Introduction

For the past 42 years, NASA has made special efforts to ensure the widest possible dissemination of its research and technology developments. We share the wealth of technology developed for our missions with the nation's industries to contribute to U.S. economic strength and quality of life. For the past 27 years, this publication has provided you with over 1,200 examples of products and services developed as a direct result of commercial partnerships between NASA and the business community. Examples have covered products from fire retardant materials and air pollution monitors to non-invasive cardiac monitors and sensors for environmental control.

Research and development across a broad range of technology disciplines, such as micro-devices, fiber optics, lasers, enhanced imaging, and data communication, have generated technologies applicable to many commercial products we have used for our benefit. The NASA Commercial Technology Network is an excellent vehicle for easy access to use of these technologies. The application of NASA technologies by the private sector increases productivity by contributing to the development of new products and services that meet consumer demands, benefit the national economy, and enhance human health and quality of life.

At the same time, application of NASA technology helps the U.S. meet international competitive challenges and stay at the leading edge of technical innovation. The return benefits--spinoffs--represent a significant dividend to the taxpayer and the nation's investment in aerospace research. Spinoff 2000 is an instrument of the NASA Commercial Technology program and documents the outcome of our spinoff successes. It is a true measurement of NASA's commitment to transfer as many technologies to the private sector as possible.

In the Technology Transfer and Outreach section of Spinoff 2000, we highlight the activities of our Ames Research Center's Commercial Technology Office (CTO). Their efforts to facilitate and support technology commercialization are representative of the CTO at each field center. Increased activities to accelerate the dissemination of technologies, speed up the process of patent licensing, quicken the release of software for beta testing, support and manage incubators, and hasten the collaboration with commercial and academic organizations will continue to maximize the earliest potential commercial utilization of NASA's new inventions and technologies.

Spinoff 2000 is organized into three sections: 1) Aerospace and Development highlights major research and development efforts currently carried out at the 10 NASA field centers; 2) Commercial Benefits--Spinoffs describes commercially available products and services resulting from the transfer of NASA technology; and 3) Technology Transfer and Outreach features this year's center spotlight, NASA's Ames Research Center, and its commercialization efforts, as well as the mechanisms in place nationwide to assist U.S. industry in obtaining, transferring, and applying NASA technology, expertise, and assistance.

We hope that each year Spinoff continues to show, through a collage of NASA commercial successes, the breadth of technologies resulting in transferable technology adopted by industry and the mechanisms in place to affect commercialization.

It is with pleasure that we present Spinoff 2000 to make you aware of our Commercial Technology program. Our efforts will continue to enhance all of our lives and contribute to the economic success of the U.S. industry in a very competitive global environment.

Dr. Robert L. Norwood
Director, Commercial Technology Division
National Aeronautics and Space Administration