Volpe technology transfer consists of a broad range of formal and informal cooperation and collaboration activities with federal and state/local agencies, peer federal laboratories, and the public and private sectors.
Successful technology transfer efforts address government and private-sector needs, and result in novel technology applications, enhanced operational safety, process and product innovations, and improved service efficiencies.
Technology transfer at Volpe is accomplished through broad dissemination of technical products and advanced technologies, technical information exchanges, development of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and intellectual property (IP) patenting and licensing activities.
Technologies currently available for licensing include the following:
- SafetyHAT – A transportation system hazard analysis tool broadly applicable to complex systems.
- Aircraft deicing decision support tool (U.S. Patent 7,725,410) – Facilitates maximizing the efficiency of deicing operations by minimizing wait times for aircraft in the queue for treatment, thus enabling the airport, airlines, and air traffic controllers to cooperatively minimize flight delays and cancellations. Interested parties should contact Wendell.Mah@dot.gov.
Communicating Research and Technology
Communication of Volpe research and technology products and knowledge-base sharing with transportation stakeholders is accomplished through the following:
- Publication of Volpe news.
- Technical reports and publications available on-line at the Volpe Library.
- A monthly Volpe newsletter emailed to over 10,000 subscribers and disseminated indirectly to over 40,000 readers via research and trade associations (e.g., TRB, AASHTO).
- Outreach to transportation stakeholders via a variety of events (webinars, conferences, symposia, and seminars). These include the Volpe speaker series and colloquia on transportation challenges and opportunities.
Coordinating with Peers
Volpe coordinates with the DOT technology transfer representative at peer DOT laboratories and sponsors, and with the larger technology transfer community to facilitate outreach and technical information dissemination and utilization.
Successful technology transfer efforts include the following:
- Volpe annual tech transfer reports featuring success stories for the DOT tech transfer agency representative, who compiles the DOT Annual Tech Transfer report submitted to DOC/NIST, Congress, and the President/OMB. Examples of Volpe successes appear in annual reports to Congress.
- Participation in annual conferences of the national Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) and FLC Northeast to showcase innovative products to peers and state and local technology officials.
Recent peer recognition for sustained successes in technology transfer includes the following:
- Recognition in Federal Laboratories and State and Local Governments bi-annual publications for 2015, 2013, 2011 and 2009.
- Accomplishments highlighted in FLC NewsLink and in the FLC Northeast Region's quarterly newsletters.
- A national FLC Excellence in Technology Transfer Award
- 2016 - Truck side guards
- Two FLC Northeast Awards for Excellence in Technology Transfer
- 2014 - SafetyHAT
- 2011 - SafeTrip21