System and method for identifying and evaluating nanomaterial-related risk

• US 7,836,008 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patton, William Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLMES, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US12/170,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4, 705/1, 705/35, 977/700, 706/62
• US Class Current: 706/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/70 Nanostructure

Abstract

A system, method, and processor-readable medium are provided for quantitatively evaluating risk associated with nanotechnology. An insurance company computing system obtains nanomaterial-related data from a variety of sources, including nanomaterial sensors such as differential mobility analyzers located on-site at an insured facility. The insurance computing system uses the obtained data and a computerized model to compute a risk score that is used in evaluating the insurability of the facility or the operating entity. An insurance policy or modifications to an existing insurance premium are subsequently produced based on the computed risk score.

Claims

1. A system for determining a level of risk posed by a nanomaterial to an entity, the system comprising:

a memory;

a computerized model stored on the memory; and

a processor configured to;

retrieve from memory data related to the nanomaterial, the retrieved data including data representative of physical and chemical characteristics of the nanomateriall;

calculate, using the computerized model, a risk score that is indicative of the level of risk posed by the nanomaterial to the entity based on the retrieved data, wherein the risk score is calculated based at least in part on a quantitative representation of the risks posed by the nanomaterial based on the physical and chemical characteristics of the nanomaterial represented in the retrieved data; and

output insurance risk mitigation data based at least in part on the calculated risk score, wherein the insurance risk mitigation data includes at least one recommendation for reducing the level of risk posed by the nanomaterial to the entity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical and chemical characteristics of the nanomaterial represented in the retrieved data include the size, shape, volume, concentration, stability, toxicity, and tendency for aggregation of the nanomaterial.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to derive values for a group of variables corresponding to risk-related characteristics of the nanomaterial, and wherein the processor is configured to calculate the risk score at least in part based on the values derived for the group of variables.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to derive the quantitative representation at least in part based on the toxicity of the nanomaterial handled by the entity.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the values for the group of variables comprise a quantitative value assigned to a phase variable indicating the phase the nanomaterial is in when handled by the entity, wherein one value is assigned to the phase variable if the nanomaterial is handled by the entity in an unprocessed form, a second value is assigned to the phase variable if the nanomaterial is handled by the entity as an intermediate product, and a third value is assigned to the phase variable if the nanomaterial is handled by the entity as an end product.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the values for the group of variables comprise a quantitative representation of the risk posed by an end-of-life condition of the nanomaterial.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the values for the group of variables comprise a quantitative indication of a level of public concern associated with the nanomaterial or the entity.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the values for the group of variables comprise a quantitative representation of a regulatory regime governing the activities of the entity.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to calculate the risk score using the computerized model by taking a weighted sum of the values of the group of variables.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the retrieved data was obtained from a monitoring device located at an entity'"'"'s facility the risk mitigation data serves to mobilize, in response to the obtained data, a remediation service for containing a hazard located at the entity'"'"'s facility.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the retrieved data was obtained from a questionnaire completed by the entity, an outside data source, and a monitoring device located at an entity'"'"'s facility.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the risk mitigation data includes a recommendation suggesting a nanomaterial risk mitigation technology selected based at least in part on the retrieved data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the suggested nanomaterial risk mitigation technology includes a nano-sensor device selected based at least in part on the retrieved data.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the suggested nanomaterial risk mitigation technology includes a device for hazard containment selected based at least in part on the retrieved data.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the entity is a business.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation comprises a recommendation of a technology to employ to reduce the level of risk posed by the nanomaterial to the entity.

12. A method for determining a level of risk posed by a nanomaterial to an entity, the method comprising:

receiving data related to the nanomaterial, the received data including data representative of physical and chemical characteristics of the nanomaterial;

storing the received data in a database in communication with a processor;

accessing, by the processor, the stored data to calculate using a computerized model a risk score that is indicative of the level of risk posed by the nanomaterial, wherein the risk score is calculated based at least in part on a quantitative representation of the risks posed by the nanomaterial based on the physical and chemical characteristics of the nanomaterial represented in the received data; and

electronically outputting, by the processor, insurance risk mitigation data based at least in part on the calculated risk score, wherein the insurance risk mitigation data includes at least one recommendation for reducing the level of risk posed by the nanomaterial to the entity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the data comprises obtaining, by the processor, the physical and chemical characteristics of the nanomaterial.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the risk mitigation data includes a recommendation suggesting a nanomaterial risk mitigation technology selected based at least in part on the received data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein calculating the risk score comprises assigning a quantitative value to a phase variable indicating the phase the nanomaterial is in when handled by the entity, wherein one value is assigned to the phase variable if the nanomaterial is handled by the entity in an unprocessed form, a second value is assigned to the phase variable if the nanomaterial is handled by the entity as an intermediate product, and a third value is assigned to the phase variable if the nanomaterial is handled by the entity as an end product.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the received data was obtained from a monitoring device monitoring a location of the entity, and the risk mitigation data serves to mobilize, in response to the obtained data, a remediation service for containing a hazard at the location.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the suggested nanomaterial risk mitigation technology is a nano-sensor device selected based at least in part on the received data.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the suggested nanomaterial risk mitigation technology is a device for hazard containment selected based at least in part on the received data.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the entity is a business.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the recommendation comprises a recommendation of a technology to employ to reduce the level of risk posed by the nanomaterial to the entity.