Applied Nanotechnology

CHAPTER 10 Assessing Demand for Nanotechnology

When a decision has to be made regarding the viability of an investment in a nanotechnology venture, it might not be easy to predict costs. In more traditional industries, these costs are generally well determined. Given nanotechnology's closeness to the fundamental science, however, it is quite likely that unforeseen difficulties may arise during the development of a product for which proof of principle has been demonstrated. By the same token, difficulties may have been anticipated on the basis of present knowledge, but subsequent discoveries could enable a significant shortcut to be taken. On balance, these positive and negative factors might balance out; it seems, however, to be part of human ...