3-4 Nanotech Items Introduced Weekly

New nanotechnology consumer products are coming on the U.S. market at the rate of 3-4 per week, according to the latest update to the nanotechnology consumer product inventory maintained by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN). On April24, in testimony before the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, PEN Director David Rejeski cited Ace Silver Plus -- one of the nine nano toothpastes in the inventory -- as an example of the upsurge in nanotechnology consumer products in stores. April 24ths hearing marks the start of U.S. Senate debate on the future direction of the annual 1.5 billion U.S. dollars federal investment in nanotechnology research and development, said PEN. While polls show most Americans know little or nothing about nanotechnology, in 2006 nanotechnology was incorporated into more than 50 billion U.S. dollars in manufactured goods. Worldwide, the investment in nanotech research and development registered 12.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2006.