Four Brigham Young University technology programs recently received funding from the State of Utah to transfer technology to the commercial sector.
The BYU centers, operating out of the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, received funding July 1 to begin or continue work.
They are:
Direct Machining and Control. The project, which received $75,000 and has received $242,000 in the past, has developed a method that allows a manufacturing machine controller to directly interpret CAD/CAM models, resulting in superior resolution for complex shapes.
Compliant Mechanisms. The project accelerates and streamlines commercial applications of devices that obtain their motion from the deflection of flexible parts rather than from pin joints. It received $56,000 for the upcoming year and has received $490,000 in the past.
Miniature Unmanned Air Vehicles. The project allows for rapid design of airframes and miniaturized autopilot and guidance systems for tiny UAVs that can be operated by novices and has earned the attention of both military and civilian agencies. It received $110,500 for the 2004-05 year.
Advanced Communications Technology. The project, which received $105,000, works to improve wireless communications and data transmission achieved through the use of MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) technology with multiple antenna elements. The State of Utah formed the Centers of Excellence program to fund late-stage research used in developing new products, high-tech companies and skilled jobs within the state.
For more information, call Lynn Astle of the BYU Technology Transfer Office at (801) 422-6266.
Writer: Thomas Grover
