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World
of Nanotechnology: Science fiction or reality?
Dr.Suvamoy
Datta, Senior lecturer, Dept. of Microbiology, Primeasia University.
The basic definition of nanotechnology is anything related to
the building of materials on a nanometer scale-a scale smaller
than one millionth of a meter, that evolved over the years via
terminology drift to mean
"anything smaller than micro
technology" such as nano
powders, and other things that
are nanoscale in size, but not
referring to mechanisms that hav
e been purposefully built from
nanoscale components.
Nanotechnology
represents the state of the art in advances in microbiology,
biochemistry, physics, computer science and mathematics. The
major research objectives in nanotechnology are the design,
modeling, and fabrication of molecular machines and molecular
devices. At the end it is not the meaning behind the terms that
is important, it is the fact that all the many definitions suggest
that we have been and are on a rapidly accelerating technological
rollercoaster, and rapid change is the track it rides. While
there is great debate as to when nanotechnology will start to
seriously impact us, best guesses range from around 2015 to
as late as 2025.Certainly within the lifetime of most everyone
currently under 60years of age. A key ingredient in understanding
nanotechnology is realizing precisely what it is and what it
isn't,I am talking about research and development in the length
scale of 0.1nanometer to 100 nanometers to create unique structure
devices and systems. In many instances the actual structures,
device will be much larger, but they will be classified as nanotechnology
due to the fact that they will either be created at the nanoscale
or nanotechnology will enable them to perform improved functions.
Many materials
once they are individually reduced below 100 nanometers, begin
displaying a set of unique characteristics based on quantum
mechanical forces that are exhibited at the level. The properties
of those products depend on how those atoms are arranged. If
we rearrange the atoms in coal we can make diamond. If we rearrange
the atoms in sand we can make computer chips. If we rearrange
the atoms in dirt, water and air we can make potatoes.
In the future, nanotechnology will let us take off the boxing
gloves. We'll be able to snap together the fundamental building
blocks of nature easily, inexpensively and in most of the ways
permitted by the laws of physics. This will be essential if
we are to continue the revolution in computer hardware beyond
about the next decade, and will also let us tabulate an entire
new generation of products that are cleaner, stronger, lighter
and more precise.
The improvements
in lithography have resulted in sub-micron lithography is clearly
very valuable but it is equally clear that conventional lithography
will not let us build semiconductor devices in which individual
atoms are located at specific lattice sites. Many of the exponentially
improving trends in computer hardware capability have remained
steady for the last 50 years. There is fairly widespread belief
that these trends are likely to continue for at least another
several years, but then conventional lithography starts to reach
its limits.
If we are to continue these trends we will have to develop a
new manufacturing technology which will let us inexpensively
build computer systems with mole quantities of logic elements
that are molecular in both size and precision and are interconnected
in complex and highly idiosyncratic patterns. Nanotechnology
will let us do this.
One great example is how nanoparticles are being used to target
anticancer drugs directly to cancer cells to kill them without
harming nearby non-cancerous cells. This is a great way to reap
the benefits of anticancer drugs without the unwanted side effects
of drug toxicity. As advancements in nanotechnology continue,
the resulting health benefits will also improve and give us
more options for use in disease treatment.
Nanotechnology is an emerging and promising field of research,
loosely defined as the study of functional structures with dimensions
in the 1-1000 nanometer range. Certainly, many organic chemists
have designed and fabricated such structures for decades via
chemical synthesis. During the last decade, however, developments
in the areas of microbiology, silicon fabrication, biochemistry,
physical chemistry, and computational engineering have converged
to provide remarkable capabilities for understanding, fabricating
and manipulating structures at the atomic level.
Research in nanoscience is exploding, both because of the intellectual
allure of constructing matter and molecules one atom at a time,
and because the new technical capabilities permit creation of
materials and devices with significant societal impact. The
rapid evolution of this new science and the opportunities for
its application promise that nanotechnology will become one
of the dominant technologies of the 21st century.
"Wet" nanotechnology, which is the study of biological
systems that exist primarily in a water environment. The functional
nanometer-scale structures of interest here are genetic material,
membranes, enzymes and other cellular components. The success
of this nanotechnology is amply demonstrated by the existence
of living organisms whose form, function, and evolution are
governed by the interactions of nanometer-scale structures.
"Dry" nanotechnology, which derives from surface science
and physical chemistry, focuses on fabrication of structures
in carbon, silicon, and other inorganic materials. Unlike the
"wet" technology, "dry" techniques admit
use of metals and semiconductors. The active conduction electrons
of these materials make them too reactive to operate in a "wet"
environment, but these same electrons provide the physical properties
that make "dry" nanostructures promising as electronic,
magnetic, and optical devices. Another objective is to develop
"dry" structures that possess some of the same attributes
of the self-assembly that the wet ones exhibit. The predictive
and analytical power of computation is critical to success in
nanotechnology: nature required several hundred million years
to evolve a functional "wet" nanotechnology; the insight
provided by computation should allow us to reduce the development
time of a working "dry" nanotechnology to a few decades,
and it will have a major impact on the "wet" side
as well.
Benefits
become practical with nanotechnology:
sPollution control, treatment, and management
sControl of famine and starvation
sCost effective consumer products
sTechnology many times faster then today
sPreserved the right for the education of every one
sIntroduction of the Solar System
sSafe and affordable space travel
sPrevention of illness, aging, and even death.
Feedback: datta354@yahoo.com
BASIS
greets the new Executive Council of BCS
The newly elected Executive Council of Bangladesh Computer Samity
(BCS) was greeted through a reception program arranged by Bangladesh
Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) on
December 26, 2007 at BASIS Conference Room. The recently past
EC members of BCS were also present at the function.
Mr. Mostafa
Jabbar, the new President of BCS, said that Software, Hardware
and Internet service cannot be developed separately. The overall
growth of the IT industry depends on the integrated initiative
and deployment of these three sectors.
Mr. Rafiqul Islam Rowly, President of BASIS, said that BCS and
BASIS have been marching together with a cooperative bond for
a long time. To reinforce the IT industry with greater performance
he expressed his hope to strengthen the interrelation between
BCS and BASIS.
The former President of BCS Mr. Md. Faizullah Khan welcomed
the newly elected Executive Council and conveyed his commitment
to associate the new council by all means.
Mr. Shoeb Ahmed Masud, Secretary General, Mr. Shameem Ahsan,
Joint Secretary General, Mr. AKM Fahim Mashroor, Treasurer and
T.I.M. Nurul Kabir, Director of BASIS gave their speeches at
the program. The speakers put stress on the mutual efforts of
BASIS and BCS. They also discussed on Internet pricing, Human
Resource development, progress of National ICT Park etc.
Acer to Become First Worldwide
Olympics Sponsor from Taiwan
Acer
Inc., the world's fourth-largest maker of personal computers,
will replace rival Lenovo Group Ltd. as a worldwide Olympic
sponsor, aiming to boost its global profile and gain market
share. The four-year contract will cover the 2010 Winter Games
in Vancouver and the 2012 London Summer Games, said Chris Renner
of Helios Partners, who helped arrange the deal. The agreement
builds on President Gianfranco Lanci's ambitions to challenge
Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc. following Acer's $710 million
acquisition of Gateway Inc. this year. China's Lenovo said this
week it will drop its sponsorship to target specific markets,
highlighting the contrast in strategies between Asia's two biggest
computer makers.
Acer would become one of 11 companies with the worldwide right
to associate themselves with the Olympics and use symbols such
as the five rings. Acer, which research firm IDC estimates lags
behind Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Lenovo in PC sales, is poised
to be the first Taiwanese company to become a worldwide sponsor
of the Olympics
Acer's Lanci said in October he expects the purchase of Gateway
will more than double Acer's market share in the U.S. to 11.7
percent. The acquisition makes Acer the second-largest PC supplier
in Europe and at least the third-biggest in the U.S., according
to data from researcher Gartner Inc. and Acer.
Acer, founded in 1976, has invested in Formula 1 motor car racing
as official sponsor for the Ferrari F1 team, Moto GP as the
official sponsor of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team, and it is
currently an official supplier to Spanish football giants Barcelona.
"The careful choice of associating our company with established
world leaders in their respective sectors has helped grow the
brand perception of Acer around the world," said J T Wang,
chief executive of Acer, in a call from Taiwan.
"We are convinced it is the right thing to do and the best
business marketing investment we can make for Acer."
Acer in represented in Bangladesh by Executive Technologies
Limited, the authorized business and only service partner of
Acer Incorporated, Taiwan. Hotline: 01919-222-222
Intel
Opens First High-Volume 45nm Microprocessor Manufacturing Factory
New $3 Billion Facility to Produce Processors with Intel 45nm
Hafnium-based High-k Metal Gate Transistors
Production
of a new generation of microprocessors for PCs, laptops, servers
and other computing devices officially began today inside of
Intel Corporation's first high-volume 45 nanometer (nm) manufacturing
factory in Chandler, Ariz.
Called "Fab
32," the $3 billion factory will use Intel's innovative
45nm process technology based on Intel's breakthrough in "reinventing"
certain areas of the transistors inside its processors to reduce
energy leakage. The 45nm transistors use a Hafnium-based high-k
material for the gate dielectric and metal materials for the
gate, and are so small that more than 2 million can fit on the
period at the end of this sentence. Millions of these tiny transistors
will make up Intel's faster, more energy efficient lead- and
halogen-free processors for PCs, laptops and servers, as well
as ultra low-power processors for mobile Internet and consumer
electronic devices, and low-cost PCs. The first of the company's
45nm processors is scheduled to be introduced on Nov. 12.
"The
opening of Fab 32 in Arizona today is a testament to Intel's
continued investment in our most strategic asset -- the most
advanced,
environmentally friendly manufacturing network in the world,"
said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. "The magic
of 45nm and our new transistor design allow us to deliver high-performance,
energy-efficient
processors to our customers across the entire spectrum of market
segments, from the most powerful servers to a variety of mobile
devices and everything in between."
Fab 32 is
Intel's sixth 300mm wafer factory and its second factory to
produce 45nm chips. Intel first produced 45nm processors in
its Oregon development facility, called D1D, in January and
is now moving into high-volume production with the opening of
Fab 32. Two additional 45nm, 300mm manufacturing factories are
scheduled to open next year in Kiryat Gat, Israel (Fab 28) and
Rio Rancho, N.M. (Fab 11x). Using 300mm wafers lowers the production
cost per chip while diminishing overall use of resources.
With 184,000
square feet of clean room space, the completed Fab 32 structure
measures 1 million square feet, so large that more than 17 U.S.
football fields could fit inside the building. More than 1,000
employees will operate the factory in such positions as process,
automation and yield engineers and senior manufacturing technicians.
A Focus
on the Environment – From the Factory Down to the Transistor
Fab 32 will be among Intel's most environmentally friendly factories,
incorporating a number of energy and water conservation measures
that have come to characterize Intel's long track record of
environmental stewardship in its
operations.
Intel's
industry-leading 45nm process results in a 15 percent reduction
in global warming emissions, and Fab 32 makes use of Intel Arizona's
innovative water conservation and reuse program which conserves
more than 70 percent of the water.
The company
also announced that it intends to seek certification for the
new fab as the company's first official Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) factory based on new criteria
being developed for facilities of this kind. LEED is a green
building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building
Council that provides a set of standards for environmentally
sustainable construction and requires several months of operating
data before certification can be completed. The certification
would demonstrate that Fab 32 meets the highest environmental
standards and reflects Intel's history of commitment to environmental
leadership.
ITU announces first global set
of standards for IPTV
Specifications will fuel market for next-generation services
The International
Telecommunication Union announced the first set of global standards
for Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) today. The standards were built
with technical contributions from leading service providers
and manufacturers from the information and communication technology
(ICT) sector and cement ITU’s role as the global leader
in IPTV standards development.
IPTV is
one of the most highly visible services to emerge as part of
the development of next-generation networks (NGN). Indeed, it
is seen as both the business case and principal driver for accelerating
deployment of NGN.
The new
standards were developed by the Focus Group on IPTV (FG IPTV)
in ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T).
Malcolm
Johnson, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization
Bureau said, "Standards are crucial for IPTV to reach its
market potential and global audience. They are necessary in
order to give service providers — whether traditional
broadcasters, ISPs, cable operators or telecoms service providers
— control over their platforms and their offerings. Standards
here will encourage innovation, help mask the complexity of
services, guarantee quality of service, ensure interoperability
and, ultimately, help players remain competitive."
This announcement
follows the seventh and final meeting of FG IPTV hosted in Malta
by the Maltese Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications.
Censu Galea, Minister for Competitiveness and Communications
said, "The stage of work that sees completion this week
lays the groundwork for an area of ICT that some predict could
attract up to 100 million subscribers in the next three years.
It’s easy to see why so many of the world’s key
ICT companies have been keen to progress this work in ITU. Malta
is proud to host this event and play a part in advancing this
important technology."
Contained
within the documents produced by the Focus Group are the high-level
architecture and frameworks needed by service providers in order
to rollout IPTV services. ITU’s next phase of IPTV work
— IPTV-GSI (global standards initiative) — will
centre on the speedy preparation of standards based on documents
produced by FG IPTV as well as on the detailed protocols required.
The 2006-2007
period has seen numerous physical and electronic meetings and
workshops progressing work on IPTV around the world. Twenty-one
documents covering IPTV requirements, architecture, quality
of service (QoS), security, digital rights management (DRM),
unicast and multicast, protocols, metadata, middleware and home
networks will be submitted to the ITU-T Study Group charged
with progressing and distributing the work. The IPTV-GSI will
build on the momentum generated over the past 20 months, and
it is foreseen that contributions and participation will continue
to increase.
Operators
consider IPTV a key element of a triple-play package of voice,
video and data services. Standardization is imperative if service
providers are to offer high quality products with value-additions,
such as video-on-demand services that will inevitably drive
the market. A combination of voice, Internet and video services
over a single broadband link and from a single provider is foreseen
as the ultimate goal of the broadband revolution.
FG IPTV
benefited from collaboration with all ITU-T Study Groups and
other forums and regional standards bodies, including ATIS IPTV
Interoperability Forum (IIF), DSL Forum, the DVB project, ETSI
TISPAN and the Home Gateway Initiative (HGI).
The first
meeting of IPTV-GSI will convene in Seoul, Republic of Korea
from 15 to 22 January 2008.
9th AGM of BASIS held
The 9th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of BASIS took place under
the chair of its President Mr. Rafiqul Islam Rowly on 29th December,
2007 at BSRS Bhaban (18th Floor), Karwan Bazar, Dhaka. Executive
Council Members & a large number of general & associate
members were present on the occasion. Mr. Rowly welcomed all
the members for participating in the meeting. BASIS President
conveyed a comprehensive presentation of the Annual Report 2007
and Mr. A K M Fahim Mashroor, Treasurer, BASIS, presented the
annual audited accounts.
Human Resource Development for the ICT Industry, Creating stronger
bondage with the NRB, Organizing sector-wise promotional activities
to boost the local Software & ITES market, Enforcement of
Intellectual Property Right, Strengthening the BASIS Secretariat,
Widening of Outsourcing Opportunities, Internet pricing and
many other significant issues were discussed in the meeting
by enthusiastic response of the members. BASIS members thanked
the Executive Council for carrying out a lot of activities round
the year to promote the Software & ITES industry and for
capacity building programs for the members, Business linkage
programs and other important achievements.
Seminar on 'Preparing for Outsourcing Jobs with CPMP and CBAP
Certifications'
A seminar on 'Preparing for Outsourcing Jobs with CPMP and CBAP
Certifications' was held on 12th December, 2007 at the Conference
Hall of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services
(BASIS). Mr. Sayeed Rahman, Founder of Bangla IT presented the
keynote speech through a multimedia presentation displaying
a strategic outline for the preparation of Certified Project
Management Professional (CPMP) and Certified Business Analysis
Professional (CBAP). Mr. Rahman depicted that a CPMP has the
credential to demonstrate a proficient level of project management
leadership skills to attain confidence from global clients while
a CBAP is a recognized expert in identifying the business needs
of an organization in order to determine business solutions.
CBAPs are acknowledged as competent individuals performing a
role which is increasingly being recognized as a vital component
of any successful project. It was agreed in the seminar that
Bangla IT and BASIS would work closely together to establish
a PMI Chapter in Bangladesh soon.
Acer joins FC Barcelona in the
pursuit of excellence
Acer has become Official Supplier of FC Barcelona, one of the
most celebrated European teams, winner of 2 European Cups, 4
European Cup-Winners Cup, 3 Fairs Cup (now known as UEFA Cup),
2 European Supercups, 18 Spanish League Championships, 24 National
Cups (Copa del Rey) and many more besides.
Acer and the European Football giant - number one in the 'All-time
Club World Ranking' recently published by the International
Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) - are
known throughout the world for their winning mentality and for
the global recognition of their brand names.
"In the last few years Acer has shown how team and competition
spirit can turn ambitious goals into concrete achievements,"
comments Gianfranco Lanci, Acer Inc President. "In sport
and technology, it's the vision of the game that makes the difference,
whether it's a single match or an entire season. Both teams
- Acer and Barcelona - have built their long-term game strategy
upon solid foundations, paving the way for future victories."
"We are extremely pleased to have agreed this sponsorship
with a world leading brand within the PC industry" comments
Marc Ingla, Vice President FC Barcelona. "This agreement
with Acer, a Taiwan based corporation, will help the club to
project its image and values globally in association with Acer"
With this agreement, the Acer brand will be present on numerous
occasions in Spanish and international football events, associated
with a team that can boast more than a hundred years of success
and the drive to continue winning and amazing its millions of
fans.
Under the terms of the deal, Acer will be exclusive Official
Supplier to FC Barcelona in the category of Notebook and Desktop
PC (Exclusive for Spain only).
Acer in represented in Bangladesh by Executive Technologies
Limited, the only authorized business and service partner of
Acer Incorporated, Taiwan. Hotline: 01919-222-222
BASIS organizes Seminar on "Turning
an idea into a successful enterprise"
Bangladesh
Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) organized
a seminar titled "Turning an idea into a successful enterprise"
at BASIS auditorium, on 3rd January 2008. Mr. Iqbal Z. Quadir,
founder of GonoPhone and Grameen Phone was present as Guest
of Honor and shared his success story which was followed by
a lively discussion session. Another Guest of Honor was Mr.
Nafees Bin Zafar, a Bangladeshi winner of the Oscar "Scientific
and Engineering Award" by the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences. Mr. Rafiqul Islam Rowly, President, BASIS
chaired the session.
Mr. Iqbal
Z. Quadir, is currently the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Program in Development
Entrepreneurship, Senior Research Associate at the Belfer Center
for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University's
John F. Kennedy School of Government, and the founding co-editor
of Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, a journal
published by MIT Press.
The
feature film work of Nafees Bin Zafar includes screen credits
on "Stealth", "Flags of Our Fathers", and
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". He is
software engineering graduate from the College of Charleston
with many professional credentials and recognition in his area
of expertise. This Oscar is the highest recognition in this
field of high tech engineering and creativity.
Both of
the Guests of Honor shared their views and valuable experiences
throughout their successful journey to achieve the pioneer recognitions.
They showed a set of guidelines to turn innovative ideas to
prosperous endeavor in the Software and ITES industry of Bangladesh.
A good number of C level executives of the ICT industry, NRBs
and media personalities were present at the program. Mr. Shameem
Ahsan, Joint Secretary General, BASIS moderated the occasion.
ACER's participation in the upcoming
Corporate Bazaar 2008
Mr. Russell
T. Ahmed, Convener, Corporate Bazaar and Mr. Md. Ehsanul Haque,
Director of Executive Technologies Limited are seen in the photograph
along with other officials from both the organizations at the
signing ceremony of Corporate Bazaar 2008.
A signing
ceremony was held between Executive Technologies Limited (Authorized
business partner and only service partner of ACER incorporated)
and Global Online Services Limited recently to mark ACER's participation
in the upcoming Corporate Bazaar 2008.
Mr. Russell
T. Ahmed, Convener, Corporate Bazaar and Mr. Md. Ehsanul Haque,
Director of Executive Technologies Limited signed the agreement
on behalf of respective organizations. Also present at the signing
ceremony were, on behalf of Organizing Committee, Mr. Sharful
Alam, AGM and Head of Sales & Marketing and Mr. Syed Iftekharuddin
Ahmad, Manager Brand Planning & Development and on behalf
of Executive Technologies Limited, Mr. Salman Ali Khan, Manager-Sales
& Marketing.
The three
day Corporate Bazaar 2008 is due to take place from February
09-11, 2008 at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center,
organized by Global Online Services Limited. Under the agreement
Executive Technologies Limited will take part as an Exhibitor.
Contact: 01919 222 222.
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