Kuusi O, Meyer M. "Anticipating technological breakthroughs: Using bibliographic coupling to explore the nanotubes paradigm " SCIENTOMETRICS 70 (3). MAR 2007. p.759-777

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Addresses: osmo.kuusi at vatt.fi 


TITLE:          Anticipating technological breakthroughs: Using
                bibliographic coupling to explore the nanotubes paradigm 
(Article,
                English)
AUTHOR:         Kuusi, O; Meyer, M
SOURCE:         SCIENTOMETRICS 70 (3). MAR 2007. p.759-777 SPRINGER,
                DORDRECHT

SEARCH TERM(S):  MARSHAKOVA IV  rauth; SMALL H  rauth; SMALL HG  rauth;
                 SCIENTOMETR*  rwork;
                 KESSLER MM         AM DOC                 14:10    1963;
                 BIBLIOGRAPHIC*  item_title

 
ABSTRACT:       There is general consensus that the field of
nanotechnology will be very important in the future. An open question is, 
however, which technological approaches or paradigms will be important in 
the field. The paper assumes that the carbon nanotube will be a key element 
of an emerging technological paradigm in nanotechnology. This study employs 
a bibliometric method - bibliographic coupling - to identify important 
nanotubes-related 'leitbilder' - a concept meaning 'guiding images' that 
provide a basis for different professions and disciplines to work in the 
same direction. Until recently, bibliographic coupling has been applied 
rarely for purposes of research evaluation, not to mention technology 
foresight. Our case study seems to suggest that bibliographic coupling is 
particularly suitable for anticipating technological breakthroughs. 
Bibliographic coupling analysis of recent nanotube-related patents focused 
our attention to recent patents owned by Nantero Inc. Nantero's main focus 
is the development of NRAM - a high- density nonvolatile random access 
memory. The NRAM leitbild seems to be an important emerging leitbild. It 
connects technical opportunities and promising applications relating to the 
memories in devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, as 
well as applications in networking arena.

AUTHOR ADDRESS: O Kuusi, VATT Govt Inst Econ Res, Arkadiankatu 7,PL 1279,
                Helsinki 00101, Finland