NANOTECHNOLOGY—THE NEXT INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
WAT E R L O O R E G I O N
A history of innovation and commercializing great ideas has made
Waterloo Region the area to watch for emerging industrial trends
for over 100 years.
That reputation continues to grow—in virtually all industry
sectors, the spirit of collaboration that thrives here has fostered
unprecedented numbers of product success stories in the exciting
new world of advanced materials.
Our Region’s leadership in nanotechnology research and
development has encouraged world-renowned corporations to
establish facilities here—hiring the highly skilled scientists and
engineers graduating out of our universities to develop advanced
materials and manufacture unique nanotechnology-enabled products.
Large scale nanotechnology ‘users’ such as BlackBerry, COM DEV
and Teledyne DALSA, operate alongside experts in engineering
(like Anstrom Engineering, PEER Group), and innovators (such as
ON Semiconductor, Lumotune and Nicoya Lifesciences).
Quantum-Nano Centre, University of Waterloo
FAST FACTS
Innovative educational systems in the Region graduate
a wealth of highly-skilled scientists and engineers—all
benefiting from leading edge, nanotechnology-centred
facilities and relevant, built-in experiential learning opportunities.
Canada’s largest engineering school is in the our
Region—operating the largest post-secondary
co-operative program of its kind in the world,
graduating ‘workplace ready’ individuals.
Waterloo Region boasts 150+ research institutions
including the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics,
the Institute for Quantum Computing, the Waterloo Institute
for Nanotechnology and the Centre for Bioengineering
and Biotechnology at the University of Waterloo.
Private sector product developers and manufacturers
appreciate the University of Waterloo’s established
intellectual property protocols that ensure rights to any
discoveries follow the inventor.
Waterloo Region manufacturers benefit from its proximity
to the US market, with 158 million people within one day’s
drive. They are supported by a state-of-the-art
transportation and logistics infrastructure.
 THE NEXT INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
A unique academic environment with cooperative partnerships with high-tech businesses is fuelling
unprecedented discovery in Waterloo Region using nanotechnology:
BIOMEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
Nanoparticles are being developed that, after being injected
into the eyes of patients with macular degeneration, promise to
dramatically reduce the number of treatments required to keep the
disease in check and increase the effectiveness of each treatment.
Similar technology is being used to target cancer cells, and the
concept has potential for success against other diseases.
NEXT GENERATION ELECTRONICS
Flexible, organic, light-emitting devices built on carbon-based
semiconductors have been developed that are minimizing weight,
adding durability and costing less to produce that traditionally
produced silicon semiconductors.
Now being tested and refined at nano research facilities here in
Waterloo Region, this discovery could revolutionize displays used
in every electronic market.
“ You’ll roll down your big screen TV. And your cell phone?
Just roll it up and stash it in your pocket or purse.”
– Hany Aziz, NSERC-Dalsa Industrial Research Chair
BOOSTING ENERGY STORAGE POTENTIAL
The potential to develop more sustainable, renewable energy and electric
vehicles has inspired research into improving battery performance.
By intimately mixing insulating sulphur and conductive carbon
on the nanoscale, major advancements are being realized.
Enhanced capacity and longevity
Note:
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information
in this publication at the time of writing; however, the programs referred
to and the data cited are subject to change. All figures are in Canadian
dollars unless otherwise noted.
SAVING LIVES WITH
FAST-ACTING INSTRUMENTATION
In developing countries, the safety of local drinking water is an
every day health concern, yet traditional testing to confirm water
quality takes weeks.
Using nanotechnology, systems design engineers are perfecting
affordable instrumentation that can conduct on-the-spot testing for
reliable results in just minutes.
ADVANCED MATERIALS WITH
ENHANCED PROPERTIES
Tiny, nanocrystalline cellulose fibres, derived from forestry and
agricultural waste, are being combined with different plastics to
improve a material’s existing properties or add entirely new ones.
This nanotechnology-enabled development, pioneered in
Waterloo Region, is already benefiting components manufactured
for the automotive industry and is being evaluated for use in other
industries, from consumer packaging to high-performance
window applications.
SOMETIMES THE BIGGEST IDEAS COME
FROM THINKING REALLY SMALL.
The breakthrough initiatives in our Region, working with
and assembling molecules at the tiny, sub-micron level,
are promising to transform products in every industry
sector. Analysts predict that the worldwide market for
nano-enabled products will be $2.1 trillion by 2015!
Nanotechnology—the next industrial revolution
Photo: Teledyne DALSA
CANADA’S TECHNOLOGY TRIANGLE INC.
260 King Street West, Kitchener, ON N2G 1B6
p: +1.519.747.2541 f: +1.519.576.4333
e: info@techtriangle.com
techtriangle.ca