The Internet of Things (IoT) means a new conception of communication, where objects are interconnected through the internet, forming a global network. This way, people can monitor and control events that affect to our everyday life. IoT is already being applied into health monitoring, home automation and pollution sensors. IoT based applications represent new business opportunities and they are expected to have an economic impact of $11 trillion by 2025.
From a material point of view, IoT implies that the connected things are provided of something that enables their communication through electromagnetic radiation: antennas, sensors, transistors, etc. Evidently, these devices need to be sensitive, selective and tiny. Here is where nanotechnology and IoT match up, leading to the so-called Internet of Nano Things (IoNT).
Recently, scientists have used nanotechnology to fabricate sophisticated nanodevices, demonstrating their viability as nano-antennas and nano-sensors. In some years from now, this new family of devices will be used in medicine to reduce diagnosis time and mitigate invasive treatment processes, or in agriculture monitoring animals and crop growth.
These nanodevices have been fabricated by taking advantage of the groundbreaking properties of graphene-like nanomaterials as they present electromagnetic response, electric conductivity, strength and the possibility to make stretchable nanofilms and nanowires. Hybrid nanomaterials that combine graphene and the tunable properties from metal nanoparticles, will be essential in the development of new nano-devices. Gnanomat is positioning as a key player to develop and scale up nanomaterials to this end.