Think Small, Really Small

A different approach towards self-assembly is to use the stuff of life itself, DNA, to perform complex processes. According to Ehud Shapiro of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, reported in the April 24, 2004 edition of CNN.com: "... [DNA computers] harness the software-like ability of DNA strands to store information. Enzymes "read" chemical sequences on the DNA in a way that allows the computer to perform calculations." And these are but the tip of the nanotech iceberg. Federal funding is expected to reach $1 billion in 2005, while private funding may exceed that level of investment.

Nanotechnology is a technological race that, when won, promises to have far more of an impact on how we work, live, and play than the semiconductor and "computing" revolutions of the past 35 years. As these technologies mature; as the things we build shrink to nanometer sizes and create machines like the Sandia robot, and as self-assembled drugs become the norm within just a few years, the challenge on how to control (and keep control) of the processes and the environment will be substantial—and different from the challenges and solutions of today. Remember, the best relay-logic designer had little value to offer once the microcontroller took over, unless she looked in new directions. That's the control industry's challenge. That's your challenge!

Meanwhile, think small and don't blink!

Jeffrey R. Harrow

Principal, The Harrow Group

jeff@theharrowgroup.com