June 13, 1997
***SPECIAL EDITION***
***SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH***
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awards Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants to stimulate technological innovation that meets federal research and development needs. NSFÃs SBIR budget for 1997 is $50 million. The program makes it financially possible for small firms to undertake high risk, cutting-edge research with strong potential for commercial results. The following are a few of the many SBIR success stories. For more information on SBIR programs, see: http://www.eng.nsf.gov/sbir/ Media contact: George Chartier, 306-1070/[email protected] Program contact: Sara B. Nerlove, (703) 306-1391/[email protected]
POLLUTION SOLUTION: BETTER BACTERIA
NSF has supported a young company with SBIR funding to explore areas of advanced biotechnology to solve effluent and hazardous waste problems. Envirogen Inc. of Lawrenceville, N.J., began in 1988 with 10 employees. It now has more than 200 on its payroll, and the firm is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Among the firmÃs successes, Envirogen reports that it has identified special strains of bacteria that eliminate a long-time groundwater pollution problem. Tests show that the newly found strains of bacteria move through aquifers and produce enzymes which can break down complex contaminants, such as trichloroethylene, more effectively than current technology. EnvirogenÃs chief executive says that some of the new technologies have proven so successful that in many cases corporate cleanup costs are lower than pursuing legal avenues to seek relaxed regulations. The New Jersey Technology Council recently named the firm "Environmental Company of the Year."
SIDE BY SIDE BY GAUSSIAN
SCIENTIFIC Computing Associates of New Haven, Conn. and software firm Gaussian of Pittsburgh, Penn., are producing a parallel version of Gaussian 94, a leading computational chemistry program used in research laboratories worldwide. This product, developed with the help of an NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant, has helped the manufacturer design software to permit researchers to run more time- and cost-efficient chemistry simulations using networked desktop workstations and parallel supercomputers. The aim is to bring new commercial products to market more quickly. Gaussian 94 is used in medicine for designing drugs, in chemical processing for developing catalysts, and in other chemical reaction studies such as jet fuel combustion.
COMPUTER CONTROL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
WesTest Engineering of Farmington, Utah has developed new credit card-sized integrated circuit boards, called Darci Cards, to allow people with disabilities control over standard laptop or tabletop computers. Named for a little girl who was born without limbs, the integrated circuit boards, developed with the help of an NSF SBIR grant, plug into a computer's PCMCIA slot. This allows the computer to be controlled by switches, joysticks or pointing devices. With Darci Cards, a person with a disability can access control menus, input text and surf the Internet with the blink of an eye or puffs of breath. NSF supported two years of research and development by Westest. The latest version of Darci Cards, brought to market in late 1996, uses an updated Morse code to provide computer access. NSF has extended the SBIR grant while the firm is developing Macintosh, NT and PC versions with scanning arrays, as well as expanded and on-screen keyboards.
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Attachment: SBIR Fact Sheet
FACT SHEET
Small Business Innovation Research
Media Contact: George Chartier (703) 306-1070, [email protected]
Program Contact: Kesh Narayanan (703) 306-1390, [email protected]
Purpose. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program stimulates technological innovation and commercial applications by increasing opportunities for small science and technology-based firms to participate in federally supported research and development. Initiated at NSF in 1977, SBIR now spans 10 federal agencies.
How it works. NSF annually solicits SBIR grant proposals and categorizes them into 26 topic areas covering all research fields supported by NSF. Proposals are evaluated competitively, giving primary consideration to scientific and technical merit and potential for commercialization. Implemented in three phases, projects are first funded for a six-month feasibility study under Phase I. If determined eligible, they may receive funding for the principal research effort under Phase II. In Phase III, which does not involve SBIR funding, grant recipients pursue commercial applications of the resulting research.
Budget. Each government agency with an R&D budget of more than $100 million is congressionally directed to spend 2.5 percent of its budget on the SBIR program. NSFÃs SBIR budget for 1997 is $50 million.
Proposals. NSF expects to receive 2,000 new SBIR Phase I proposals in June, 1997, issue about 100 Phase II awards by October and award about 200 new projects by December. Recently the funding levels for Phase I and II awards were raised: Phase I awards can be up to $100,000; Phase II, up to $400,000.
Examples. Government-wide, successful projects have produced new scientific instrumentation, advanced materials, environmental services and computer applications. NSF-funded SBIR projects include artificial intelligence controls for aircraft, grade K-6 educational software, flat-screen display technology, robot vision and an optical system for precision photolithography.
Federal agencies participating in SBIR. National Science Foundation; National Institutes of Health; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Environmental Protection Agency and the Departments of Defense, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce, Education and Transportation.
NSF SBIR web page: http://www.eng.nsf.gov/sbir/
June 5, 1997
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