Today we woke up much too early in the morning in order to travel to the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba.
When we arrived, we were given a presentation introducing us to AIST, before Paul gave a presentation on the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF). We also viewed presentations that introduced the AIST Nano Processing Facility and the concept of a Positron Probe Microanalyzer (PPMA). After that, we were taken to view the fabrication clean room, but we weren’t allowed to enter it. Even still, it was good to see the work they were carrying out there. Finally, we were taken to see the incredibly cool PPMA instrument, which was the highlight of the morning. Though it was a short visit, it was a privilege getting to see the labs at AIST.
After we left AIST, we went to the Nanotechnology exhibition at the Tokyo Big Sight, the main event of the tour. When we first got there, we found where our home base (the Victorian Government Office booth) was, before heading off for a late lunch. When we returned to the expo, we split up so that each of us could explore the floor and cover more ground. I walked around for a while, taking in all the sights, and collecting brochures for the interesting displays. There was no shortage of neat demonstrations and advanced tech on display, just as I had hoped. At 4 pm, we attended a presentation by the Italian Trade Agency, outlining the state of nanotechnology research in Italy. It was interesting to see yet another country’s perspective on the topic.
Overall, it was an exciting introduction to the exhibition. Looking forward to returning tomorrow to explore some of the booths in more detail, and talk with some of the companies.
La Trobe Nanotechnology Study Tour - 2014 