Wanna see the technology of 2050? Check out this futuristic nanotech group – Technical.ly DC

For most of us, its hard to imagine what technology might look like 30 years from now. For members of theMid-Atlantc Micro/Nano Alliance (MAMNA), its a little less hard.

MAMNA was formed over 10years ago as an alliance ofcompanies, universities and government labs that are working in micro- and nano-engineering. Labs like NASA, the Naval Research Lab, the Army Research Lab and NIST are all members, as well as a bunch of local universities. It was, and is, a way of getting all the different labs and small businesses together to share resources, MAMNA PresidentBrendan Hanrahan told Technical.ly. This is important because many of the tools used in this kind of engineering are very expensive sharing access and information can lift all boats, so to speak.

The alliance is also a way for researchers working on technologies that are very far from commercialization to connect and discuss. By a way of fostering community MAMNA hold two main events every year a scientific speed networking event and a symposium. Each year the symposium has a general theme (last year was materials; this year is sensors) and a lineup of impressive speakers. For example, this springs symposium will be headlined by Nobel Prize winnerDr. John Mather.

Hanrahan himself, now a materials engineer for the Army, joined MAMNA when he was a student at the University of Maryland. He found it valuable to be around like-minded individuals. What he didnt expect was to be leading the organization some day they said, Would somebody please take over? and everyone else stepped back when I wasnt paying attention, Hanrahan laughed, by way of explaining his path to the presidency.

But leading MAMNA intersects nicely with what Hanrahan does today, which he explained as essentially trying to imagine what the Army will need in the year 2050. If youre solving a current problem youre not being imaginative enough, he said. Hanrahan does his work by looking for interesting early-stage research and thinking about what possible tech applications it could have MAMNA is a great forum for finding that research.

And what does the future of technology hold? Hanrahan, for one, is excited about the potential of new chemical sensors. I think [the sensors] are going to take wearables to the next level, he said. And as it would happen these sensors, and others, will be on display at MAMNAs upcoming symposium.

Want to see some futuristic technologies for yourself? Register here.

Tajha Chappellet-Lanier is the lead reporter for Technical.ly DC. The California native previously worked for NPR and the editorial board at USA Today. She can talk travel plans all day, and has strong opinions on the best doughnut in D.C.

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Wanna see the technology of 2050? Check out this futuristic nanotech group - Technical.ly DC