Robots have stepped out of the science fiction pages and onto the battlefield. Thousands are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, supporting military operations on land, at sea, and in the air. Some robots cost as little as several thousand dollars each. Controlled remotely by soldiers, sailors, and airmen, they perform tasks such as disarming roadside…

Nanotechnology is an emerging transformational technology that promises wide and dual-use applica­tions in many fields, particularly national security. The United States is the world's acknowledged leader in nanoscience, but stiff international competition is nar­rowing America's lead. Many other countries, specifi­cally European nations and China, have large, established nanotechnology initiatives. Most commer­cial applications of nanotechnology are still nascent. In…

Biotechnology is one of the world's fastest growing commercial sectors. Since 1992, the number of bio­technology companies in the United States alone has tripled. These firms are research-intensive, every day bringing into the marketplace new methods and prod­ucts that may reshape medical practices and human performance, allowing for unprecedented improve­ments in health care. Many of biotechnology's…

When directed-energy weapons are mentioned, most people think of "death rays" or Hollywood's lat­est science fiction movie. However, directed-energy weapons (DEWs) are a reality, and several have already been tested under battlefield conditions.[1] They may begin to appear on the battlefield within the next…