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Space Act Agreements and Licensing NASA Technology↗
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A Look from the Inside
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has given the world amazing images of the distant stars, planets, and galaxies. The cutting-edge imaging technology that enhances the Hubble images also extends its benefits to life here on Earth, from deciphering previously unreadable portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls to improving digital mammographies for advanced cancer detection. This imaging technology is now helping physicians to perform micro-invasive arthroscopic surgery, which is the visual examination of an interior joint such as the knee. In 1997, NASA's Glenn Research Center signed a Space Act Agreement with Micro Medical Devices, Inc. (MMD), a medical device engineering company that licenses miniature surgical devices. At that time, MMD was in the process of developing a new micro-endoscope. This tool enables surgeons to view what is happening inside the body on a screen, eliminating the need for a more invasive diagnostic procedure. The images from the micro-endoscope needed to be extremely clear, a challenge with the tool s small size. The images also needed to be viewed in real time to allow surgeons to see what was happening in the body at that very moment. MMD established Clear Image Technology, LLC, of Elyria, Ohio, to commercialize the miniature endoscope. Clear Image Technology then partnered with Arthrotek, Inc., a sports medicine subsidiary of Biomet, Inc., to introduce the tool to the commercial market as the InnerVue[TM] Diagnostic Scope System. The InnerVue system is designed for use in a diagnostic environment, such as an office or outpatient service, to evaluate conditions within a joint. While the InnerVue scope is primarily being applied to the knee and shoulder, other small joints such as the wrist, elbow, and ankle are being investigated. A physician can use the system alone or in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the next treatment step for each patient. The procedure can be more accurate than MRI, particularly with diagnosing cartilage and articular surface damage and assessing arthritis severity.
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Space Act Agreement Maker (SAAM) With Electronic Routing System (ERouter) Developed
Members of the Commercial Technology Office at the NASA Glenn Research Center have developed an exciting new tool that greatly reduces the lead time in creating and routing Space Act Agreements. The Space Act Agreement Maker (SAAM) is an e-government Web-based system that automates the initial drafting of Space Act Agreements by technical and program personnel. SAAM also is used for editing and will be used later for maintaining electronic copies of all Space Act Agreements. During the initial drafting, the software prompts NASA personnel proposing an agreement to answer questions regarding the agreement. On the basis of the answers, the software selects from a matrix of NASA standard clauses to produce a first draft of the agreement. The draft agreement and information submitted by the NASA personnel are electronically routed to Glenn s Commercial Technology Office for review and, where necessary, editing. The final version of the agreement, along with any supporting documentation, is then routed for electronic concurrence/approval to the necessary internal review participants using the electronic routing system (e-router). SAAM was developed cooperatively by Glenn s Commercial Technology Office and Glenn s Office of Chief Counsel. Currently, SAAM is being evaluated by the NASA Headquarters General Counsel Office for use at all NASA centers. This system allows for the effective processing of Space Act Agreements for NASA s internal and external customers. Document control is maintained by a database. With SAAM s electronic routing, review times can be reduced significantly, allowing Glenn to more rapidly establish partnerships with industry. Prior to the creation of SAAM, it took several hours to draft a Space Act Agreement. With SAAM in place, the document can be written in about 30 min. Using the e-router also saves time in determining where the agreement is in the routing process. The document can be tracked easily, and delays can be avoided. Important research with industry partners can commence quickly after preliminary discussions have been held. The development of these products is in line with the expanding e-government initiative that is part of the Presidential Management Agenda. By using this product, NASA researchers can secure greater support from industry and academia partners. The Space Act Agreement Maker has been very well received at NASA Headquarters and at some of the other NASA centers as well. We anticipate that the NASA Ames Research Center will have the system in place very soon, and that some of the other centers will use SAAM in the near future. The General Counsel s office at NASA Headquarters has encouraged the Glenn team to develop a similar system for processing patent licenses. Find out more about Glenn's Technology Transfer & Partnership Office http://technology.grc.nasa.gov/.
Stauber, Laurel J.↗
ACTS Operations Extended Through a University-Based Consortium
The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program was slated for decommissioning in October 2000. With plans in place to move the spacecraft to an orbital graveyard and then shut the system down, NASA was challenged to consider the feasibility of extending operations for education and research purposes provided that an academic organization would be willing to cover operations costs. This was determined to be viable, and in the fall of 2000, NASA announced that it would consider extending operations. On March 19, 2001, NASA, the Ohio Board of Regents, and the Ohio University signed a Space Act Agreement to continue ACTS operations for 2 more years with options to extend operations up to a total of 4 years. To accomplish this, the Ohio University has formed a university-based consortium, the Ohio Consortium for Advanced Communications Technology (OCACT), and acts as the managing member. The Ohio University is responsible for the full reimbursement of NASA's operations costs, and does this through consortium membership. NASA retains the operating license of the spacecraft and has two contractors supporting spacecraft and master control station operations. This flexible arrangement between NASA and academia allows the education community to access a large communications satellite for learning about spacecraft operations and to use the system's transponders for communications applications. It also allows other organizations, such as commercial companies, to become consortium members and use the ACTS wideband Ka-band (30/20 GHz) payload. From the consortium members, six areas of interest have been identified.
Bauer, Robert A.↗
Troika partnership model for licensing NASA-LaRC technologies
The Technology Applications (TAG) Group at NASA Langley Research Center has currently more than 100 technologies that are ripe for commercialization. These technologies are categorized by various sectors including: Energy and the Environment; Materials and Structures; Manufacturing; Information and Communications; Transportation, and Medical/Sensor/ Instrumentation. A requirement that TAG has placed on all technologies ready for licensing is that there will be some university involvement in the technology transfer or knowledge transfer process. This model involves the troika of government (LaRC), industry and university. A number of variations on the Troika Partnership Model (TPM) were developed as a part of this ASEE Fellowship. Furthermore, five technologies were identified - three of which industrial interests have been matched: LaRC-SI, a thermoplastic that can be used as a coating; Variable Geometry Truss Manipulator Arm that can be used for nuclear waste clean -up and as scaffolding; and ADAPT (Approach to Data Management, Archive Protection, and Transmission) is a technology that could be used for a variety of multi-tasking operations over the Internet. The aim of this work was to initiate a Space Act Agreement (SAA) for at least one of these technologies using one of the options of the TPM. A preliminary partnership agreement using the SAA is currently being negotiated with NASA-LaRC, VPI and Virginia Power for the LaRC-SI thermoplastic that will be used as a coating.
Maclin, Arlene P.↗