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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1976)
New energy-saving technology Inventors bring devices to business school By LORA CUYKENDALL Of the Emerald The University business school’s innovation center has been chosen by the federal gov ernment to help evaluate new energy-saving devices brought to it by private inventors and small businesses. The Experimental Center for the Advancement of Invention and Innovation, which has been operating at the University since 1973 on funds provided by a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation, primarily will be involved in determining the marketability of new energy related inventions. “We re facing more than a crisis in technology in this country," says Gerald Udell, director of the innovation center. "Developing the technology to deal with the energy crisis is only part of the problem. We also have to find ways to transfer the new technol ogy to the marketplace — to get consumers to accept it." Udell says the center is one of about a dozen other organizations which conduct feasibility studies of energy devices and technology for the Energy Research and De velopment Administration (ERDA). Private companies, in cluding Research Corporation and Arthur D. Little, and some uni versities, including Mas sachusetts Institute of Technol ogy (MIT), also evaluate ideas, 2370 W. 11th 30th & Hilyard Eugene Cottage Grove Oakridge KRUSTEAZ PANCAKE MIX BUTTERNILK OR WHOLE WHEAT 0 HOOEY 3'/i LR. QQC KRAFT COLBY HORN CHEDDAR 2 lb. 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"We were chosen to do the work because we were the only non-private organization in the country that was doing the kind of studies that needed to be done," says Udell. The innovation center conducts in-depth studies of inventions and innovative ideas for technological feasibility and market success Charging only a $25 fee for an initial evaluation, the center uses student researchers as part of a practicum marketing course. For particularly promising inventions, the center will advise its clients on marketing strategies and give other assistance in exchange for a small royalty agreement “With passage of the Federal Non-nuclear Energy Research and Development Act (in 1974), Congress committed itself to help ing encourage the success of all promising energy-related inven tions," explains Udell. "They realized that this country can t af ford not to tap every available energy-related product. ’ Under the 1974 energy act, the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) is charged with evaluating energy-related ideas and making recommendations to ERDA about the kind of assistance it should give inventors. Congress has given ERDA the power to assist development and marketing of energy-saving inventions through grants, contracts, loans or finan cial awards. Udell explains that the innova tion center works under a con tract agreement with the NBS and receives about $5,000 for evaluat ing an idea. It has conducted two evaluations since last May. The It's easy to find some great ideas for spare time fun in the EMERALD CLASSIFIEDS. 'Great places to snack or dine 'Local offerings of cinema and stage 'Indoor and outdoor recreation tips 'Unique sales and sen/ices Nbb can award only $20,000 worth of contracts a year to any one organization or firm. 'When we receive an energy related device to study, we con duct two evaluations," explains Udell "If the results of a prelimi nary computer analysis are good, we assemble a team of evaluators, including faculty, graduate students and members of the community — anyone who has expertise in that particular area. Basically, we want to know Will it work?' and Will it sell?' " Udell says highly technical energy devices are usually given to universities like MIT to evaluate "Our focus is mainly on determining the marketability and consumer acceptance of consumer-related energy inven tions.'' he says. Udell says the center has been involved in studying energy related devices for some time "Even before the NBS chose us to do feasibility studies, we had been getting referrals from mem bers of Congress and other sources." The center receives re ferrals from patent attorneys and the National Science Foundation The main problems associated with evaluating most of the energy-saving devices, says Udell, are two market acceptance factors he calls use pattern com patibility” and "learning He says most new energy devices require consumers to make significant changes m their accepted use pat terns and this lowers the device s chances for market success. He also says the amount of learning required to understand the prod uct or use it effectively is often very high, another factor which hinders market success "Developing marketability of these products is something very important to society," says Udell That s why we aim at not only determining whether the product will be a commencal success, but we also conduct research to de termine ways to insure and de velop their marketability Udell says he sees the work the center is doing for the NBS and ERDA as one possible source of funding to keep the center afloat when its science foundation grant runs out in 1977 "We re the only non-private or ganization around whose purpose is to assist private inventors," he says. "The private inventor has been crucial to the development of America s technology — it's a legitimate and important area for governmental support." ADULT STUDENT HOUSING INC. 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