Fiedeler's PowerPoint presentation.

Forschungszentrum Karlsruhein der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Technology Assessment of Nanotechnology – Problems and Methods

in Assessing Emerging Technologies

19th January 2007

Dr. Ulrich FiedelerInstitute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS),

Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe in the Helmholtz Association



Ulrich Fiedeler ITAS - Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis 2

1. About ITAS

2. Characteristics of Nanotechnology (NT)

3. The Debate on NT (level 1)

4. Remarks to the Discussion on NT (level 2)

5. Conclusion

Outline



1. About ITAS

One of 22 Institutes in the Research Centre Karlsruhe which is member of the Helmholtz association

Mission of ITAS: Analysis and assessment of the development and implementation of new technology and their impact on societyknowledge for orientation and political decisions by scientific research

Conduct the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Parliament (TAB)

Conduct the European Technology Assessment Group (ETAG)(TA for the European Parliament)

around 40 interdisciplinary employers (60% natural science and engineering, 40% sociology, economy, and humanity science)

Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS)



2. Characteristics of Nanotechnology

2.1 Diversity of NT and the lack of a clear definition

2.2 Interdisciplinarity of NT

2.3 NT is predominantly an enabling technology

2.4 Divers stage of development

2.5 Debate on NT is a crucial property of NT itself



Biology: Biological membranes, complex molecules like enzymes, or even cell compartments, the cell as archetype of a nano-machine

Chemistry: seems to be the paradigm of the vision of NT: building up new structures atom by atom

Material science: Due to new analytic tools and process technology now possible to construct planar surfaces or with regular structures within atomic accuracy

2.1 Diversity of NT and the lack of a clear definition (I)

Broad definition:Nanotechnology is made up of areas of technology where dimensions and tolerances in the range of 0.1 nm to 100 nm play a critical role. (Glossary of Nanoforum)




nanoelectronics or molecular electronics Nowadays microelectronics is treated as nanoelectronics.

New functionalities example: giant magnetic resistanceIn practice the new functionality is often unclear or not mentioned or even not present


2.1 Diversity of NT and the lack of a clear definition (II)

However, the idea that new functionalities could be discovered raises a lot of enthusiasm.Example: Semiconductor technology



different perspectives how to address research questions,

different theoretical frameworks,

different methodology,

different systems of concepts

have to be combined.

2.2 Interdisciplinarity

Research in the field of nanoscience is really interdisciplinary problems of interdisciplinarity:




many very different products

for very different purposes

using the same NT

2.3 NT is predominantly an enabling technology

NT is only part of a larger system, giving the product the crucial functionality

Example: silicon based nanoparticles as flame retardants in ceramics for dental implants and inlays in tires to improve the rubber mixture in paints as scratch resistance, to reduce solvent




Some applications have been used for several years (rubber mixture for tires)

Most are far from being implemented (drug delivery systems)

Others are pure science fiction(nano-assembler)

2.4 Divers stage of development

Most of the concepts attributed to NT are pure science, application ideas are rare, at times they even do not even exist.




NT was from the early beginning accompanied by big promises, huge expectations and fantastic visions

2.5 Debate on NT is a crucial property of NT itself (I)


To understand NT, the discourse about NT has to be analysed



NT could be approached from two different perspectives:

1. From its technical perspective

2. From a socio-scientific perspective


2.5 Debate on NT is a crucial property of NT itself (II)

concentrates on natural science performed under the name of NT, on techniques used in this field, on techniques emerging from nanoscience

NT can be considered as a social construction, a specific form of scientific-political communication in one certain field of research and development



two types of discussions

1. about technical feasibility, about impacts of new (nano) technologies or expected developments, about risks etc. (debate on level 1)

2. about the discussion itself analysing the actors, their interests and their significance in the discussion as well as the impact of the discussion on political decisions or on research activities (debate on level 2)


2.5 Debate on NT is a crucial property of NT itself (III)



3. The Debate (level 1) on NT

Background: Relation of Science an Policy stronger coupling between the systems of science, policy and the media

Science has to justify expenses for their research

Policy has to legitimate its decisions by scientific expertise

Science is increasingly subject of the attention of the media influences the way of scientific communication



Different actors with different interests

acquiring funding for research (all scientists)

build disciplinary or interdisciplinary coalitions (coalitions)

used to establish a new research field (personal level, research groups)

re-labeling: Bionics is an example ambivalent attitude

a) Science:

“A key activity during this time will be the development of a new kind of vocabulary – lexicon – to define biological parts and processes in engineering terms” (NHI Roadmap overview 2003)




opportunity for profiling

rhetoric of competition between the nations

space for manoeuvre (reallocating funding, increasing fundamental research)

NT as an answer to the unsolved problems

b) Politics:





venture capital: new markets and new opportunities for investments

Enterprises: improve their products and processes or develop new products

NT is perceived and actively communicated as “the next big thing”

d) Media:

c) Economy:

prevent that politics manipulates scientific results or eliminates researcher

media need sensations





structure and dynamic of the debate, motives of the actors,

technical reasons (Interdisciplinarity, enabling technology, Early stage of development)

most actors do have an interest in remaining the term NT ill-defined

Conclusion of this section:

NT is not well defined because:




we profit from this jelly character of NT and the related discussion about it our analysis and comments are asked

but not easy to deal with such a vague and diverse phenomenon

What is our role in this game?

4. Remarks to the discussion about NT (level 2)



often: analysis about the discussion of NT do not reflect the technical feasibility of the concepts presented in the discussion.

What is our role in this game?


consider from what raises “reasonable concern”

but we also contribute to the discussion:

diversity of NT increases

we are contributing to the hype of NT

There is a thread that the promoters of NT exploit our work.(If NT has social impact it must be real)



a) Before we can perform TA on NT we have to define it:

b) Delegating the problem to the public engaging the public, pTA

c) we have to develop new methods like Vision Assessment

d) It is not possible to assess NT as a whole we have to subdivided NT

e) Disentanglement (Nordmann talk at Utrecht 2006)

f) Identity-work (e.g. Kaiser/Kurat Talk Darmstadt 2006)

Several approaches how to deal with the diversity?

"While the definition of the term Nanotechnology is not that decisive for researchers within the field of Nanotechnology, it becomes relevant if one wants to start a reflection on the research process as it will be done in Technology Assessment. One has to define the object to reflect on." (Schmidt et al. 2003, p. 11)




If they are on level 1:

Aspects should be considered while analyzing NT

to that one on level 1 (feasibility, impact analysis risk analysis, etc.)

or on level 2 (analyzing the discourse about NT)

To what kind of discourse I am contributing with my statement:

NT is not one thing, there are only nanotechniques considering the feasibility of nanotechniques (reasonable concern)

If they are on level 2: it is possible to assume NT as one phenomenon as we do from science or

society.

On level 1 this leads to the mistakes: One characteristic of a certain

nanotechnique is attributed to the whole field of NT.

5. Conclusion for TA



Technique analysis

5. Conclusion for TA – thee fold approach

Observation and analysis of the research policy discourse

Method: Discourse analysis including: Vision Assessment combined with Media analysis (which kind of statement gets really attentions, has impact) and Actors analysis (What is their background? Are they institutional embedded? What are their motives? In which context stands their statements?)

investigations of certain fields of nano techniques and concepts of applications to estimate:

Monitoring/Diskursanalyse

to which extend they are different from already known techniques

in which direction research is pointed at (what concepts of applications are discussed within research).



roadmapping project of selected concepts of NT and their application focused not only on technical feasibility but also on possible societal impacts and on possible alternatives even of non technical nature.

Roadmapping

5. Conclusion for TA – thee fold approach

robust knowledge of the feasibility (is needed for arguing for the relevance of the identified STS issues)



Thank you for your attention!

Ulrich Fiedeler,[email protected]

Lotus flower



a) Before we can perform TA on NT we have to define it: (level 1)

b) Delegating the problem to the public engaging the public, pTA (level 1)

c) we have to develop new methods like Vision Assessment (level 2)

d) It is not possible to assess NT as a whole we have to subdivided NT (level 1)

e) Disentanglement (Nordmann talk at Utrecht 2006) (level 2)

f) Identity-work (e.g. Kaiser/Kurat Talk Darmstadt 2006) (level 2)

Several approaches how to deal with the diversity?


"While the definition of the term Nanotechnology is not that decisive for researchers within the field of Nanotechnology, it becomes relevant if one wants to start a reflection on the research process as it will be done in Technology Assessment. One has to define the object to reflect on." (Schmidt et al. 2003, p. 11)



Inventory of visions used in the present debate.

Analysing these visions concerning their content, their use and role in the debate.

Result: A map of the debate where the actors, their use of the visions and the context in which they use them are summarised.

Evaluation of the visions regarding their cognitive and ethical content.

How persons and groups involved in the debate and affected by the visions should deal with them.

Steps of Vision Assessment (Grunwald 2004)

What is Vision Assessment?



Example:NT = machines on the atomic level,

engineering thinking is projected on the atomic level

perception is provoked: successful concepts of precision mechanics could be applied to molecules

a certain concept of dominance over nature: by technical effort it is possible to force atoms to the desired place (as you would mill cut an engine components form a piece of metal)

in contrast to a gardener who foster and care the plants and therefore control and uses the power of nature for his purpose

meaning:




Problem: dynamic of the meaning of VisionsVisions are reinterpreted

presented concept (see above) is reinterpreted"Nanomachines do exist since long time!"

(“Nature performs NT since millions of years” (H. Heckel), “Softmachines”, R. Jones 2004)

No longer precision mechanic is the overall concept but nature (mitochondria, viruses, cells) gives the role model for nanomachines




strategic use of visions: What can we conclude of them?

Context of use of the visions has to be reflected

Reliability

Representation

Are the analysed visions representative?

Media analysis: Which visions are used from how many persons?, From which kind of persons? (expertise, seriousness, influence etc.)In which context?

What is Vision Assessment? - Conclusion

Fiedeler's PowerPoint presentation.

Documents

Transcript of Fiedeler's PowerPoint presentation.