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Featured Story:Does public investment in research and development help or hurt the economy?

It's hard to say. What it does is create another market to sell to - the grant making culture. So, the question is whether the grant making culture is beneficial to the general economy.

The general principles of getting SBIR (Small Business Investment Recovery) grants are:

1) Find of who is on the review committee and look at previous grants. Tailor proposal to that audience. Remember, there are a limited number of grants out there.

2) Find a killer title, something that will grab their attention. Think in terms of ad copy rather than monographs.

3) Describe what you plan to do, but don't be too forthcoming with details.

4) Establish that no one else is doing what you propose to do.

5) Demonstrate that there is a prospective market.

6) Have data showing that this is viable. (Basically demonstrate that you already have it done but need to turn the last screw. DO NOT, repeat DO NOT, say it that way, however.)

So, what are the economically beneficial factors? Mostly establishing that there is a viable market and that wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more, you will absolutely solve the problems but haven't done so yet. For the most part then, this is gravy and MIGHT help capitalize commercialization meaning the developer is in a stronger position to cash in. That's not bad if they actually do, because it can help impel the development of other products as well.

Against this is the tailoring to the grant making audience, which isn't all that representative of the average consumer. When you don't address the issues and aspirations of the average consumer, but instead address the issues and aspirations of a well educated, governmentally connected culture you break the connection with sustainable markets. You head in the opposite direction don't get familiarity with your prospective customers. That can make you more dependent on grants than on economic drivers and counting on perpetual public sector "pump priming" of a dry well.

Why the emphasis on consumer products? After all, there are a lot of B2B sales out there. True. However, much of the consumer perspective holds in business as well. Both ask "How will this improve my life?" and if you insulate yourself from having to hear adverse information from the end user, especially "Not buyin' it.", you'll be poorly positioned to turn a good idea into a great idea. Learning from rejection is one of the important refining processes that keep markets - and your position in them - vital. In addition, business products have to ultimately translate, one way or another, into consumer products or the supply chain ultimately shuts down.

The net effect is that public sector investment in research and development MAY be beneficial to the general economy, but only if it is directed to enterprises with strong marketing minds that see through to the consumer end of the supply chain. It won't work as part of "economic stimulus" legislation because it is too far removed from immediate impact, nor will it work if it insulates researchers in cultures far removed from the average person's daily life.

Featured Story: Beyond Flash & Spin - Ohio Elastomers and Ohio Engineering And Fixture ... Develop products to improve Quality.

Ohio Elastomers and Ohio Engineering and Fixture are two companies involved in the improvement of production processes. Each has opportunities to sell in niche markets. Kunukku, Inc. and Search Engine Foundry provided the right media tools to meet their objectives in the most cost-effective way possible.

Ohio Elastomers has a long history in rubber-to-metal-bonded applications. Sometimes this involves the mold design and manufacturing in the front-end of the process; sometimes prototype and pilot production; sometimes the finishing side of the operation. A great reputation with product and process engineers is important in sales of this type. But how do you inform other decision makers in the company with less hands-on familiarity? FXWerks produced this CD-ROM video on the Model B2C-3072 Automatic Eccentric OD deflasher to do just that.

Ohio Engineering and Fixture has developed a proprietary testing device to calibrate nutrunners. Kunukku, Inc. redesigned their tech sheets to assist in marketing to ISO-9001/QS-9000 companies. As the name implies they also develop fixtures. These find applications in industrial painting and woodworking. Our familiarity with industrial processes made Kunukku a natural choice to assist in the development process by laying out and mounting the operator dials so that they could be machined on a Bridgeport.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: THE SEARS UNDERGRADUATE DESIGN LABORATORY

A BEACON FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN OHIO

Larry Sears, founder of Hexagram Inc., funded and directed the development of The Sears Undergraduate Design Laboratory at Case Western Reserve University. His motivation was to improve the local "entrepreneurial mass" (as in critical mass) in the school, and electrical and electronic industries through a concentration of activities to form "creative chaos". "Creative Chaos" results when barriers to serendipitous interaction between people are reduced so that they exchange information and assistance freely, irrespective of their usual focus. To this end, most walls - even in the Project "Sandbox" Space - are unblinded glass that lets people see each other and make easy contact.

One concern Larry wanted to address was the present tendency towards "Modularization of Engineering", i.e. the inclination towards "Plug and Play" design; and the reliance on simulation, modeling and virtualization of electrical/electronic engineering. He felt this interposes itself between the designer and a deeper understanding of the factors that affect optimized design.

Among the interesting artifacts collected by way of decorative and inspiring display were a 50s era Gilbert Electrical Set (similar to erector set) and a similar set of boards and components from the late 70s.

Elements of the building, design laboratory, and intended functioning are:

Expanded Circuit Laboratory

- 20 Basic Stations
- 12 Advanced Stations
- Updated Instruments
- Class rooms

Project "Sandbox" Space

- A place where long term projects can be sequestered and protected while in development

Student Activity Center

- Student Organizations
- Meeting Areas
- Places to sleep

Department Offices

Electronics Store

- Components & Supplies
- Open to the Public

Instrument Department

- Instruments for loan
- Open to the Community

Flea Market

- A place to accept and freely distribute unused electrical/electronic components (uh, no more resistors though, please).

In addition there is an endowment for:

- Lab Director to ensure the maintenance and promotion of the facility
- Lab Technician to assist users of the facility

It's an impressive and well thought out plan to get electrical and electronic engineering students to work together, partly in the spirit of adventurous play. We wish to commend Larry Sears for his generosity and leadership in making this happen. Click Here to Read More.