Publisher's Synopsis
The convergence of nanoscience, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science ("NBIC") offers immense opportunities for the improvement of human abilities, social outcomes, the nation's productivity, and its quality of life; it also represents a major new frontier in research and development. This conclusion was reached at a December 2001 workshop held by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce in which leading experts from government, the academic research community and the private sector explored the nature and size of the potential opportunities in NBIC convergence.;The report that resulted from this workshop, asserting that NBIC convergence is "a broad, cross-cutting, emerging and timely opportunity of interest to individuals, society and humanity in the long term," recommended that an R&D initiative focusing on enhancing human performance (while governed by respect for human welfare and dignity) should become a national priority. The NBIC Convergence 2003 conference was organized as a first step in realizing the vision of this report. In this volume, a panel of nationally recognized experts analyzes the opportunities NBIC convergence presents for human performance improvements including work efficiency, learning, sensory and cognitive capabilities, communications, human-machine interface, life extension, defense, and human health.;The latest information about the synergistic combination of nanoscience and nanotechnology, biotechnology and biomedicine (including genetic engineering), information technology (including computing and communications) and cognitive science (including cognitive neuroscience) is presented. This volume surveys government funding and support of NBIC programs, revolutionary new NBIC products, unifying principles of converging technologies, interdisciplinary cooperation challenges and opportunities, and industry interest in NBIC and provides a detailed outlook on one of the most exciting new scientific, commercial, and humanitarian developments of our time - NBIC convergence.
