NSF (Arlington, Va.) said this week it is awarding $55.5 million to three university consortia to work with U.S. industry to advance nanotechnology science and engineering and transfer innovations to manufacturers. "Our understanding of nanoscale phenomena, materials and devices has progressed to a point where we can make significant strides in nanoscale components, systems and manufacturing, Thomas Peterson, NSFs assistant director for engineering, said in a statement on Monday (Sept. 10).

Along with research on electromagnetics and manufacturing, the new engineering research centers in North Carolina, Texas and California also will focus on the human health and environmental implications of nanotechnology.

A research center at the University of California Los Angeles will focus on reducing the size and increasing the efficiency of electromagnetic components and systems.

North Carolina State engineers will concentrate on wearable computers with integrated environmental and health sensors.

A third nanotechnology engineering center at the University of Texas (Austin) will pursue nanomanufacturing processes and demonstrate the manufacture of mobile nanodevices.

The new engineering centers will be linked to NSFs Network for Computational Nanotechnology for distribution of computational and simulation tools. The centers will also be a component of the National Nanotechnology Initiative launched in 2000.

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