Physics: Make nanotechnology research open-source
To drive innovation at the nanoscale, the patent thicket must be chopped down, argues Joshua M. Pearce.
The Handbook of Nanotechnology: Business, Policy, and Intellectual Property Law
Acknowledgments. Foreword. Introduction. Part I: Introduction to Nanotechnology. Chapter 1: Understanding Nanotechnology. Chapter 2: The Industrial Structure Giving Rise to Nanotechnology. Part II: Nanotechnology Policy and Regulation. Chapter 3: Societal and Ethical Implications. Chapter 4: Environmental Regulation. Chapter 5: The Patent and Trademark Office. Chapter 6: FDA Regulation. Chapter 7: National Security and Export Controls. Chapter 8: Federal Funding. Chapter 9: Conclusions. Part III: Nanotechnology Business. Chapter 10: Starting a Nanotech Company. Chapter 11: Business Plans and Strategy. Chapter 12: Early Stage Financing. Chapter 13: Intellectual Property. Chapter 14: Corporate Partnering and Globalization. Chapter 15: Consolidation and Standardization. Chapter 16: Exit Opportunities. Chapter 17: Conclusions. Notes. About the Authors. Index.
Cultural cognition of the risks and benefits of nanotechnology.
How is public opinion towards nanotechnology likely to evolve? The 'familiarity hypothesis' holds that support for nanotechnology will likely grow as awareness of it expands. The basis of this conjecture is opinion polling, which finds that few members of the public claim to know much about nanotechnology, but that those who say they do are substantially more likely to believe its benefits outweigh its risks. Some researchers, however, have avoided endorsing the familiarity hypothesis, stressing that cognitive heuristics and biases could create anxiety as the public learns more about this novel science. We conducted an experimental study aimed at determining how members of the public would react to balanced information about nanotechnology risks and benefits. Finding no support for the familiarity hypothesis, the study instead yielded strong evidence that public attitudes are likely to be shaped by psychological dynamics associated with cultural cognition.