene arrays deliver a more complete and accurate view of a gene's total transcription activity compared to traditional expression array designs," claims Greg Fisher, associate director of product marketing, systems and software, at Affymetrix.

March 13, 2008 -- Omron Electronics Components Business—Europe (OCB-E) is now offering to customize its D6F MEMS mass flow sensor products to suit individual customer requirements in terms of flow rate and non-corrosive gas type.

The D6F flow sensors measure gas velocity and mass flow rate using a proprietary 3D MEMS structure to give good performance in terms of resolution and repeatability even at very low flow rates, according to company claims. The tiny MEMS flow chip uses changes in the temperature distribution around its central heating element to accurately detect the tiniest air flow.

The sensors offer a repeatability of up to +/- 0.1% and accuracy to +/-3% of full-scale deflection on the most accurate parts. The D6F-V, D6F-W, and D6F-P units are aimed specifically at detecting clogged air intake filters in ventilation and cooling systems and feature a patent-pending dust segregation system.

Omron Electronics can provide mass flow sensors suitable to measure any flow rate from 1mm per second to 40m per second or 1LPM to 50LPM of most non-corrosive gases. The customization service is subject to a minimum order size of about 100 sensors.

March 12, 2008 -- The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) and National Science Foundation (NSF) will host the Washington, DC, premiere event for the television series "Nanotechnology: The Power of Small," on Wednesday evening, April 2. The event—by invitation only—will include remarks by US Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a co-chair of the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus.

The series' three programs explore critical questions about nanotechnology's potential impact on privacy, the environment, and human health: Will nanotechnology make you safer, or will it be used to track your every move? Will nanotechnology keep you young, and what happens if you live to be 150? Will nanotechnology help clean up the earth, or will it be the next asbestos?

"Nanotechnology: The Power of Small" is the first major television series to look at the implications of advances in nanotechnology—the ability to measure, see, manipulate, and manufacture materials that are usually between one and 100nm in size. More than $60 billion in products incorporating nanotechnology were sold globally in 2007. By 2014, Lux Research estimates this figure will grow to $2.6 trillion.

The series is funded by NSF and the presenting station and grantee for the series is Oregon Public Broadcasting. The series is a "Fred Friendly Seminars" presentation with award-winning National Public Radio correspondent John Hockenberry as host.

December 14, 2007 -- Microvision Inc., a U.S. developer of light scanning technologies for display and imaging products, has signed a development agreement with an unnamed European supplier of automotive and industrial technologies.

Microvision will deliver prototype samples for its Tier 1 partner to evaluate Microvision's PicoP technology for a variety of automotive display applications, including heads-up displays.

Microvision has pioneered the development of an ultra-miniature laser projection technology based on the company's proprietary MEMS scanning micromirror technology that offers important mobile application advantages over existing flat panel technologies: exceptional resolution, contrast and color, smaller packaging, and less power consumption. The name of the automotive Tier 1 supplier was withheld at its request.