What is the Societal Impact of Nanotechnology?

Harnessing nanotechnology to reduce societal impacts enables a sustainable future with advanced military applications and the potential rectification of intellectual property issues. 

FREMONT, CA:The impact of organisations, businesses, or individuals' actions in the surroundings is a critical stimulator of societal impacts that can be likely experienced and incorporated into companies in varied societies and enterprises per the innovation of technologies. However, measuring and predicting these implications can be relatively tough despite their easy identification capabilities. Nanotechnology holds significance in areas like military applications, intellectual property issues, and an increased balance between citizens and governments, in addition to the effect on labour.

Generally, the military sponsors an elevated proportion of nanotechnology research, instilling an efficient focus on soldiery-oriented applications like nanorobotics, magnetorheological fluid (MRF), molecular manufacturing, and artificial intelligence (AI). These blossoming advancements in defence technology often have implications for societal and political relations within the community. For instance, unlike past scenarios, modern defence armies are facilitated with customised protection from the persisting civilian threats in recent times. It is likely achieved per the widening of gaps between the means of political violence in the military and civilian population via nanotechnology.

Whereas, the progressions may stimulate terrorism owing to the aggravation trends towards asymmetric warfare. That is, increased hindrances in attacking and defeat for the military forces through the adoption of nanotechnology urge them to ratify strategies that may likely harm civilians and important targets in the process. Hence, the possibility persists that deploying the progression on a wide scale in military applications may open up a huge number of potential threats, due to which harnessing tailored nanotechnology solutions in the industry is crucial.

Similarly, nanotechnology is pivotal in rectifying societal impacts like intellectual property issues. Thus, establishing uniqueness and obviousness by the patent attorney is highly critical in establishing a potential nanotechnology patent application. However, there are risks that the patent examiner may certify a nanostructured product to lack novelty on account of the presence of the relevant nanostructure in an existing product despite its non-recognition. Hence, various experts have agreed that patents on basic nanotechnologies are highly critical in eliminating the adverse effects following the technology's progression.

Likewise, the impact of nanotechnology on labour influences various facets of production. Further, the advancements in the technique stimulate an increased demand for scientists, engineers, and technicians for a customised building and the deliberate integration of new ideas into processes and products. Moreover, assisting labour and creating career opportunities is gaining momentum, where nanotechnology comes to the rescue owing to its increased roleplay in the sector.