Opportunities and Challenges for Technology Transfer

 

Chapter 8: Opportunities and Challenges for Technology Transfer
• In Technology Transfer, artificial intelligence tools provide a promise of
efficiency to Technology Transfer Offices, but with some obstacles.
• As digital platforms and data become central to innovation ecosystems,
their evolving use and governance present both strategic advances and
ethical challenges for Technology Transfer.
• Open Innovation is transforming Technology Transfer by replacing
traditional linear IP licensing models with collaborative, cross-boundary
approaches that accelerate the flow of knowledge from research to market.

 Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the field of computer science that
focuses on creating systems and algorithms capable of performing tasks
typically requiring human intelligence.
• In the context of Technology Transfer, AI can be used to: estimate market
potential, estimate technology readiness level, draft legal agreements,
evaluate for patentability.
• Case Study: In 2020, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office began
incorporating AI into processes for conducting prior art searches. It
remains to be seen how patent offices worldwide balance the growing
number of applications with their metrics to evaluate such applications
thoroughly and efficiently.

Read-  https://cldp.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2025-11/CLDP%20Technology%20Transfer%20Handbook.pdf

 

Hydrogen on Demand -long road to technology commercialisation.

In 1967, while working as a researcher at IBM, Woodall discovered that liquid alloys of aluminum and gallium spontaneously produce hydrogen if mixed with water. The research, which focused on developing new semiconductors for computers and electronics, led to advances in optical-fiber communications and light-emitting diodes, making them practical for everything from DVD players to television remote controls and new types of lighting displays. That work also led to development of advanced transistors for cell phones and components in solar cells powering space modules like those used on the Mars rover, earning Woodall the 2001 National Medal of Technology from President George W. Bush. Also while at IBM, Woodall and research engineer Jerome Cuomo were issued a U.S. patent in 1982 for a "solid state, renewable energy supply." The patent described their discovery that when aluminum is dissolved in liquid gallium just above room temperature, the liquid alloy readily reacts with water to form hydrogen, alumina and heat.
Woodall moved to Purdue university and continued to work on the aluminium alloy. His team succeeded in developing technology that produces hydrogen by adding water to an alloy of aluminum and gallium. When water is added to the alloy, the aluminum splits water by attracting oxygen, liberating hydrogen in the process. The Purdue researchers are developing a method to create particles of the alloy that could be placed in a tank to react with water and produce hydrogen on demand. The Purdue Research Foundation holds title to the primary patent, which has been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is pending. An Indiana startup company, AlGalCo LLC., has received a license in 2007 for the exclusive right to commercialize the process.
AlGalCo founder and president  Kurt Koehler is a businessman, not a chemist. He graduated with a degree in marketing and management from IU and went on to earn a Master's in European History. As luck would have it, an encounter with Purdue representatives at the Indiana State Fair piqued his interest and ultimately led him to Purdue professor Jerry Woodall, who had developed the aluminum alloy technology. After 14 years of beta testing product is rolled out for Carmel's city fleet. 

Penalty under the proposed IPR bill

The much discussed IPR Bill  says : The researcher taking govt grant has to apply for patent protection and bear all expenses for its protection and enforcement (section 7) . If the researcher fails to do , then govt will recover grant released with 10% interest (section 20). Will any researcher retain title of IP with these conditions?

New model of M tech and PhD programs from CSIR

To meet the shortage of researchers , primarily in engineering, CSIR has taken an initiative to start its own training program. The 2 year post graduate program with 8 capsules has been announced. More are on the cards. The rational for CSIR getting into this space is that very few bright engineering students enroll for M Tech and PhD programs those few would either leave country or join MNC R&D centers. Very few IITians joined CSIR in the last decade. The pacakge offered by CSIR is attractive- they get paid during training and absorbed in CSIR after training. Scientists of CSIR labs like CEERI have been very active in supporting academeic activity and will now take additional responsibility. The pilot run attracted good response from students. Details:
http://www.csir.res.in/CSIR/csirpgrp/pgrtpe.htm

IITB TechConnect 2009

In the Golden Jubilee year of IIT Bombay, its Industrial Research and Consultancy Center (IRCC) has taken an initiative to celebrate the institute's best technological achievements.Techconnect is showcase of research capability and mature innovations and coming out of IIT Bombay. It will be held on 4th April 2009. See list of technologies available for transfer at
http://www.ircc.iitb.ac.in/IRCC-Webpage/technologies.html