Nanotechnology in the Military

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Nanotechnology in the Military

• National Defense
• Homeland Security

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From the east coast to the west coast, from the
north to the south, from the army to the navy,
from the air force to the marines.

• How can small science help us protect such a big
  country?

http//www.army.com/wallpaper/wallpaper.html
http//www.arlingtoncemetery.org/images/AS_funera
ls/pages/image49_Navy.html http//www.usmilitary.
com/266/battery-company-receives-order-from-us-air
-force/ http//www.onemarinesview.com/one_marines
_view/images/marine_birthday_2.jpg
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How Big Is Nano?
This is one nanometer!
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Nanotechnology in National Defense
What can nanotechnology do for the military?
Nanotechnology research in the following areas
can help the military

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• Clothing with greater tolerance for temperature
  changes
• Increase surveillance for better protection
• Smaller cameras
• Cheap, small, and more effective weapons
• Exploration of the oceans
• Augmenting human performance
• Scratch resistant surfaces
• Stronger, thinner and cheaper glass
• Change shape of objects, i.e. armor-like fabric
• Coatings that don't degrade (doesn't need
  repainting)
• "Invisibility"
• Faster intensive medical help
• Lighter, faster aircraft which use less fuel
• Submarines and planes that can go undetected by
  radar

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Poof Whered They Go?

• How could you become invisible? Here are a
  couple of nano-ways
• Scientists are manipulating light so soldiers
  seem to disappear.

Scientists are also working on "electrochromic
camouflage" fabric which changes colors
instantly to blend in with the surroundings.See
how it is done.
http//www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_30
/b3843083.htm?chansearch http//beverlytang.com/
archives/imaging/chameleon_clothing.html
http//www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid6080.php

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Armor As Strong as a Snail?

• Sea snails and abalone are guiding
  scientists in their search for strong and
  lightweight armor. Sea Shells and Abalone
• Others, besides the military, will benefit
  from these new nanoscience developments
  firefighters, police officers, and other
  emergency responders.

Abalone shells are strong and lightweight. They
can repair themselves, too.
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 NANO-ARMOR
Another method for creating super strong
materials uses tungsten, not carbon, for the
basic material.
This onion-like layering is why this new material
is so strong and durable.
It is five times stronger than steel and at least
twice as strong as any impact-resistant material
currently in use as protective gear. It has
withstood the equivalent of dropping four diesel
locomotives onto an area the size of a
fingernail.

• Possible applications for this new nano
  material are ballistic protection personal body
  armor, bullet proof vests, vehicle armor,
  shields, helmets, and protective enclosures.

http//www.voyle.net/Nano20Defence202005/Defence
202005-0018.htm
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More Body Armor
Another new nano-armor is called "smart" body
armor. It weaves thin pads or cloth from fibers
that can sense the impact of a bullet or shrapnel
and automatically stiffen. This material would
be even more resistant to penetration and less
cumbersome than the ceramic-plate armor troops
wear now.

• Concerns about biochemical-warfare have
  resulted in exploration into nano-size umbrellas
  that open to seal the cloth's pores, making it
  impervious to airborne chemicals and pathogens.
  That would be much easier and lighter than the
  current equipment required.

http//www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/1574
R-015383 http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natur
e/7038686.stm
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Nano-Medic
In addition, sensors would provide the
soldier's vital signs and location to medics via
radio. Until the new nano-sensored garment is
ready, soldiers will wear an adhesive chest patch
fitted with sensors and a tiny radio.

• If a soldier is injured in the arm or leg,
  thanks to nano-fibers in the uniform, the fabric
  would constrict into a tourniquet. This will be a
  real life-saver, because half of all battlefield
  deaths are due to massive blood loss before
  wounded soldiers can be treated.

http//medgadget.com/archives/2005/03/army_develop
s_i.html http//www.defendamerica.mil/articles/ju
l2005/a071805ms2.html
http//z.about.com/d/firstaid/1/5/7/3/-/-/Bleeding
016_400x384.jpg
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Artificial Muscles
Artificial muscles that could
enable soldiers to leap tall walls, if not
buildings, are in the works, too. One type uses
nanotechnology and electricity.
It flexes when jolted by electricity, then
relaxes when the electricity is turned off. So
far, though, its reactions are much too slow.
http//www.sciam.com/article.cfm?idthe-new-nanofr
ontierpage2 http//www.scienceahead.com/entry/to
p-21-wearable-technologies/ http//jpl.nasa.gov/
news/features-print.cfm?feature492
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Warships

• The U.S. Navy is getting a next-generation
  all-electric warship thanks to nanotechnology.
  This new technology will control the ship and
  lead to major improvements in effectiveness,
  survivability and cost savings. The space needed
  for energy production on warships will be reduced
  significantly.

This will free onboard space so that it can be
used for other functions.
http//www.voyle.net/Nano20Defence/Defence202004
-0022.htm http//gizmodo.com/337377/navy-developin
g-allelectric-warship http//www.shipz.com/Battle
ship-Pearl_warship_in_port.jpg
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New Nano-Spies
Nanoscience in Homeland Security
Big fighter jets are so yesterday. The next
generation of fighter jets are nano-sized jets,
the size of a seed, that can pretty much go
anywhere.
Scientists are working on this revolutionary,
remote-controlled nano air vehicle. They will be
able to collect military intelligence both
indoors and outdoors. One weighs no more than
10 grams and can carry a payload of up to 2
grams. The will help protect the lives and
enhance the operational effectiveness of soldiers
and first responders.
http//uk.gizmodo.com/2006/07/21/nano_spy_plane_ge
ts_green_ligh.html http//hsdailywire.com/single.p
hp?id6234
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Anti-Toxin

• Toxin Guard is a product that uses
  nanotechnology on packaging films to detect
  micro-organisms like pathogens, which can cause
  illness or disease.

http//www.voyle.net/Nano20Defence/Defence202004
-0002.htm http//pulse.pharmacy.arizona.edu/10th_g
rade/disease_epidemics/science/pathogen.html
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Nano-Fingerprints
Next time you have a chance to see paper at
the nanoscale, youll see that it has a
fingerprint.
Using nanotechnology scientists can recognize
the inherent patterns within all materials such
as paper, plastic, metal and ceramics. Each
'fingerprint' is impossible to duplicate and can
be easily read using a low-cost portable laser
scanner.

• This nanotechnology has the ability to verify
  passports, ID cards and other documents such as
  birth certificates with just a scan. It can even
  be used on product packaging. The accuracy of
  measurement is greater than tests for DNA, a
  reliability of at least one million trillion.

http//www.voyle.net/Nano20Defence202005/Defence
202005-0011.htm http//www.ingeniatechnology.com
/how_it_works.php
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Planning Your Presentation

• What can be done to maximize the chances that
  humans will benefit from, rather than be harmed
  by these new developments?
• If we can develop these technologies, should we?
  Why?

To prepare for your presentation, answer these
questions using reference materials which can
include the websites linked to this webquest
http//media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/pho
to/2007/02/15/PH2007021502068.jpg
http//www.presentationalspeaking.com/images/pic_
2.jpg
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What About Your Rights?

• If so, are these developments
• more important than
• Your privacy? 
• Your rights as a citizen? 
• Your rights as a human being?
• Are the answers somewhere in between?

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Military Websites

• These are websites which are a good place
  to start in looking for more information on
  nanotechnology in the military.  Then use the
  general website page linked at the bottom of this
  page. It is full of nanotechnology sites related
  to multiple areas including yours.  After
  exhausting these resources you may also wish to
  use your search engine and appropriate key words
  and phrases to find more information.
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• http//www.discovernano.northwestern.edu/affect/ap
  plications_content/security
• http//www.voyle.net/Nano20Defence202005/Main20
  Defence20200520.htm
• http//web.mit.edu/isn/
• http//www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_30
  /b3843083.htm?chansearch
• smart materials http//www.businessweek.com/techn
  ology/content/jan2003/2003017_9999.htm?chansearch
  
• What are the military's research priorities?
  http//www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/research/research.html
  
• General websites link

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