Nexus - 1204 - New Times Magazine-pages

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¢ "In 2010 infants will not die of SIDS [Sudden Infant Death Syndrome], or suffocate, or drown, without an alert being sent to the parents. How will society change when your neighbors [sic] pool calls your cell phone to tell you that Johnny is drowning and you're the closest adult that could be located? ¢ "In 2020 there will be no unanticipated illness. Chronic sen- sor implants will monitor all of the major circulator systems in the human body, and provide you with early warning of an impending flu, or save your life by catching cancer early enough that it can be completely removed surgically." Sensors will marginalise farmers’ most unique assets—their intimate local knowledge of place, climate, soils, seeds, crops and culture. In a wirelessly monitored world all of this is reduced to real-time raw data, interpreted and leveraged remotely. Why employ smart farmers when sensors and computers can make ‘smart farms' operate without them? human body, and provide you with early warning of an impending NanoSurveillance flu, or save your life by catching cancer early enough that it can Agricultural sensor networks may also be pressed into use as be completely removed surgically." civil surveillance systems in the interest of ‘homeland security’. Wireless sensor networks—whether in agriculture or any other Nanosensors application—threaten to stifle dissent and invade privacy. With ongoing technical advances, microsensors are shrinking in Michael Mehta, a sociologist at the University of Saskatchewan size and their sensor capabilities are expanding. Market analysts (Canada), believes that the environment equipped with multiple predict that the wireless sensor market will be worth $7 billion by sensors could destroy the notion of privacy altogether—creating a 2010. phenomenon that he calls "nanopanopticism" Nanosensors made out of carbon nanotubes (i.e., all seeing) in which citizens feel con- or nano-cantilevers (balanced weighing stantly under surveillance.” devices) are small enough to trap and measure In a recent report, the UK Royal Society individual proteins or even molecules. also highlighted privacy concerns raised by Nanoparticles or nanosurfaces can be engi- nanosensors: neered to trigger an electrical or chemical sig- "...[Sensor] devices might be used in ways nal in the presence of a contaminant such as . that limit individual or group privacy by bacteria. Agricultural sensor covert surveillance, by collecting and distrib - Other nanosensors work by triggering an uting personal information (such as health or enzyme reaction or by using nano-engineered networks may also be genetic profiles) without adequate consent, branching molecules called dendrimers as pressed into use as and by concentrating information in the hands probes to bind to target chemicals and proteins. civil surveillance of those with the resources to develop and Not surprisingly, a great deal of govern- control such networks." ment-funded research in nanosensors systems in the interest —Royal Society, "Nanoscience and aims to detect minute quantities of of "homeland nanotechnologies: opportunities and security’. biowarfare agents such as anthrax or uncertainties"* chemical toxins to counter terrorist attacks on US soil as well as to warn sol- diers on a battlefield of possible risks. For example, the US government's "SensorNet" project attempts to cast a net of sensors across the entire United States that will act as an early warning system for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats.” Particle Farming In the future, industrial nanoparticles may not be produced in a laboratory, but grown in fields of genetically engineered crops—what might be called "particle farming". It's been known for some time that plants can use their roots to extract nutri- The SensorNet will integrate nano-, ents and minerals from the soil but micro- and conventional sensors into a research from the University of Texas-El single nationwide network that will feed back to an existing US Paso confirms that plants can also soak up nanoparticles that network of 30,000 mobile phone masts, forming the skeleton of could be industrially harvested. an unparalleled national surveillance network. Oak Ridge In one particle-farming experiment, alfalfa plants were grown National Laboratory is now field-testing SensorNet. US govern- on an artificially gold-rich soil on university grounds. When ment defence laboratories such as Los Alamos and Sandia are researchers examined the plants, they found gold nanoparticles in developing the nanosensors themselves. the roots and along the entire shoot of the plants that had physical properties like those produced using conventional chemistry Sizing up Sensors techniques, which are expensive and harmful to the Sensor technology could benefit large-scale, highly industri- environment.'® alised farms that are already adopting GPS tractors and other pre- The metals are extracted simply by dissolving the organic cision farming techniques. Ultimately, sensors are likely to material. increase productivity, drive down farm prices, reduce labour and Initial experiments showed that the gold particles formed in win a small advantage in the global marketplace for the largest random shapes, but changing the acidity of the growing medium industrial farm operators. appears to result in more uniform shapes.'” It is not small-scale farmers who will benefit from ubiquitous The researchers are now working with other metals and with sensor networks, but the giant grain traders such as Cargill and wheat and oats in addition to alfalfa to produce nanoparticles of ADM, who are positioned to aggregate data from several thou- silver, Europium, palladium, platinum and iron.'* sand farms in order to determine which crops are grown, by For industrial-scale production, the researchers speculate that whom and what price will be paid, depending on market demand the particle plants can be grown indoors in gold-enriched soils, or and global prices. they can be farmed nearby abandoned gold mines.'” Agricultural sensor networks may also be pressed into use as civil surveillance of ‘homeland security’. Sizing up Sensors Sensor technology could benefit large-scale, highly industri- alised farms that are already adopting GPS tractors and other pre- cision farming techniques. Ultimately, sensors are likely to increase productivity, drive down farm prices, reduce labour and win a small advantage in the global marketplace for the largest industrial farm operators. It is not small-scale farmers who will benefit from ubiquitous sensor networks, but the giant grain traders such as Cargill and ADM, who are positioned to aggregate data from several thou- sand farms in order to determine which crops are grown, by whom and what price will be paid, depending on market demand and global prices. JUNE — JULY 2005 NEXUS = 15 www.nexusmagazine.com