|
|
|
Nanotechnologies and the corresponding applications are developed rapidly,
and new products are constantly moved to the market. Due to the fact that nanotechnologies
(as typical enabling technologies) have the potential to be applied in almost
every industry sector, and in the light that there is still no consensus on
how to define and delimit "nanotechnologies", it has proven difficult
to define, capture and monitor investments and company involvements in nanotechnologies.
This again makes it hard for oversight institutions to keep pace with nanotechnology
developments, prioritise actions and develop policies that represent actual
market conditions.
However, since no commonly agreed definitions and statistical frameworks to
"capture" nanotechnologies’ commercial values exist, publications
and patenting data can only provide a limited picture of the variegated nature
of technological change and innovation in the field of nanotechnology. According
to the report, publication data highlight the broad-based and interdisciplinary
nature of scientific advances that fuel nanotechnology developments. In order
to complete the picture, the authors also looked at company surveys that have
been undertaken in a few countries to provide further relevant data.
Some of the most important outcomes of the report include the following findings
(citing from the report):
- Research and development activities are concentrated in only few countries
and regions in the world. The US take the lead, followed by Japan and some
larger European countries like Germany, France and the UK. The rise of "newcomer"
countries like Korea, India and China is highlighted.
- The number of publications exceeds, by far, patents, as is often the case
for emerging technologies.
- Most patents occur in nanoelectronics and nanomaterials, both of which
are generic technology areas in their own right.
- Electronics appears to be an application field in which nanotechnology
is building on existing strengths in most countries. Instruments, pharmaceuticals
and biotechnologies represent areas in which nanotechnology is contributing
to diversification in new fields.
- It is difficult to define a "nanotechnology company", and the
number of such companies is still quite small. Those identified through the
company surveys tend to be small and distributed across a broad range of industries,
mainly in the manufacturing sector. A majority of these companies develop
nanomaterials, nanobiotechnologies and nanoelectronics.
The analysed company surveys also addressed the challenges in commercialising
nanotechnologies. According to the responses, high processing costs, problems
in scalability of R&D for prototype and industrial production and concerns
about EHS issues emerge as key challenges.
It needs to be determined whether these challenges are "unique to nanotechnologies
and hence may require new policy approaches". Clearly, better metrics,
combined with qualitative case studies, constitute a necessary basis for the
further monitoring and benchmarking of nanotechnologies in response to future
policy needs.
Contact & more information: Stephan
Knébel
Source: The
Innovation Society
Posted August 21st, 2009
|
