Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/54910
"Both government and commercial entities What F theuture holds will continue launching scientific payloads, and the industry will also see a rise in space tourism," said Nunez. "Eventually, having a base on the moon won't seem like science fiction." Although establishing permanent settlements could be viable by utilizing the moon's resources, such as compressing lunar soil to create radiation shielding and even glass, the technology to refine those minerals hasn't advanced to that point. As well, transporting the construction equipment needed on the moon would be too costly with current launch capabilities. Luckily for Nunez and his team, they have plenty of time to see it happen. Florida-based scientists at Draper Laboratory, however, see very real micro devices for their numerous possible applications in medicine, energy, aerospace and almost all aspects of our daily lives. With funding from the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, Draper's two facilities in St. Petersburg and Tampa partner with the University of South Florida's researchers to make a big impact with mini machines. Draper pioneered the nanotechnology industry in the mid-80s with some of the first silicon microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that could detect orientation, functioning as miniaturized gyroscopes. "This technology is really the basis for the sensors NaNotechNology From "nanites" to "replicators," micro machines that are invisible to the naked eye have answered to many names in science fiction. Taking extreme liberty with the limits of modern science, sci-fi writers characterize these robots as microscopic mayhem makers capable of infiltrating the human nervous system for mind control or building infinite copies of themselves in a programmed mode of ultimate destruction. used in anti-lock brakes, in motion-oriented video game systems like the Wii and in iPhones and iPads that react when they're turned sideways," said Len Polizzotto, vice president for Strategic Business Development & Marketing at Draper. Throughout the years, Draper has developed devices for the Department of Defense to aid guidance and navigational systems, for major utilities to measure vibrational weaknesses in the rotating equipment at power plants and for the Air Force Research Laboratory to estimate positioning on board the TacSat-2 spacecraft. Currently, Draper scientists are refining the technology to be even smaller. What they call "vanishingly small systems" can measure 25-50 nanometers (literally one 38 florida.HIGH.TECH 2012