Saturday, June 17, 2023

[ Nano Technology for Textiles.]


Jan 09, 2023 Nanotechnology and the Internet of Things: Boosting efficiency and capability. 

(Nanowerk Spotlight) The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of 
interconnected physical objects equipped with sensors, processors, 
and other technologies that allow for the exchange of relevant data 
over the internet.




In 1999, British technologist Kevin Ashton coined the term 
Internet of Things to define a network that not only connects people, 
but also the objects around them. According to Ashton, “the IoT network 
integrates the interconnectedness of human culture – our 'things' – 
with the interconnectedness of our digital information system – the internet.”





The number of IoT devices is expected to reach 75 billion by 2025, 
generating potentially hundreds of zettabytes of data. This growth is 
enabled by technologies such as cloud computing and big data analytics, 
as well as communication protocols including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, 
NFC, LPWA, and 5G.Number of installed IoT devices per person in 2030
According to forecasts, the number of IoT connected devices will grow 
dramatically to 75 billion in 2025 and a staggering 125 billion by 2030. 
At that point, there will be almost 15 things connected to the Internet 
for each human on earth. (Source: reply.com)




As billions of 'dumb' inanimate objects have become 'smart' 
(i.e., connected), and billions more are added every year, the IoT 
is now at work all around us. RFID tags track produce from harvest 
to store shelf; GPS systems guide cars, ships and planes to their 
destinations; streetlights dim when there is no car nearby; smart 
room controls turn off heat, air conditioning and lights when rooms 
are unoccupied.

Industries and governments now use IoT to understand consumer 
needs in real time; become more responsive; improve production 
processes and entire factory efficiencies; transform communities 
into smart cities.

Nanotechnology has the potential to impact and improve several key 
components of the IoT. Key components that are essential to the 
functioning of the Internet of Things include sensors and devices, 
network connectivity, data storage and processing, user interfaces, 
and security. Many aspects of these elements can be enhanced by 
nanotechnologies. 

These include:

Sensors and devices: These are the "things" in the Internet of 
Things, and they are equipped with sensors that can collect 
data about their environment, such as temperature, humidity, 
location, and motion.

Nanomaterials can be used to create smaller, more sensitive sensors 
that are capable of detecting a wide range of parameters, including 
temperature, humidity, pressure, and chemical composition. Nanosensors 
use a variety of nanomaterials to monitor physical, chemical, and 
biological phenomena, and can have advantages in terms of sensitivity, 
response time, and power consumption.

For example, carbon nanotubes and graphene have been used to create 
highly sensitive sensors for detecting gases and pollutants.
One great example of these new types of sensors and how they can be 
used in novel ways is a 'tooth tattoo' sensor that may help dentists 
assess patients' oral health: tooth tattoo sensor.

The sensor (A), attached to a tooth (B) and activated by radio signals 
(C), binds with certain bacteria (D). (Illustration: Manu Mannoor)
The sensor is relatively simple in its construction and made up of 
just three layers: a sheet of thin gold foil electrodes, an atom-thick 
layer of graphene, and a layer of specially engineered peptides, 
chemical structures that “sense” bacteria by binding to parts of 
their cell membranes.

Powering these devices requires energy and researchers are working on 
various ways of doing that. For instance, the size of the single solar 
cell used in IoT applications is much smaller, and in combination with 
the lower power input available in low-light indoor settings as well as 
the emission spectra of light sources other than the sun, renders the 
need for high conversion efficiency paramount.

A recent progress report compares emerging indoor photovoltaic technologies 
with alternative energy harvesters (piezoelectric, triboelectric, 
thermoelectric, and ambient RF) and provides a great overview of this 
field ("Emerging Indoor Photovoltaic Technologies for Sustainable Internet of Things").

As another recent review explains and addresses in great detail 
(Advanced Functional Materials, "Advances in Organic and Perovskite 
Photovoltaics Enabling a Greener Internet of Things"), the requirements 
that solar cells should satisfy to power IoT devices are quite different 
to the ones usually deemed necessary for application in outdoor-placed 
solar panels.

Network connectivity: In order for the sensors and devices to communicate 
with each other and with the wider internet, they need to be connected to 
a network. This could be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network 
(WAN) such as the internet, or a combination of both.

Nanostructures can be used to improve network connectivity. 
For instance, nanomaterials such as graphene, quantum dots and 
silver nanowires can be used to create smaller, more efficient 
antennas and other components that are essential for wireless 
communication. These materials have high conductivity and can 
transmit signals over long distances with minimal loss.
Nanoantennas, often made from graphene, can be used for wireless 
communication in the terahertz frequency band and can be consolidated 
with nanosensors using carbon nanotubes.

In addition, nanostructures such as nanoparticles and nanofilms 
can be used to create more efficient and robust wireless communication 
systems, such as those used in satellite and 5G networks.
Well-established nanophotonics technologies will enable the secure 
quantum communication and information networks that are required by 
the IoT. For instance, a recently demonstrated nanoantenna will help 
bring quantum information networks closer to practical use. Here, 
researchers have substantially enhanced photon-to-electron conversion 
through a metal nanostructure, which is an important step forward in the 
development of advanced technologies for sharing and processing data.
Conceptual illustration of efficient illumination of photons to 
semiconductor lateral quantum dots, by using a surface plasmon antenna 
and excitation of electrons in the quantum dots

Conceptual illustration of efficient illumination of photons to 
semiconductor lateral quantum dots, by using a surface plasmon 
antenna and excitation of electrons in the quantum dots. 
(Image: Oiwa lab, Osaka University)

Data storage and processing: The data collected by the sensors 
and devices needs to be stored somewhere, and often needs to be 
processed in order to be useful. This is typically done using 
servers and cloud computing resources.

Nanostructures such as nanoparticles and nanofilms can be used 
to create denser, more efficient storage media, such as hard drives 
and memory chips. For example, researchers have used nanoparticles 
to create high-density data storage media with a capacity that is 
several orders of magnitude higher than current hard drives.

In addition, nanoelectronics could be used to create faster, 
more powerful processors and other computing components. For example, 
researchers are exploring the use of quantum dot technology 
to create ultra-fast, low-power processors.

Avoiding traditional silicon chips and instead using a fabrication 
technique called transfer printing, researchers have developed 
nanoelectronics stickers specifically for the use with IoT devices. 
These tiny, thin-film electronic circuits are peelable from a surface. 

The technique not only eliminates several manufacturing steps and the 
associated costs, but also allows any object to sense its environment or 
be controlled through the application of a high-tech sticker. Watch the video:
User interfaces: In order for people to interact with the IoT system, 
there needs to be some kind of user interface, such as a smartphone app 
or a web-based dashboard.

Nanostructures can be used to create smaller, more portable devices 
such as smartphones and tablets. For example, researchers are exploring 
the use of flexible nanomaterials such as graphene and silver nanowires 
to create bendable and foldable displays.

Smart fabrics could be used to monitor vital signs and provide 
real-time information to users, and could be used for industrial 
purposes to ensure worker safety.

In addition, nanostructures can be used to improve the performance 
and efficiency of displays and other components, such as touchscreens, 
cameras, and speakers. For example, nanoparticles can be used to 
create brighter and more efficient displays, and nanofibers can be 
used to create more powerful speakers.

Security: Ensuring the security of an IoT system is critical, 
as it involves sensitive data and the potential for malicious 
actors to compromise the system.

Nanomaterials can be used to create more secure, anti-counterfeiting 
authentication systems, such as biometric sensors and nanoscale 
security features. For example, researchers are exploring the use 
of carbon nanotubes for physically unclonable functions.

Another example is an optical microresonator array with unreplicable 
The researchers used their technology to create a millimeter-size 
approximation of the Mona Lisa (see image below). 

This approximation contains a unique, embedded fluorescence 
fingerprint that cannot be duplicated.

Optical microresonator arrays of fluorescence-switchable 
diarylethenes depicting the Mona Lisa
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba create millimeter-size 
chips with unique color patterns that cannot be forged.

In addition, nanostructures can be used to create more robust 
and resilient network infrastructure, which can help to prevent 
attacks and improve the overall security of the IoT system. 
For example, researchers are exploring the use of nanomaterials 
to create more secure and efficient encryption systems, and to 
create networks that are more resistant to interference and jamming.

In terms of terminology, some argue that the Internet of Things 
has given rise to the concept of the Internet of Nano Things (IoNT), 
which is a communication network paradigm based on nanotechnology 
that enables the interconnection of nanoscale devices through existing networks.

In other words: the IoNT isn’t that different from the IoT – except 
that is connects nanoscale devices, objects and even organisms. For the 
purpose of this article, we stick just to the IoT.

Specific examples of how nanotechnology is being used to enhance the IoT
Longer-lasting batteries: Nanoparticles can be used to create more efficient 
and longer-lasting batteries for IoT devices. For example, mechanical 
engineers at the University of Maryland have demonstrated that using 
nanotechnology in batteries will improve battery performance. 

This could lead to IoT devices with much longer battery life, 
reducing the need for frequent charging.

More sensitive and accurate sensors: Nanosensors are incredibly 
small sensors that can detect a wide range of physical, chemical, 
and biological parameters. They can be used to improve the 
sensitivity and accuracy of IoT devices, such as wearable fitness 
trackers or environmental monitoring systems. 

For example, researchers at the University of California, 
Berkeley have developed a nanosensor that can detect trace 
amounts of toxic gases and turn your smartphone into a 
smart gas sensor.

Self-powered systems: Self-powered nanotechnology based on 
piezoelectric nanogenerators aims at powering nanodevices 
and nanosystems using the energy harvested from the 
environment in which these systems are suppose to operate. 

This offers a completely new approach for harvesting mechanical 
energy using organic and inorganic materials. These nanogenerators 
could be used to power small, lightweight IoT devices, such as 
wearable sensors, without the need for external batteries.
Enhanced data storage: Nanostructures can also be used to 
improve data storage in IoT devices. For example, researchers 
at the University of Southampton have developed a fast and 
energy-efficient laser-writing method for producing high-density 
nanostructures in silica glass. These tiny structures can be used 
for long-term five-dimensional optical data storage that is more 
than 10,000 times denser than Blue-Ray optical disc storage technology.
four colorful glass squares

Researchers developed a new fast and energy-efficient laser-writing 
method for producing nanostructures in silica glass. They used 
the method to record 6 GB data in a one-inch silica glass sample. 

The four squares pictured each measure just 8.8 X 8.8 mm. 
They also used the laser-writing method to write the university 
logo and mark on the glass. (Image: Yuhao Lei and Peter G. Kazansky, 
University of Southampton)

Improved wireless communication: Single-layer molybdenum disulfide 
(MoS2) can be used to improve wireless communication in IoT devices 
by increasing the speed and range of data transmission. For example, 
researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed 
flexible radio frequency (RF) transistors operating at GHz performance, 
which very promising for the design of low-power and high-frequency 
flexible RF nanoelectronics systems.

Another example is a tunable, graphene-based device that could 
significantly increase the speed and efficiency of wireless 
communication systems such as the IoT. The device, which is only 
several hundred micrometers (around 0.05 cm) long and wide, can 
be stiff or flexible, is easily miniaturized, and uses very 
little energy. In addition to improving the flow of data between 
connected devices, it could extend battery life and lead to ever 
more compact devices. In its flexible state, it could be easily 
used in sensors placed in clothes or directly on the human body.
Increased durability: Nanoparticles can be used to make IoT 
devices more durable and resistant to wear and tear. 

For example, researchers at Osaka University have developed cohesive 
circuit protection for wearable electronics using self-healing 
cellulose nanofibers.Improved data security: Quantum Cryptography 
is one emerging security technology that offers radically new 
protection measures for communication systems. At the heart of 
any quantum system is the most basic building block, the quantum 
bit or qbit, which carries the quantum information that can be 
transferred and processed (this is the quantum analogue of the 
bit used in current information systems). The most promising carrier 
qbit for ultimately fast, long distance quantum information transfer 
is the photon, the quantum unit of light. 

Already, researchers have demonstrated an efficient and compact 
single photon source that can operate on a chip at ambient temperatures. 
Using quantum dots, the scientists developed a method in which a single 
nanocrystal can be accurately positioned on top of a specially designed 
and carefully fabricated nano-antenna. Such highly directional single 
photon source could lead to a significant progress in producing compact, 
cheap, and efficient sources of quantum information bits for future 
quantum technological applications

Advanced medical devices: Nanomaterials and -structures can be used 
to create advanced medical devices for use in the IoT, such as smart 
pills that can monitor and diagnose medical conditions from inside 
the body. For example, engineering researchers at the University of 
California, San Diego, have developed a battery-free, pill-shaped 
ingestible biosensing system designed to provide continuous monitoring 
in the intestinal environment. It gives scientists the ability to 
monitor gut metabolites in real time.self-powered ingestible sensor system
The self-powered ingestible sensor system designed to monitor metabolites 
in the small intestine over time. (Image: David Ballot, Jacobs School 
of Engineering, UC San Diego)

Enhanced renewable energy: Nanotechnology can be used to improve the 
efficiency of renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, for 
use in the IoT. For example, materials scientists at the University of 
California, Los Angeles, have developed a highly efficient thin-film 
solar cell that generates more energy from sunlight than typical solar 
panels, thanks to its double-layer design. The cell's copper, indium, 
gallium and selenide (CIGS) base layer, which is about 2 microns thick, 
absorbs sunlight and generates energy on its own, but adding a 1 
micron-thick perovskite layer improves its efficiency – much like 
how adding a turbocharger to a car engine can improve its performance. 

The two layers are joined by a nanoscale interface that the researchers 
designed; the interface helps give the device higher voltage, which 
increases the amount of power it can export. (For more on this read: 
"Perovskite photovoltaics for a greener Internet-of-Things")

Conclusion.

In conclusion, the combination of nanotechnology and the Internet 
of Things has the potential to bring significant benefits and 
improvements to a wide range of applications. Nanotechnology can 
enhance the performance and capabilities of IoT devices by enabling 
the creation of smaller, more efficient, and more versatile sensors, 
antennas, and processors. These improvements can lead to greater 
accuracy, energy efficiency, and versatility in a variety of 
applications, including healthcare, industrial monitoring, and 
environmental sensing.




However, there are also challenges and limitations to using 
nanotechnology in the IoT, including the cost of production, 
communication and processing limitations, and susceptibility 
to physical damage and interference. To overcome these challenges, 
it will be important to continue researching and developing strategies 
for addressing these issues, as well as exploring new IoT-relevant 
applications and technologies that can take advantage of the 
unique capabilities of nanotechnology.



Overall, the intersection of nanotechnology and the IoT holds 
great promise for the future, and it will be interesting to see 
how these two technologies continue to evolve and intersect in 
the coming years. 



Michael Berger By Michael Berger – 


Michael is author of three books by the Royal Society of Chemistry: 


Nano-Society: Pushing the Boundaries of Technology,
Nanotechnology: 


The Future is Tiny and
Nanoengineering: 


The Skills and Tools Making Technology Invisible,


Copyright © Nanowerk LLC 


  











at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)