For 26 years -- ever since the discovery of the buckyball in 1985 -- nanotechnology has promised industry opportunities to improve products. Nanotechnology can make products lighter, stronger or more efficient, yet the technology revolution predicted by some proponents has yet to be fully realized.

That's not to say nanotechnology isn't making progress toward real-world applications. In paints, drugs and a host of other industries, nanotechnology has made significant inroads toward fulfilling its promise. But along with greater adoption, nanotechnology is facing increased scrutiny, centered on possible effects on human health, animal health and the environment.

Environmental studies are under way, and many experts are confident the science will show no more threat to health and safety than other technologies of the past. Once it gets a clean bill of health, these experts say, industry's investment in nanotechnology will skyrocket.

Where We Are Now

Ning Xi, president of the Nanotechnology Council for IEEE and a professor at Michigan State University, says nanotechnology is at something of a midpoint in its development.

Scientists like Venu Kuturu and Furat Sawafta are discovering new uses for nanotechnology every day. Photo: Quartek Corp.

"The scientific community needs to focus on how to manufacture nanoparticles more effectively and efficiently," Xi says. "We need to put an emphasis on this new phase of the project. Until you solve these problems, you're going to have issues with mass adoption of nanotechnology."

Xi says there are three areas where nanotechnology is on the cusp of being used extensively if only a standardized manufacturing process can be developed. He says the semiconductor, biomedical and solar panel manufacturing industries are waiting to incorporate nanoparticles into their products.

"These are areas where nanotechnology would be extremely useful, but there's a bottleneck right now," Xi says. "We're waiting for an easy integration into existing manufacturing processes -- and that's where the scientists are putting their energies right now."

Health and Safety Concerns

The Piedmont Triad, a triangle of three cities -- Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point -- in north-central North Carolina, is a hotbed for nanotechnology development. It is home to The Joint School of Nanoscience & Nanoengineering (a joint-venture between North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro) and The Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials at Wake Forest. It's also home to numerous nanotechnology startups.

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