PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island manufacturers will soon have access to a wider universe of technology through a “Space Act Agreement” between Polaris MEP and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
The partnership will facilitate “smaller” Rhode Island manufactures’ access to NASA-developed technology, Polaris MEP said in an announcement.
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“Most people recognize that NASA has been developing incredible technologies for decades, but few know that those patented discoveries could be licensed by even the smallest Rhode Island manufacturing company,” said Polaris MEP Center Director Matt Watson.
“We’re excited to connect more Rhode Island directly to NASA’s deep catalogs of software and patents,” Watson continued, “and then begin helping those companies integrate the technology into their products and operations.”
Watson said he expects the program to pose “transformative” potential to the Rhode Island business community, emphasizing an opportunity to “incorporate NASA-proven tech into one of your products or the sales possibilities created by licensing a one-of-a-kind patent and manufacturing a whole new solution to a common problem.”
While the NASA Tech Transfer program has existed for decades, its had little exposure in Rhode Island, according to Polaris MEP. But in the past, the Tech Transfer program has impacted Rhode Island through spinoffs such as Dewetron data acquisition systems; the BedJet mattress technology; and Hasbros’s Aero Nerf toys.
A Rhode Island textile manufacturer has already begun working with NASA through the formalized partnership, said Kayla Viveiros, program manager at Polaris MEP.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
