Research on active biomaterials for implantation in the human body could lead to in-situ repair and regeneration of damaged tissue as an alternative to surgery and a cure for some diseases.

Carbon nanotube composites promise to enable the creation of lighter and stronger transportation vehicles.

Nanoshells promise to revolutionise oncology by enabling precisely targeted therapies that could replace chemotherapy and radiation.

The unique properties of conductive polymers are likely to find application in a wide variety of electronic devices within the next couple of decades.

Ink-jet technology could give individuals the power to manufacture their own products. This idea has significant implications for high-tech customisation, developing countries' access to advanced technology, and for global economic competitiveness.

Two new types of 'intelligent' polymers may be a source of design innovation over the coming decade, especially in the biomedical field. Mass commercial applications may follow.

Nanoscale physical materials that can be automatically assembled into useful configurations by computer instructions could usher in a new era in manufacturing.

Nanoscale wires under development today promise to make electronic circuits faster, more powerful, lighter, and cooler, and provide a very efficient method for transmitting electricity.

Smaller, cheaper, more accurate sensors engineered on the nanoscale promise to provide unprecedented access to information about the physical world.

Smart materials -- a variety of materials engineered for special qualities and capable of interacting with the larger environment -- are likely to proliferate in the coming decades, serving purposes from protecting and healing us to saving energy.

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