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Executive Summary
Pages 1-19

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From page 1...
... The temptations are to be either too conservative, acknowledging the current limitations of technology and not foreseeing the breakthroughs in both conception and capability that will inevitably occur, or too exuberant, brushing aside real physical limitations in an excess of futuristic zeal. Such a challenge particularly applies to nanotechnology, which is an exciting and relatively unexplored scientific and technological frontier offering many new insights and applications but at the same time giving rise to much speculation and hyperbole.
From page 2...
... Whereas microscale structures are typically formed by top-down techniques such as patterning, deposition, and etching, the practical formation of structures at nanoscale dimensions will probably involve an additional component, bottom-up assembly. Self-assembly, a process whereby structures are built up from atomic or molecular-scale units into larger and increasingly complex structures, is widely used by biological systems.
From page 3...
... OVERARCHING THEMES EMERGING FROM MICRO- AND NANOTECHNOLOGIES Four overarching themes emerged from the committee's study of micro- and nanotechnologies: increased information capabilities miniaturization of systems · new materials resulting from new science at these scales, and · increased functionality and autonomy. These themes are a natural consequence of the advances · ~ In micro- anu nanotechnologies resulting from scaling to small size.
From page 4...
... The combination of reduced size, reduced weight, increased robustness, and reduced cost-per-unit-function has significant implications for Air Force missions, from global reach to situational awareness. Examples may include the rapid, low-cost global deployment of sensors, launchon-demand tactical satellites, distributed sensor networks, and affordable and highly capable unmanned air vehicles.
From page 5...
... The lowered cost and increased functionality will lead to swarms of intelligent agents, with emergent behavior that differs from that of any single entity. Integrating these advances into the Air Force concept of operations will be challenging and will raise important global political and societal issues, such as the acceptable bounds of future warfare, including specifying the roles of autonomous decision-making machines in war fighting.
From page 6...
... The NNI set forth eight grand challenges that provide perspective on the directions and implications of this investment: nanoelectronics, optoelectronics and magnetics; advanced health care, therapeutics, and diagnostics; nanoscale processes for environmental improvement; efficient energy conversion and storage; microcraft space exploration and industrialization; bio-nanosensor devices for reduction of communicable diseases and biological threats; economical and safe transportation; and national security. The important message for the Air Force is that extensive efforts are under way worldwide in micro- and nanotechnologies.
From page 7...
... Micro- and Micropropulsion and propellants, energetics Selected areas Selected areas Selected areas For AF-specific needs NOTE: Where Air Force requirements far outpace academic/other government/commercial sector requirements, a lead role is recommended. Where there will be substantial academic and commercial sector developments, participation is recommended to leverage those developments and to apply the necessary Air Force-specific overlay.
From page 8...
... - I TABLE [S-2 Taxonomy of ammo- Ed N=o~chno~gy Rcsc~cb Areas Ed Tbch Rclov~cc to the Air Force Air Bane Divests` Empty Development ~a ~1c~- ~dN=otechnology L OpOca1 confinement fibers waveguldes, and DISC ISIS I, communicat1ons, and 1n~rmat1on Nan ~
From page 9...
... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY as and 9 Air Force Investment Priority Market Driver Time Frame Product Status L M H C Mix Mil N M L R D M X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X s) X X X X X X X X and X A X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X .tion X X X X continues
From page 10...
... . The market driver refers to the principal impetus for product development the commercial sector (C)
From page 11...
... . Product status refers to the stage of industrial development: research (R)
From page 12...
... From 1989 to 2000, the Air Force investment in basic research declined by $39 million in real terms, a decrease of 15 percent. The declining Air Force S&T budget poses several significant challenges: first, which of the many nanotechnologies to support with a limited budget, and how; second, how to leverage extramural nanotechnology developments; and third, as these micro- and nanotechnologies approach maturity, how to transition them into hardware and operational systems.
From page 13...
... Technology Findings and Recommendations Four overarching themes emerged from the committee's study of the implications of emerging micro- and nanotechnologies: increased information capabilities, miniaturization of systems, new materials resulting from new science at these scales, and increased functionality and autonomy (TV. The following findings and recommendations attempt to capture the essence of these themes with some specificity.
From page 14...
... 14 IMPLICATIONS OF EMERGING MICRO- AND NANOTECHNOLOGIES poddns T~qluoO alley IIIqO~ ~qolo pods ualua8~8u:[ uolslaald As} ~ C)
From page 15...
... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 15 ca ~ ~ ~ ~ ~= ·_4 C)
From page 16...
... Recommendation T4. The Air Force should develop balanced research strategies for not only the hardware but also the requisite software and software architectures for fixed arrays and moving swarms of multispectral, multifunctional sensors.
From page 17...
... Finding T8. Four overarching themes emerge from the advance of microand nanotechnologies increased information capabilities, miniaturization, new engineered materials, and increased functionality/autonomy.
From page 18...
... The Air Force must significantly increase its R&D funding levels if it is to have a meaningful role in the development of microand nanotechnology and if it is to be effective in harnessing these technologies for future Air Force systems. Finding P2.
From page 19...
... Considering that micro- and nanotechnology is a new and rapidly emerging interdisciplinary field, the Air Force should critically evaluate its efforts in micro- and nanotechnology to select areas of strong potential payoff for Air Force missions and to sustain the highest-quality program.


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