Feb 6 2012
The nano tech Executive Committee (Chairman: Professor Tomoji Kawai, Osaka University) is pleased to present nano tech 2012, the 11th International Nanotechnology Exhibition & Conference, for three days from February 15 to 17 at Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo International Exhibition Center), East Exhibition Halls 4, 5, and 6 and Conference Tower.
Being held for the 11th time, the event will feature 802 booths (7218 m2) by 510 companies and organizations. Of these, 207 booths (1863 m2) will have exhibits by 177 companies and organizations from 22 countries and regions outside Japan. Exhibitors will show products and technologies applied in a variety of fields including environment and energy, IT and electronics, and biotechnology. Displays will include nanomaterials, ultrafine processing technologies, and evaluation and measurement techniques at the nano level, which are essential to state-of-the-art manufacturing.
The overall theme of nano tech 2012 is Life & Green Nanotechnology 10-9 Innovation. The event will gather the latest nanotechnology ideas and products contributing to this theme, showcasing them in exhibits and discussing them in technical conferences in order to disseminate the latest nanotech developments to the world.
Having reached the 21st century, humankind faces major environmental and energy problems, from global warming to preservation of biodiversity, and is strongly in need of green innovation. Nanotechnology has the potential for making major contributions to technical innovation that will help solve environmental and energy problems, in such areas as solar cells, fuel cells, energy generation and storage, low-carbon and energy-saving technologies, as well as innovations in soil and water treatment.
Besides companies, exhibits by universities and research institutes will also be prominently represented at nano tech 2012. Leveraging cooperation of governments, industry, and academia in science and technology and taking advantage of common infrastructure is important when it comes to research and development aimed at early launching of new globally oriented business ventures. nano tech 2012 is an exhibition providing an excellent opportunity for spurring such cooperation.
Seven other exhibitions are being held concurrently: InterAqua 2012, the 3rd International Water Solution Exhibition; ASTEC2012, the 7th Advanced Surface Technology Exhibition & Conference; SURTECH2012 surface technology exhibition; Convertech JAPAN 2012; neo functional material 2012; Printable Electronics 2012; and the Eco Cell Battery Exposition 2012. These specialized events, covering a wide range of leading-edge technologies and markets, offer opportunities for creating new business by matching the latest technologies to products.
Some Highlights of nano tech 2012
(1) Many advanced technologies and products in the Life & Green Nanotechnology categories on display
nano tech has long featured bio-related exhibits and presentations on research results. In addition to these, applications for medical, cosmetics, and food fields have been increasing, and these have become fields attracting strong visitor interest. At this year's event, these fields will be grouped under the new category Life Nanotechnology. This category includes medical imaging, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, cosmetics materials, cosmetics processing technology, functional food, food analysis, and food processing technology.
Green Nanotechnology has been featured heavily in past events as a fundamental technology supporting the rise of new industries. This year, Life Nanotechnology and Green Nanotechnology represent a new phase of development that is drawing keen interest.
(2) A growing number of exhibits showing practical nanotech applications and actual products
In Japan, the influential business association Keidanren pointed to the importance of nanotechnology back in 2001. In the decade since then, R&D in the field has been funded aggressively. Now that the second nanotech decade is here, we are seeing more research aimed at achieving practical, marketable technologies in a relatively short time. Development is being carried out with a clear focus on the endgame, the technological goals to be achieved and the products to be realized.
Against this backdrop, the fair is increasingly being used to unveil results in the form of actual application products, a trend that is expected to be even stronger this year. As a new feature, this year's event focuses on products and technologies being unveiled at nano tech 2012 for the first time, which are introduced on special pages of the event website.
(3) The world's largest nanotechnology fair, with numerous exhibits from outside Japan
Government support in each country plays an important role in the advancement of nanotechnology applications. Represented at nano tech for the first time this year are a Czech Pavilion and exhibitors from Belarus, and Luxembourg. In addition, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and other Asian countries and regions have made nanotechnology into a national priority, actively supporting R&D and rapidly approaching parity with leading nanotechnology countries in the West.
The nano tech fair draws many exhibitors from overseas. As of January 25, of the 510 companies and organizations scheduled to have exhibits in 802 booths (7218 m2), 333 exhibitors and 595 booths (5355 m2) are from Japan while 177 exhibitors in 207 booths (1863 m2) are from outside Japan. The overseas exhibits are from 22 countries and regions, making up approximately 35% of the exhibitors and 26% of the booths.
(4) Large booths by all of Japan's major nanotech research organizations
The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), RIKEN, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), and Japan's other leading research organizations will have large exhibits, where one of the attractions is being able to have technologies explained by the researchers themselves.
Much of their research is aimed at practical applications of the outstanding technology seeds emerging in the nanotechnology field. Through vertical collaboration and tie-ups across industries and across fields for example in the development of components, these organizations also serve to facilitate information exchange in industry-government-academia collaboration.
(5) Accompanied by a full lineup of seminars featuring nano week 2012
The seminars taking place at the same time as the exhibits include Main Theater Seminars, Seeds & Needs Seminars, and also the parallel technology conference "nano week 2012." Among the nano week 2012 seminars are the Life & Green Nanotechnology Special Symposium and JAPAN NANO 2012, the 10th Symposium on Nanotechnology.
Details of the individual seminars are given on the following website.
(6) Presentation of the nano tech awards for innovative and advanced technologies
The nano tech Executive Committee members and awards judges will be making the rounds of booths during the exhibition to view and evaluate the exhibits. They will select the most innovative and pioneering technologies in each field and present awards on the final day of the event.
The objective of the awards is to recognize companies, organizations, and academic institutions that are contributing to the promotion of industry, and also to highlight nanotechnology seeds and needs, in order to spur further advances in technology.