Q & A with Cynthia Gonsalves acting director office of Technology Transition Office of the Deputy under Secretary of Defense

CHIPS, April-June, 2008

TTI evaluation criteria

To be considered for TTI funding, a project must meet the following criteria:

* Technology developed with S&T funding;

* Product has buyer with funds available to purchase it in later years--commitment to acquisition path;

* Joint focus, preferably joint or multi-service project (two or more services/agencies);

* Demonstrated value to the warfighter;

* Technology mature--TRL 6 or 7;

* Cost sharing between TTI and service/agency is encouraged to leverage funding; and

* Project duration of less than four years.

Business processes for project evaluation

* Technology Transition Council

* Technology Transition Working Group

TTI Successful Transitions

--Semantic Web Network--The SWN is an XML-based content routing system and data mining tool which enhances command and control by delivering more relevant and complete information across the Intel community databases in real-time. The technology matured faster than expected, and is now incorporated into MarineLink which deployed with Marine Expeditionary Force I and II in Iraq.

--Water Purification System/Water Pen Unit--The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was funded as a TTI project in FY 2003 and FY 2004 to bridge the gap between DARPA's development funding and scheduled procurement in FY 2005. The miniaturized water-purification system destroys biological and chemical warfare agents, including: anthrax, plague, smallpox and common waterborne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa, including E. Coli, Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

For tactical situations in which deployed troops do not have quick and easy access to potable water, the pen allows Soldiers to treat up to 300 liters of any available, non-brackish water source. Mixed oxidants electrochemically generated from common table salt via several small lithium camera batteries kill a wider range of resistant microorganisms.

--Titanium Nitride (TiN) Coating for T-58 Engine Compressor Blades-Marines--TiN coating for the T-58 engine will double compressor life in a sand environment and is projected to save about $56 million in life cycle costs through FY 2012. The airfoils will be installed in nearly 300 new T-58-16A Engine Reliability Improvement Program (ERIP) compressor cores procured for Marine Corps CH-46 helicopters. Installation began in FY 2005.

--Battlespace Terrain Reasoning and Awareness--BTRA is a suite of common, analytic applications designed to provide actionable information for terrain and weather effects using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data. Such data enable C4ISR and battle command decision-making and mission execution in open and complex environments. Software applications (tactical decision aids) and services include the Commercial Joint Mapping Toolkit, which has 192 joint C4ISR systems.

DoD Technology Transfer and Transition Programs

Authorized by:

15 U.S.C. 3710-15, Technology Innovation

10 U.S.C. 2515, Office of Technology Transition

10 U.S.C. 2359a, Technology Transition Initiative

Technology Transfer Programs