Posted: June 29, 2007

Nanotechnology and civil security

(Nanowerk News) Security is becoming an increasingly important facet of global society. The issues are many-fold and include protecting citizens and state from organized crime, preventing terrorist acts, and responding to natural and man-made disasters. A new report from Nanoforum, titled "Nanotechnology and Civil Security" describes nanotechnology applications for civil security and divides this into four broad sections:
Detection, including imaging, sensors and sensor networks for the detection of pathogens and chemicals;
Protection, including decontamination equipment and filters, and personal protection;
Identification, including anti-counterfeiting and authentication, forensics, quantum cryptography and the market for counterfeit and grey goods;
Societal impacts, including current regulatory and ethical frameworks, potential impacts on ethics and human rights, and public perception.
The report concludes with a summary of the Nanoforum workshop on “Nanotechnology for Security” and describes some of the activities that are taking place in the EU Member States.
Source: Nanoforum