Better security: Fighting crime with nanotechnology.
According to expert estimates, some ten percent of all goods traded globally are counterfeit. Counterfeiting is not only a crime which costs law-abiding companies some EUR 200 billion each year; it also presents serious risks to consumers. Nanotechnology can help in the global war against the counterfeiters – for example, with fluorescent nanoparticles which are only visible under ultraviolent or infrared light. This new nanodot technology enables products to be authenticated and thus protected. Nano-watermarks and other nano-optical security features work similarly. Another area where nanotechnology can make our lives safer is with nanosensors for use in airports or public buildings to automatically detect explosives or metal objects in baggage, or to detect the presence of explosives by sampling the air. The same applies to the optical sensors used in security camera to monitor airports, harbors, industrial facilities and public places, enabling these to “see” even under poor visibility conditions. In yet another area of public safety, nanotechnology will help police and rescue services to better protect us in the future by providing them with textiles which resist bullets and punctures, as well as materials which are better able to withstand explosions.