In addition to the activities of the CTO, an important mission of GRC’s technical directorates is to research, develop, verify, and transfer advanced aeronautics, space, and related technologies to the private sector. The Directorates’ activities to accomplish their mission contributed to the local and state economies through technology transfer. Here are few examples:

Space
Within the Space Directorate, examples can be drawn from the Space Communications and Microgravity Research Programs.

Space Communication
Two examples of GRC’s impact on the local economy can be drawn from the Space Communication Program. First, GRC has a partnership with Ohio University that investigates communications protocols over a satellite link. The results of this experiment have been incorporated into requests for change with the Internet Engineering Task Force, the governing body that determines the technical operation of the Internet. In summary, the results of this joint experiment are helping to ensure that satellite communications will be an integral part of future communications networks.

Another local partnership within Space Communications includes the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Ashtabula County Medical Center. Together, these organizations have developed an experiment to investigate transporting mammography imagery over satellites. This experiment has shown that satellites can provide a viable medium for transporting mammography imagery. Moreover, this project has shown that advanced satellite communications can improve health care in rural communities by providing the ability to link to urban medical facilities for consultation with experts in near real time.

Microgravity Research
GRC is the Center of Excellence for fluids and combustion research within the Microgravity Research Program. The emphasis of the program is on peer-reviewed, world class science, with scientists across the nation in universities and other organizations receiving funding for cutting-edge fluids and combustion research.

Since 1996, Ohio-based principal investigators have received over six million dollars in funding from GRC’s Microgravity Research Program. Research institutions receiving the funds include Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, and the University of Dayton. The program also supports undergraduate and graduate students and has a number of educational outreach activities.

In addition, Cleveland is home to the National Center for Microgravity Research on Fluid and Combustion (NCMR), an innovative partnership between GRC, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA). USRA is a national research consortium dedicated to assisting universities, other research institutions, and the government in the development of knowledge associated with space science and technology. The Center has offices both on the campus of CWRU and at GRC. NCMR is national in scope and mission, and is overseen by USRA. NCMR gives Northeast Ohio the greatest concentration of microgravity fluids and combustion talent in the world. Created in 1997, the Center’s tasks include performing cutting-edge research, providing expertise to assist experimenters across the nation, engaging and sharing knowledge with industry and academia, and providing outreach to students in K-12 and assisting teachers in engaging students in the areas of mathematics and science. NCMR is funded by NASA through a cooperative agreement, with total funding of $19.7 million spread over five years. The Center has 37 full time equivalent staff, with almost 40 percent employed by CWRU and over 60 percent employed by USRA. Almost 90 percent of the staff is located at GRC.

Within the program a new emphasis is being placed on broadening the benefit from scientific research to industry. This research has applications for such industries as biomedical engineering, automotive and aircraft engine combustion, paints, films, coating and lubricants, industrial and appliance burners and furnaces, utilities, pollution/emissions detection and control and food and consumer products and processing. In 1998 and 1999, the program began an initiative to engage industry and formed an Industry Liaison Board, comprised of Vice Presidents of Research and Technology or equivalent. This board has strong representation from local and Ohio industry. Its purpose is to allow NCMR to build awareness of GRC’s capability in fluids and combustion research and seek guidance about which aspects have the highest commercial potential. Local Board members include TRW, Eaton Corporation, The Cleveland Clinic, Sherwin Williams, Teledyne Continental Motors, Nordson Corporation, and ICI Paints. As a result of this activity, Teledyne, located in Toledo, is currently considering utilizing GRC expertise in lean combustion to assist in new product development.

To broaden its interactions beyond the board members, NCMR has also begun to convene industry workshops and focus groups for industry. One result of the first workshop is a relationship between ICI Paints, in Cleveland, and NCMR on diagnostic technologies. NCMR will be convening more focused workshops, including one on biomedical engineering on non-invasive diagnostics.

NCMR has had a specific impact on a number of local companies. For example, NCMR has been working with Ford Motor Casting in Cleveland to improve engine core manufacturing.

Another significant activity of GRC’s Microgravity Research Program is its responsibility for the fluids and combustion facility that will fly on the International Space Station. In order to allow investigators across the nation to manage experiments on the Space Station remotely, GRC developed Tempest, a software package that uses embedded web technology to allow users to monitor and control a remote device using the Internet. Tempest was an R&D 100 award winner in 1999. Tempest has many applications for the private sector and training in the use of the software has been given to several local companies such as Allen-Bradley, Reliance Electric, General Electric, National School of Sleep Medicine (Akron), Diebold, and Keithley Instruments.

Microgravity research usually requires capturing images of experiments in progress under difficult conditions. As a result, GRC‘s Imaging Technology Center has

developed a strong capability in video image enhancement to support the work in microgravity and other disciplines. As a community service, GRC has been providing local law enforcement with image enhancement of surveillance tapes. Since January 1999, GRC has assisted 27 different Ohio organizations in a wide variety of crimes. The most recent example being assistance in the solution of the Bond Court office building murder in downtown Cleveland. The Imaging Technology Center has also developed an educational tool, LEADS, which utilizes a video and guide to teach law enforcement and businesses the optimal use and handling of evidence tapes and security cameras.

Finally, GRC’s Microgravity program has an impact on local tourism through its scientific conference. This conference annually brings 250-350 attendees to downtown Cleveland for three days.

Aeronautics
The Aeronautics Directorate has broad ties to Ohio’s industry and education institutions. It has significant partnerships with universities in Ohio, including Cleveland State University, the University of Toledo, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), the University of Akron, the Ohio State University, and Wright State University. Some examples of joint projects with these partners include the modeling of flutter in aircraft compressors with the University of Toledo and the evaluation of advanced fire detection sensors with CWRU. In addition, Aeronautics has a consortia agreement with Ohio State University, Westinghouse Electric, and four out-of-state universities to develop an aeroelasticity code to model flutter and forced responses in aircraft turbines. This Directorate also has a number of grants, cooperative agreements, and support service contracts with the Ohio Aerospace Institute to support experimental tests and modeling at GRC. The Directorate is also involved in extensive joint projects with prime contractors in Ohio including BF Goodrich and General Electric Aircraft Engines, such as for the development of improved engines, and a number of smaller engineering firms. Finally, the Aeronautics Directorate is involved in a number of collaborative activities with the Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Another example from Research and Technology is a joint shuttle flight experiment with Hathaway Brown School for Girls. The flight experiment, which is designed to promote science and technology education among young women in grades nine through 12, relates to spacecraft durability in the low earth orbit space environment. Students come to GRC full-time over the summer and typically once a week during the school year to conduct pre-flight and post-flight analyses.