Engineering complex systems for health, security and the environment

Several important societal and economic world problems can be addressed by the smart use of technology. The last forty years have witnessed the realization of computational systems and networks, rooted in our ability of crafting complex integrated circuits out of billions of transistors. Nowadays, the ability of mastering materials at the molecular level and their interaction with living matter opens up unforeseeable horizons. Networking biological sensors through body-area, ad hoc and standard communication networks boosts the intrinsic power of local measurements, and allows us to reach new standards in health and environment management, with positive fallout on security of individuals and communities. This article reviews the Nano-Tera.ch research program, addressing the enabling and disruptive technologies that stem from the combination of nanotechnology with large (tera) -scale information and communication systems.