Abstract for the Fourth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology.

Technologies and Designs for Electronic Nanocomputers

        Michael S. Montemerlo, J. Christopher Love, Gregory J. Opiteck,
              David J. Goldhaber, and James C. Ellenbogen, Ph.D.
                              Nanosystems Group
                            The MITRE Corporation
                              McLean, VA  22101
                         Internet:  ellenbgn@mitre.org

Diverse applications have been proposed for microscopic and sub-microscopic structures, mechanisms, and "organisms." To govern their functions, many of these tiny systems will require even smaller, nanometer-scale programmable computers--i.e., "nanocomputers"--on-board. The speaker will provide an overview of the results of a nearly two-year study of the technologies and designs that presently are in development for electronic nanocomputers. Strengths and weaknesses of the various technologies and designs will be discussed, as well as promising directions for remedying some of the present research issues in this area. The presentation is a synopsis of a longer MITRE review article on the same subject.