Step 2: Technology Assessment
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After you submit your innovation through the New Technology Report (NTR) it is entered into Goddard’s technology inventory and considered for assessment.
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What is a technology assessment?
A technology assessment is a detailed, in-depth examination of the potential success for transfer of a NASA innovation into a non-NASA application, known as spin-out. Perhaps an optics technology can be applied to medical imaging. Or a data processing system to urban planning. Or a mechanical innovation to home appliances or cars. The assessor conducts research to evaluate these options carefully and objectively. Also evaluated are the opportunities to spin-back the technology, applying the commercial product to NASA’s mission.
Assessments also are used to evaluate the transfer of a non-NASA technology for the space program, known as a spin-in.
How is potential for successful transfer determined?
In assessing a technology's potential, IPP considers several essential technical, market, and intellectual property issues, as indicated below.
Assessing Potential: The Essential Questions
Technical:
- At what stage of development is the technology?
- Is the technology innovative?
- Is the technology competitive within the time and investment constraints?
Market:
- Are there customers interested in purchasing a product that uses the technology?
- Are these potential customers willing to pay a price that will allow a company to make a profit?
Intellectual Property:
- Can the technology be patented (i.e., is it novel and not obvious to one of ordinary skill)?
- Should the technology be patented (e.g., will the scope of protection be profitable, can it be enforced)?
- Would licensing the technology provide value to the licensee?
- Has information disclosure been kept to a minimum? (Excessive disclosure can preclude foreign and U.S. patent rights.)
Do all Goddard innovations receive an assessment?
Unfortunately, the cost of detailed information gathering prohibits the assessment of every technology. Therefore, every innovation is screened according to preliminary criteria, including (1) Can the intellectual property be protected (i.e., patent or copyright) or have the details been publicly disclosed? (2) Is the innovation revolutionary? (3) Are there obvious applications for it? (4) What is the stage of development? According to the results of these and other criteria, the innovation may be selected for assessment.
Do I participate in the assessment?
Yes! We depend on inventors to provide us with valuable information that starts us in the assessment process. We will interview you about the key information on your NTR:
- What are your technology’s unique advantages and shortcomings?
- Do you foresee any non-NASA applications for it?
- Do you know of any other near- or long-term NASA applications?
- What issues might need to be addressed before it could be used in these applications?
Including complete information on your NTR will help.
What other information is gathered?
Your information is supplemented by the expertise of Office staff as well as research into the literature and interviews with technical experts, university professors and researchers, industry analysts and consultants, potential licensees and end users, and others. These resources provide data and feedback on the characteristics of the potential market(s) where the technology might be used, the technologies already available, patentability issues, and more. Office staff analyze this information to determine the assessment outcome.
What are the possible outcomes from the assessment?
As shown in the flow chart below, the innovation might be recommended for patenting and the next step of the technology transfer process (Seeking a Partner/Licensee). The assessment also might show that it should be promoted by publishing articles in NASA Tech Briefs and other relevant journals. Also, during this process, your innovation will be considered for several prestigious awards. If a technology is still in the "idea phase," the Office might wait for further development or look into ways to provide additional project funding.
Spin-back and/or spin-in options as well as potential partners for joint R&D might be identified. In some cases, the assessment might recommend not pursuing further transfer efforts.
+ Go to Step 3: Seeking a Partner/License
