There are also sociological risks in the use of nanotechnology. At the level of instruments, it also includes the possibility of using nanotechnology in the military field. (For example, at the MIT Soldier Nanotechnology Institute [1], the implants or other means to equip soldiers are studied, as well as surveillance means enhanced by nanodetectors.
At the structural level, critics of nanotechnology point out that nanotechnology has opened up a new world controlled by property rights and companies. They pointed out that, just as the ability of biotechnology to manipulate genes is accompanied by the patenting of life, the technology of nanotechnology to manipulate molecules brings about the patenting of substances. In the past few years, obtaining nanoscale patents has been like a gold rush. In 2003, more than 800-nanometer related patent rights were approved, and this number is increasing every year. Large companies have monopolized a wide range of patents for nanoscale inventions and discoveries. For example, two large companies, NEC and IBM, hold basic patents for carbon nanotubes, one of the cornerstones of nanotechnology. Carbon nanotubes have a wide range of applications and are expected to play a key role in many industrial fields ranging from electronics and computers, to strengthening materials, to drug release and diagnosis. Carbon nanotubes are likely to become the main industrial trading materials that replace traditional raw materials. However, when their uses expand, anyone who wants to manufacture or sell carbon nanotubes, regardless of the application, must first purchase a license from NEC or IBM.