NanoWeapons?

I have been looking a little into what nanotechnology can do for us, and quickly figured out that the possibilities are infinite. I was especially curious as to what weapons systems may be developed using nanotechnology?
I have heard or read about using nt in armour i.e. "Predator" type cloaking camouflage, or a t-shirt whose fibres instantly change into a chain armour not allowing anything to penetrate it when accute pressure is applied (Eddie Bower already sells a pair of pants whose fibres change to repel liquids when spilt on).
I have heard about a t-shirt being developed that will be able to warn the wearer that someone near them has a transmittable disease such as the flu, or other illness, etc. (as long as a single molecule from the sick lands on the shirt).
For sport uses, there is a "nickless" bowling ball available. Assumedly, the surface of the bowling ball changes when a potential "nick" can happen... :-? I have also heard of a golf ball being developed that will practically eliminate one's slice... This application, I am in DIRE need of...

So although I am interested in hearing about any and all potential applications of nanotechnology (share them if you know of some cool applications of nt or have some ideas), I am especially interested in hearing about the use of nanotechnology in current/future weapons' design and use. Anyone have any ideas or info?

There was an Art Bell episode on recently that suggested a "12 Monkees" movie type scenario where an "end of civilization"-in-a-vial could be developed by a terrorist and released upon society... Scary #e!

The "major" nanotechnology lab under constuction is in Canada at the moment. The US is lagging a bit in this area.

I read of a body armor they are working on using this tech. Its soft and pliable while under normal conditions, but the moment there is acute pressure it firms up like steel. The idea is a person could wear a whole suit of this and protect their entire body. It can react in nanoseconds. This would surely be a welcomed technology.

there was a armor system that was in being worked using carbon rings that are enter locked. they said 1/16 of 1 inch this stuff would be equel to 520 feet of Cold rolled steel armor plate. In its ablity to stop penetration So even if you only had 1/128th of a inch of this stuff my god it would be like having 65 feet of steel infront of you. Now think outer layer is this then you have your liquid armor that stuffens when it feels a impact. Now make everthing a grunt uses out of this stuff and you got a next to unstopable army.... Road side bomb goes off tosses the guy across the street into a wall... guy goes to hospital with shock damage, But he does get up..... Small arms would be next to worthless... Not to mention tanks/plains/ships shoot everthing would be changed by this...

Well, as the armour improved to those degrees, presumably weapon technology increases along with it, so...
How about a designer bullet (or weapon discharge) that changes to meet the penetration requirements of the material it is impacting...

A designer bullet could also be programmed with a target's "name", or physical characteristic id built in, so that if the bullet accidentally hit an unintentional target, it would cause little or no harm. If the bullet hit the preprogrammed intended target, it would explode... (for example).

That armour you describe shadarlocoth... 1/128th of an inch? That sounds similiar to the material found in the Roswell wreckage...

Exploding shells are illegal for your info,they were banned under the geneva convention because they were designed to cause hurt. A normal shell can take a person out just as well without causing half as much hurt.

Carbon nanotubes they are called and America is far from lagging in the development of that stuff they are at the forefront.Some say it will be 50 times stronger then steel. If its got a military application you can bet the DOD is spending alot on it.

America is definitely on the forefront.

It's more than 50 times stronger than steel. There's one recent design that can withstand 1 TERApascal of pressure. It's basically as strong as diamond (more in some situations), but more flexible.

With proper doping, CNT has semiconductor applications as well.

We have multiple universities doing heavy research on CNT. I live in California, so I only know that it's being researched at Cal Berkeley and Stanford.

We are DEFINITELY not lagging.

[edit on 9-12-2004 by Nox]

If an significant IED ( more than a few kg's of TNT ) went off next to you it wouldn't matter how strong your armour was. The shockwaves would be propagated through it to your soft tissues. The result being jellification of your internal organs.
However if this carbon arnour can be developed it would be the perfect thing for the FCS and in the intereim imagine the protection you could give to a light vehicle such as a Hummer.

PS. Do you have ny links to this, I would be very interested to read about it.

It can only withstand acute pressure? What about blunt pressure? From punches kicks and hammers. If it were to withstand that you don't even need guns anymore.

Umm Im afraid I'm gonna have to take issue with that statment Shadow, the US unfortunetly IS lagging behind in Nano research and Nanotubes is not all that Nanotech has to offer. The US doesn't even want to admit that Nanobots may be feasable, if you try to get funding from federal sources you better not say "nanofactory" or else you not gonna get funding from the feds. Japan is the leader is the area, Isreal is doing alot of good work as well. No one has hegemony in Nanotech thats why its gonna be so important to the Geopolitical scene in the next 100 years. Here is what I think the top 5 looks like allthough it is all speculation because in the last year alone three different countries have held the lead only to be left behind by another country who leapfrogged them.

1. Japan
2. Isreal
3. USA
4. Canada
5. China

EDIT: Also of note, that the USA hasn't dedicated a facility to pure Nano research yet, as Canada is doing right now, as Japan has done in the last year, Isreal has a facility as well. I really hope the US gets its act together and start a Manhatten type project on Nanobots soon. Rumor has it Russia and China already have programs into thier 5th year now. Got me kinda worried to tell you the truth.

[edit on 9-12-2004 by sardion2000]

Heres some information on carbon nanotubes.

Heres some info on companies that can prduce the stuff now.The UK company Hyperion Catalysis and Carbon Nanotechnologies Inc. of the US, are also producing nanotubes. Seems our allies in the UK want to get in on the carbon nanotubes too. These companies can mass produce the stuff but its expensive CNet reports the current price at $500/gram. But this is new tech expect the price to drop in the future.

www.e-nanoscience.com...

people.howstuffworks.com...

Heres a interesting site comparing Carbon nanotube Properties to the reports of debris found at Roswell

roswellproof.homestead.com...

lol Shadow as I said in my last post Nanotubes is not the entire Nanotech field. The US may have an edge in Nanotube research right now but that could change. I have seen the leader board change multiple times in the 3 years I have been investing in this field. Its gonna change some more. I really really hope that the US gets its act together in this field as well as Stem-Cells.

Only the US and UK can mass produce nanotubes right now. Other countries can make them but not in large amounts.

But im talking about nano military applications not civilian such as carbon nanotube armour. You cant forget the US has over a 30 billion dollar black budget dont expect to hear everything they are doing with nano tech.

[edit on 9-12-2004 by ShadowXIX]

Don't forget much of the nano technology research is behind closed doors. Either the governamnt has calssed it secret or companies are attempting to protect a competative advantage.

sardion2000 you are talking about investing in the field are these countries focusing on the civilian medical applications for nanotech on the list? There will be alot of money to be made in medical uses for nanotech.

[edit on 9-12-2004 by ShadowXIX]

Well you see the thing with Nanotech is that its increadibly hard to keep it secret because anyone who has studied the field in-depth will know what is possible and what is not. If the US wanted to take the bull by the horns so to speak they would've started a Manhatten type project to build Molecular Assemblers/Dissasemblers and there would have been some romors about it. But right now the Grapevine is saying the US is ignoring this area because it will be detrimental to the Capitolist system. Just think. With Molecular Assemblers we would pretty much be able to make ANYTHING WE COULD EVER NEED OR WANT, within the confines of the laws of phsysics that is. This scares the powers that be, into wanting to try to suppress this technology at all costs. But you see there are organisations like the Foresight Institute whos stated goal is to make this technology available to everyone. Not just the rich.

Hey I agree that US should spend MORE on technology.

I'm an engineer... more funding on technology can only benefit me...

but I'm not going to go around saying America is behind on nano-tech.

Just because we don't have a research lab dedicated purely to nanotechnology doesn't mean much.

Cal Berkeley, Stanford, MIT (best engineering school in the WORLD) are all doing research on nanotechnology.

Stanford developed one of the first quantum computers (still in testing), that can perform basic arithmetic.
Berkeley is doing research on Quantum Computers/Computing as well.

Some of our universities (which own labs themselves) are better than most laboratories in the world.

Don't go around saying that the US is behind on anything.

[edit on 9-12-2004 by Nox]

Yes, Nanobiotechnology is included on the list. And by the way I expect that list to change dramatically over the next 3 months(at the beginning of 2004 The US was number 1 in my mind, begining of 2005 could see them back up thier). Isreal is doing alot of Nanobio research which is why I consider them up there with the US and Japan. The reason I put Japan up there is because of thier MEMs technology, which is having a huge impact on thier Robotics reasearch. The reason I have the US up thier is because of Mr. Bushs nanotech funding bill(and thier leadership in Fullerine class Molecules), that he inhertited from Clinton. Very good start allthough more focus needs to be put on the Drexlerian vision of nanotech not the Industries vision. All black budget research will unfortunetly be hampered until they start funding start-ups that want to try to make this technology possible. Drexler unfortunetly has been shoved to the sidelines, hopefully it wont be for long.

Basically my point is this is a world wide technology explosion not just a western phenomenon.

I will if I feel I have a good reason too. The US can do one thing to assure them the number 1 spot right now and that is STOP BLACKLISTING REASEARCHERS WHO WANNA BUILD NANO-ASSEMBLERS! Stop silencing pioneers like K. Erik Drexler. Stop giving the environmental and luddite movment fodder for thier cannons. It's quite simple really.