The Most Important Breakthrough in Nanotechnology – Verification Bodies
The Cutting-Edge of Nanotechnology
Throughout history, humans have always been driven by the chase of the next big thing. It started off with harnessing fire, and then conquering the land with automobiles, we then turned our collective attentions to the sky with astronauts and rocket ships.
The turn of the century saw attentions switch from the very large to the very very small – nano in fact!
The concept of nano has been around for decades (since the 1950’s to be precise). Our scientists have contemplated and experimented on the nano-scale since the 70’s – with the first instance of nanotechnology coming in the early 80’s in the form of the scanning tunnelling microscope.
However, it wasn’t until we stepped in to the 2000s that nanotechnology truly started to take off. Increasing understanding, reducing barriers to research and decreasing cost all combined to propel innovation within the nanotechnology industry leading to incredible discoveries and developments that are shaping the future of our world.
Nowadays, nanotechnology has even been come a staple of Hollywood, with numerous movies incorporating conceptual nanotechnology as part of the story or their characters arsenals. No where is this move evident than in the much loved Marvel Cinematic Universe movies from the Mark 50 Iron Man suit in Avengers: Infinity War to nanotechnology inspired Pym Particles in Ant-Man and the Wakandan tech in Black Panther.
In fact, the past few years have seen nanotechnology move forward in leaps and bounds with incredible innovations that have impacted a wide range of industries.
Nano Now: How Nanotechnology Innovations Are Paving the Way For the Future, Today
For instance, in the field of medicine nanotechnology is proving to be critical particularly in drug delivery. Nano-carriers are helping cancer treatment drugs more effectively target cancerous cells leading to more efficient treatment with reduced side effects.
Outside of healthcare, nano-agriculture is quickly gaining traction rising to meet the growing needs of our inflating population. Nano-sized particles are being utilised to protect plants, monitor growth, detect diseases, increase production, enhance quality and reduce waste.
Nanotechnology is even helping us go green and secure our energy requirements in the long term. Nanotechnology is being applied to solar technology to enhance the absorption of light, increase the conversation of light to electricity, and provide better thermal storage and transport, thereby improving overall efficiency and reducing cost.
These are just some examples of the ground-breaking innovations that are occurring at a rapid pace within the nanotechnology industry. All of which, have the potential to totally change the way we live. But there is one important development within the industry that could prove to be the most important of them all.
Verified Success
I am of course talking about the rise of verification bodies within the nanotechnology industry. At first glance this may seem to be a relatively mundane development especially when compared to the incredible technological feats described earlier.
However, if we take a deeper look at their roles, functions and impact thus far, you will come to see that nanotechnology verification bodies could very well be the lynchpin to the success of the industry.
Before we delve any deeper, a quick overview of nano-verificaiton bodies is necessary. As it stands today, there are six recognised nano-verification bodies across the globe. NanoQ (Thailand), NanoCertifica (Russia), NanoMark (Taiwan), NanoMark (Iran), MNT Quality Mark (UK) and Malaysia’s own NanoVerify mark.
As with any emerging industry and niche technology there has been significant scepticism, misunderstanding and confusion surrounding nanotechnology products – amplified further by the dynamic nature of nanotechnology itself and how it impacts products.
This is compounded even further by opportunistic companies that have attempted to jump on the nano bandwagon applying the term without caution or care as to the veracity of their claims.
A key pillar to the success of any industry is consumer buy in, getting people to understand and believe in the potential of the technology and products. For nanotechnology, this has certainly been an uphill battle – take for example, the negative comments by CEO of Tesla Inc early last year.
This is where verification bodies come in to play. Separating the fake from the real, clarifying doubts and shining a spotlight on genuine and beneficial nanotechnology.
The various logos or marks awarded by verification bodies act as a symbol of trust, signifying that the said product complies with industry requirements and standards. This provides consumers with an easy and recognisable way of evaluating the value and trustworthiness of a product – building that all crucial trust that will secure the long-term success of the industry.
Verification in Malaysia
Here in Malaysia, NanoVerify is proud to play this critical role through the NanoVerify Programme.
NanoVerify, is Malaysia first and only nanotechnology verification body designed to certify the use of genuine nanotechnology in nano-products. The meticulous verification processes undertaken coupled with our efforts in consumer education, through on-ground and online engagements, helps instil consumer trust and confidence.
To date, there are over 600 nanotechnology products in the Malaysian market and NanoVerify is committed to covering the full spectrum of products bringing increased understanding, confidence and trust amongst Malaysian consumers.
Trust is crucial. No matter how incredible the technology may be, how useful the service is, how much research has gone into the development of the product, we can only unlock the full potential of the product (and consequently the industry) with consumer trust.
This is ultimately why nano-verification bodies are the most crucial development within the nanotechnology industry thus far. It is also why, it is vital for us collectively to support the growth endeavours of such bodies to the long-term benefit of an entire industry.
For further insights on the nano-industry, latest news on verified products in Malaysia and other nano-developments visit https://www.nanoverify.com.my/, follow us on www.facebook.com/NANOVerify and www.instagram.com/nanoverify/
