Center for Responsible Nanotechnology

Founded in 2002 by Mike Treder and Chris Phoenix, the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN) is a nonprofit, independent, virtual think tank dedicated to analyzing the social and environmental implications of molecular manufacturing, also known as “advanced nanotechnology.” Advanced nanotechnology is premised on Eric Drexler's theory which envisions nanoscale molecular machinery that manufactures matter from the bottom up with atomic precision. The CRN specifically seeks to raise public awareness about the risks and benefits of molecular manufacturing, to encourage and contribute to the timely examination and assessment of the economic, social, political, legal, environmental, military, medical, and ethical impacts of molecular nanotechnology, and to contribute to the development of comprehensive and prudent plans for the global use of molecular manufacturing technology.

The CRN models its mandate around the four generations of nanotechnology described by Mihail Roco of the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative: first generation, passive nanostructures (e.g., products containing nanoparticles dispersed as aerosols or colloids, and composite materials, polymers, and coatings that incorporate nanostructures); second generation, active nanostructures used in biological systems (e.g., for the purposes of targeted drug delivery) or mechanical systems (e.g., sensors and transistors); third-generation nanosystems which incorporate thousands of interacting nano components, enabling guided molecular assembly, new types of hierarchical networking architectures, and advances in robotics and computing; and fourth generation nano-systems that operate much like biological cells, exhibiting emergent properties. According to the CRN, the year 2000 marked the first generation of nanotechnology, while the fourth-generation breakthrough is anticipated sometime between 2015 and 2020.

As part of its commentary on risk governance, the CRN states that the second, third, and fourth generations of nanotechnology require a completely different kind of framework for risk assessment than first-generation nanotechnology. Already industry and governments worldwide are paying more attention to the risks related to nanoparticle toxicity, attention which the CRN applauds, but the think tank warns that there are unfamiliar and far greater risks associated with long-term molecular manufacturing that cannot afford to be ignored or downplayed.

Proponents of molecular manufacturing anticipate that advanced nanotechnology will radically transform industrial processes for the better, rendering goods production clean, efficient, and inexpensive; however those benefits are expected to be accompanied by risks that [Page 83]include political, economic, and social destabilization. Although the CRN is against the idea of total relinquishment of molecular manufacturing research, it urges the use of foresight and advocates that priority be placed on studying the social and environmental implications of molecular manufacturing. The CRN's mandate is to take a lead role in exercising foresight to prepare for a future shaped by ubiquitous molecular manufacturing.

The CRN is led by an executive director, a director of impacts analysis, and a director of research and currently works with three special associates (a strategist on societal response, a special representative on governmental affairs and homeland security, and a tech support specialist). The organization also includes a board of advisors, a global task force consisting of over 60 members, and several hundred members of the online “CR-Network.” It is an affiliate of the international nonprofit organization World Care, and is funded by small grants and individual contributions.

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