Thoughts on the Topic: Security and Nanotechnology

Thoughts on the Topic: Security and Nanotechnology
By Vic Peña, CEO nanoTITAN, Inc.

"Anything that makes money under the rubric of nanotechnology is nanotechnology." Suchan Chae, Associate Professor of Economics, Rice University.

This quote is significant because it underscores what is becoming a driving force in the rapid evolution and commercialization of things nanotechnology - Speed to Market. This being the case, Nanotechnology Security may be compromised in the process.

Nanotechnology is "the next big thing". As this phrase becomes common in business and scientific circles throughout the world, the very perception causes concern about the security implications and issues surrounding the entire emergence of nanotechnology as well as its impact on so many things affecting our daily lives.

The security implications for doing things right in nanotechnology are as big as the science of nanotechnology itself.

Consider the scientific truth that nanotechnology, as a defining and enabling science and technology, will affect virtually all aspects of the human experience. In fact this phenomenon is best realized in the National Science and Technology Council's recently published "National Nanotechnology Initiative: Research and Development Supporting the Next Industrial Revolution: Supplement to the President's FY 2004 Budget". In this initiative nine areas are identified as having the "potential to realize significant economic, governmental and societal impact." These areas are collectively known as the "nine grand challenge areas". The reason for drawing attention to these is because while they represent a funding strategy, they best represent the spectrum across which nanotechnology will profoundly impact the socio-economic-technology scale. These are:

1. Nanostructured Materials by Design
2. Manufacturing at the Nanoscale
3. Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Explosive Detection and Protection
4. Nanoscale Instrumentation and Metrology
5. Nano-Electronics, -Photonics, and -Magnetics
6. Healthcare, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics
7. Efficient Energy Conversion and Storage
8. Microcraft and Robotics
9. Nanoscale Processes for Environmental Improvement

A significant addition to these would be a fully funded effort to study and resolve the security implications of nanotechnology on the world order, as we know it.

Security concerns in nanotechnology can be broken out into several areas and these are representative of the more urgent ones:

National Security and Defense

This is perhaps the most obvious area where concerns for security should be focused. Already, ongoing research and development for applications of nanotechnology to National Security and Defense is beginning to result in rapid advances in the way we do battle with our adversaries, to the way we defend ourselves. New weapons systems and combat support systems, assuredly, are being conceived and funding for their rapid development and deployment is being appropriated. While these are prudent measures under the constitutional requirement to provide for the common defense, a policy of extraordinary measures should be implemented to ensure that nano-weapons systems or supporting materiel currently under consideration and research should be extraordinarily secured in order to prevent their falling into the wrong hands. Equal policy guidelines should be enacted and enforced to prevent misuse of nanotechnology information and materiel, either in development or subsequent handling, which may result in compromise of National Security.

The infrastructure in the Federal Government upon which to build a security program already exists within these agencies to implement such a program. Its implementation costs therefor should not be too burdensome.

Recommendation on a Global Scope

Of more concern than US based R&D and deployment of nano-based Defense systems, is the undertaking of similar research by both allies and potential adversaries and the potential for malevolent proliferation. As a matter of policy, the U.S. should seek a Geneva Convention like model to address issues arising from the application of nanotechnology to weapons systems, and establish meaningful norms for security of such programs.

Industry

Perhaps the most challenging security program to implement in nanotechnology R&D will be in industry. The range of security challenges in industry, and for purposes of this think piece, academia is included, are more challenging than in Defense and National Security. Whereas in Defense and National Security, security programs implemented are mandatory under penalty of law, in industry such programs would be difficult to implement and to police. But security in industry is made all the more difficult by identifying and regulating "dual use" technologies. These are technologies that either in their intended design or by slight variation to their applications can be also used for malevolent purposes.

Another threat area of security in industry is economic advantage, in which competing companies or nations will entice or otherwise recruit unscrupulous researchers to divulge or export for profit company secrets. The risk or threat here is industrial espionage, and the resultant uncontrolled proliferation of technologies for monetary gain. More threatening is the risk of mishandling sensitive R&D that could result in serious environmental damage.

Environmental Security

Much has been written about environmental security, and about the risks of nanotechnology products or by-products getting into an ecological system and causing irreparable environmental damage. Certainly that risk is there. Few solutions have come forth that on cursory review offer much more than recommendations to stop or slow down the R&D of nanotechnology until solutions can be reached.

The fact is the pace of evolution of nanotechnology is moving at a very rapid pace and slowing down is not an option. There is one approach to mitigating nanotechnology risk to the environment that is currently emerging: it is the accelerated and increased funding to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for research into enforceable standards in instrumentation and metrology in nanotechnology R&D and subsequent deployment of nano-based products.

The NIST recently held an "NNI (National Nanotechnology Initiative) Interagency Workshop: Instrumentation and Metrology for Nanotechnology" for the purpose of bringing together representatives from academia, government and industry, for the purpose of developing broad, long term visionary goals for researchers in particular nanoscale science and technology areas. The Workshop considered and discussed five areas relevant to Standards and Metrology:

1. Instrumentation and Metrology for Nanocharacterization
2. Instrumentation and Metrology for Nanomechanics
3. Instrumentation and Metrology for Nanoelectronics, Photonics and Magnetics
4. Instrumentation and Metrology for Nanofabrication
5. Instrumentation and Metrology for NanoManufacturing
6. Crosscut - Computational Science Issues

With the compilation of the results of this workshop, and the recommendations resulting from it, the NIST and the nanotechnology R&D community at large will have a vastly improved set of standards and metrology with which to approach "cleaner" nanotechnology R&D and subsequent fabrication of nanodevices.

The result of this work will have major beneficial effects on the environment from improved precision in R&D and assembly and fabrication of nanotechnology based products. This means less waste and pollution due to non-standard production runs.

Another consideration towards environmental risk management is the adoption by industry of life cycle design standards for the development of nano-based products. Emphasis would be placed on "what-if" engineering in each phase of the development process. Under this concept, for example, standards and metrology from the NIST would be built-in at the design phase, and would be enforced throughout the life cycle of the development. Special attention would be given to what-if scenarios in which risk probabilities and their management are modeled along with the nano-product R&D modeling and simulation process. Nanoinformatics products are available to support this concept.

Societal Security

No discussion of nanotechnology and it pros and cons could possibly be complete without addressing the profound societal impacts on humankind that will result with its maturing development. Virtually all aspects of the human experience will be impacted --perhaps none more cataclysmic than on education and the world's workforce.

Immediately the demand for advanced degreed scientists and engineers will be felt and international competition for the best talent will result. Other equally highly educated professions will be needed as well; among these, nanotechnology grounded business people, environmental engineers, lawyers, public policy developers, and sociologists to name but a few. Similarly, talents at the technician level will be needed and Community College level education and training will have to be changed to keep abreast of the demand for technical support talent.

Finally, nanotechnology as an enabling science affecting virtually every aspect of our lives will need to be taught as a regular subject, at least at the introductory level, in all schools. New generations dealing with nanotechnology goods and services must know how to be "Educated Consumers" of nanotechnology based products.

But the most profound challenge to nanotechnology security is the security of the workforce. From handling potentially deadly, toxic materials in their production state, to the training of the workforce to transition and succeed in the new Age of Nanotechnology. This means providing the education and training necessary to become working and productive citizens in the new Age - Workforce Security. Without these educational measures being undertaken now, future worldwide dislocation of the workforce will be rampant.

Recommendations

The age of nanotechnology puts forth a Tenth Grand Challenge -- "Development of Meaningful and Enforceable Standards of Security, Ethics and Societal Factors". But this Grand Challenge is directed not only to the National Nanotechnology Initiative but also to the World Community. This Challenge begs the recommendation for the adoption of a Nanotechnology World Body Convention to discuss the challenging issue of providing for a new standard for nanotechnology security equal to the "Next Industrial Revolution" and "The Next Big Thing". This Convention would result in a Geneva Treaty like resolution binding on the signatory countries towards a secure and benevolent nanotechnology future.

References:

http://www.nano.gov/html/res/nni04_budget_supplement.pdf

http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/nanotech.htm

Drexler, K. Eric "Engines of Creation The Coming Era of Nanotechnology" Anchor Books, a Division of Random House, Inc. New York1990

Ratner, Mark and Ratner, Daniel "Nanotechnology a Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea" Prentice Hall, Professional Technical Reference, Upper Saddle River, NJ 2003

http://nanoinvesting.webs.io/nanoinvesting.html