Nanotechnology may be bringing a bit of science fiction closer to reality with the advent of "invisible" electronics.

"You can imagine a variety of applications for new electronics that haven't been possible previously -- imagine displays of text or images that would seem to be floating in space," says Tobin J. Marks, a professor at Northwestern University who led the research.

The researchers are making electronics disappear by combining organic and inorganic materials. The result is a transparent, high-performance transistor that can be assembled inexpensively on both glass and plastics. These thin-film transistors combine films of the inorganic semiconductor indium oxide with a multilayer of self-assembling organic molecules that provides superior insulating properties.

Watch for Marks' start-up company, Polyera, to start rolling out products based on the new technology within 12 to 18 months. (hat tip to nanotechwire)