Technology Showcase Brings Industry and Academia Together

Nearly 100 attendees from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, local technology companies, and universities gathered at the Technology Showcase 18 April to discuss areas in which they could partner on research that is of interest to the U.S. Navy and has commercial viability.

The showcase, organized by the Northeast Tech Bridge and its nonprofit partner, the 401 Tech Bridge, was aimed at accelerating research and development in order to get new technologies and solutions into the warfighters’ hands quicker. The event was held at 401 Tech Bridge’s collaboration space in Middletown, Rhode Island.

Division Newport was represented by scientists, engineers, and personnel from the Acquisition Office, Technology Partnership Office and the Office of Counsel. Four inventors set up displays describing their Division Newport projects, for those who wished to learn more about the technology being developed.

“Many people came by the Division Newport displays to talk about our technologies,” Division Newport Supervisory Patent Attorney James Kasischke said. “Our inventors obtained leads on parties that were interested in further development of the technologies.”

The four inventors and their respective projects include: Richard Dooley, Undersea Warfare (USW) Vehicles and Defensive Systems Department: Variable Camber Segmented Control Surfaces; Dr. Benjamin Drozdenko, USW Combat Systems Department: AI/ML-based Real-Time Network Intrusion Detection System; Makia Powell, USW Combat Systems Department: Digital Design; and Dr. David Rivera, USW Electromagnetic Systems Department: Compressed-Size Antennae.

Representatives from more than 15 companies, as well as the University of Rhode Island, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and Brown University, had ample time to exchange ideas with the inventors and discuss areas of collaboration.

“A primary purpose of this event was to showcase our inventions that are available for licensing and further development,” Kasischke said. “Division Newport seeks to maximize the use of appropriate government-developed technology through various forms of technology transfer, such as licensing and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs).”

To effectively capture and protect the technology of inventions, Division Newport patent attorneys prepare patent applications under the guidelines of federal law. The patent applications, that capture the technology, are filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A patent can be issued after successful prosecution of the patent application. The inventive technology of the patent can then be licensed.

According to Kasischke, invention licensing from Division Newport is easy and fairly inexpensive for the licensee.

“A potential licensee or interested party needs to identify the technology and submit a business plan indicating how they plan to use the technology,” Kasischke said. “The license usually includes royalties to support technology transfer, award the inventor, and ensure that the licensing party follows through with their business plan. Patent protection and licensing of Division Newport intellectual property protects further developments from quick knock-offs of the disclosed inventions.

“Our inventors have an opportunity to continue development of the invention under a CRADA arranged by the Technology Partnership Office,” Kasischke said. “The CRADA may be internally funded if continuing development fulfills Navy goals or the CRADA can be funded by the CRADA partner for more commercial undertakings.”

For scientists or engineers from Division Newport who were unable to attend the Technology Showcase, or for those who attended and want to learn more, there will be further opportunities held at the 401 Tech Bridge collaboration space.