cantly enhanced in the container with the nanotubes compared with those without nanotubes, Kosko says. Although additional testing must be conducted before the structures can be of practical use, Kosko sees a big potential for the little tubes. He says they ANTENNA TECHNOLOGIES show promise for improving "spread spectrum" technology, a signal- processing technique used in many newer phones that allows listeners to switch to different channels for clearer signals and to prevent others from eavesdropping. Arrays of the tiny tubes could also process image pixel data, leading to improved television images, including flat-panel displays, according Kosko. The tubes also have the potential to speed up Internet connections. In a more futuristic application, Kosko believes the tubes have the poten- tial to act as artificial nerve cells, which could help enhance sensation and movement to damaged nerves and limbs. The sensors might even be used as electrical components in artificial limbs, he notes. By adjusting the shape, length and, chemical composition of the nanotubes, as well as the size of the tube array, the devices can, in essence, be customized for a wide variety of electronic needs. "There are likely many good applica- tions for the technology that we have not foreseen," says Kosko. 6.10.3 Fractal Antennas Antennas for the next generation of mobile phones and other wireless communications devices may bear a striking resemblance to a mountain range or perhaps a rugged coastline or forest. University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers are using frac- tals-mathematical models of mountains, trees, and coastlines-to develop antennas that meet the challenging requirements presented by the more sophisticated technology in new mobile phones and mobile communications devices. Antennas for these systems must be miniature and they must be able to operate at different frequencies, simultaneously. "Manufacturers of wireless equipment, and particularly those in the automotive industry, are interested in developing a s