title: Toward the Responsible Development and Commercialization of Sensor Nanotechnologies.
abstract: Nanotechnology-enabled sensors (or nanosensors) will play an important role in enabling the progression toward ubiquitous information systems as the Internet of Things (IoT) emerges. Nanosensors offer new, miniaturized solutions in physiochemical and biological sensing that enable increased sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing capability, all with the compelling economic drivers of low cost and high-energy efficiency. In the United States, Federal agencies participating in the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) "Nanotechnology for Sensors and Sensors for Nanotechnology: Improving and Protecting Health, Safety, and the Environment" Nanotechnology Signature Initiative (the Sensors NSI), address both the opportunity of using nanotechnology to advance sensor development and the challenges of developing sensors to keep pace with the increasingly widespread use of engineered nanomaterials. This perspective article will introduce and provide background on the NNI signature initiative on sensors. Recent efforts by the Sensors NSI aimed at promoting the successful development and commercialization of nanosensors will be reviewed and examples of sensor nanotechnologies will be highlighted. Future directions and critical challenges for sensor development will also be discussed.
authors.affiliation: The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 405, Arlington, Virginia 22230, United States.
authors.forename: Tarek R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Fadel
authors.affiliation: The National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 31 Center Drive, 10A52, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States.
authors.forename: Dorothy F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.affiliation: The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 405, Arlington, Virginia 22230, United States.
authors.forename: Lisa E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Friedersdorf
authors.affiliation: The U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland 21005, United States.
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Griep
authors.affiliation: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hoover
authors.affiliation: The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 405, Arlington, Virginia 22230, United States.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Meador
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanotechnology, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, United States.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyyappan
keywords: commercialization; data quality; engineered nanomaterials; life cycle; nanosensors