- From: Karl Dubost <karl@w3.org>
- Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 09:39:20 +0900
- To: www-archive@w3.org
For the record. * common language for trading * better way of addressing public concerns and communication issues [[[ Why Is Standardization Necessary? Because nanotechnology is a brand new technology across many sectors, various research institutes, universities and company laboratories use the distinct terminologies, research approaches and evaluation methods of their own technology sectors. This has led to two major concerns: the first is the lack of a common language for trade. Though it is necessary for a company that wants to develop, produce, or sell nanotechnology products to utilize various vendors%u2019 materials and parts, it would be impossible for the buyer to know to what extent it could believe the vendors%u2019 reports if they used different terminologies for product performance and different evaluation methods. This problem is especially significant in nanotechnology because of its relevance among very disparate technology sectors. The second concern is the lack of a basis on which to scientifically discuss and resolve the public%u2019s fears about nanotechnology. The mass media raise such fears as sensational topics every several months. The academic community and regulatory agencies also must seriously consider whether, when and/or how nanoparticles, which are almost comparable in size to protein molecules and genes, might penetrate into, accumulate in and do imperceptible harm to a human body or the environment. When genetically modified organisms were developed in the past, an initial GMO boom was soon overwhelmed by strong concerns and fears raised by the public, regardless of a scientific debate. Industries related to nanotechnology seriously consider it necessary to have scientifically reasonable discussions in the early stages of development on whether nanotechnology and/or nanoparticles are really safe, or how they can be made safely, since the potential nanotechnology market in the future is inestimable. However, it is actually impossible to designate a nanoparticle as dangerous or not; the answer would be totally different in each case, depending on a particle%u2019s composition, structure and/or surface situation. Moreover, there has been no consensus, even in academia, on how to accurately express such characteristics of a nanoparticle, nor on how to debate its safety based on what type of evaluation methodologies are used. ]]] -- ASTM International - Standards Worldwide http://www.astm.org/SNEWS/JULY_2005/shindo_jul05.html Thu, 16 Feb 2006 15:32:09 GMT -- Karl Dubost - http://www.w3.org/People/karl/ W3C Conformance Manager, QA Activity Lead QA Weblog - http://www.w3.org/QA/ *** Be Strict To Be Cool ***
Received on Thursday, 10 May 2007 00:40:18 UTC