Four generations of nanotechnology products: Roco

Four generations of nanotechnology products and their respective manufacturing methods and research foci are identified: Passive nanostructures; active nanostructures; three-dimensional (3-D) nanosystems and systems of nanosystems; and heterogeneous molecular nanosystems. Designing new atomic and molecular assemblies is expected to increase in
importance, including macromolecules “by design” nanoscale machines, and directed multiscale selfassembling. Although expectations from nanotechnology may be overestimated in short-term, the long-term implications on healthcare, productivity
and environment appear to be underestimated.


http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/nano/reports/mcr_04-0101_visionnt@aiche_final.pdf