Desktop-scale Nanofactory Animated Short Film
Visualizing productive nanosystems and molecular manufacturing is a major challenge in communicating the power of this technology. This film, a collaborative project of animator and engineer, John Burch, and pioneer nanotechnologist, Dr. K. Eric Drexler, depicts an animated view of a nanofactory and demonstrates key steps in a process that converts simple molecules into a billion-CPU laptop computer. Version 1.0 of the film is an 86.1 MB download.
Nanorex and the Foresight Institute established a challenge grant to fund the production of this animation from version 0.8 to 1.0. The following refers to that challenge grant.
Many thanks to the donors, who made this challenge grant a success.
Donations to be doubled
$10,000 Animation Completion Challenge Grant
Deadline November 15, 2004
Dear Member of the Foresight Community,
Visualizing nanotechnology and nanosystems, in particular, is a major challenge in communicating the power of this technology.
A highlight at the 1st Conference on Advanced Nanotechnology held in Washington DC was the premier of "Productive Nanosystems: from Molecules to Superproducts," a computer-generated animated short film.
This four-minute film is a collaborative project of animator and engineer, John Burch, and pioneer nanotechnologist, Dr. K. Eric Drexler. The film depicts an animated view of a nanofactory and demonstrates key steps in a process that converts simple molecules into a billion-CPU laptop computer.
These steps include the sorting of molecules, precise atomic construction through the use of placement tools, and the assembly of smaller parts into larger parts. Scenes depicting initial tool preparation show molecular reactions based on computational quantum chemistry, and later stage manufacturing processes are based on industrial processes found in large-scale factories.
The premiered version, v0.8, of "Productive Nanosystems: from Molecules to Superproducts" received great applause and was screened, by popular request, two additional times during the conference. This film will make tremendous strides in the education of students, researchers, policy makers and members of the media in the understanding of nanosystems.
Animation Challenge Grant
Thanks to Mark Sims, President of the nano-CAD software company, Nanorex, Foresight Institute has a $10,000 challenge grant running through November 15, 2004. This means that every dollar donated by others up to this total will be doubled.
This grant will ensure completion of the project and will enable broad distribution of the final version over the Internet. All proceeds from the grant will go toward the completion and upgrade of the film.
A sample of the animation can be seen below, and the estimated completion date is early 2005.
Slide show:
http://www.foresight.org/lizardfire/nanofactorySS.html
Animation (38 MB, 360x240 pixel format): http://www.foresight.org/animation_challenge/nanofactory_360x240copyright_sor3.mov
Attendees of the conference have matched approximately half of the grant, and we're asking you to help with the other half.
About Nanorex
Nanorex, Inc, is based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and was incorporated in April 2004. The mission of Nanorex is to develop the world's best 3-D molecular engineering software needed to realize the full potential of molecular nanotechnology. Nanorex has seven employees and is led by Mark Sims, President and J. Storrs Hall, PhD., Chief Scientist.
The tentative release of Nanorex's first product, nanoENGINEER-1® is targeted for Summer 2005. For more information about Nanorex send an email to info@nanorex.com.
Conference Contributors
The premier of "Productive Nanosystems: from Molecules to Superproducts" was so well received several attendees at the 1st Conference on Advanced Nanotechnology immediately donated toward the film's completion.
Here is a partial list of donors:
Doug Arends
Jennifer Ash
Brett Belmore
David DeGroote
Jason Force
Ed Hippo
Paras Kaul |
Andrew Keane
Charles Kellogg
John Lobell
Sergio Martinez de Lahildago
Tom McKendree
David Moore
James Moore |
Michael Stollmeyer
Philip Thorn
Gregory Trochina
Will Ware
Linda Wolin
Robert Zeches |
Thank you for your continued support, if you have any questions about this challenge grant, please contact foresight@foresight.org
Sincerely,
Foresight Institute
|