Forms of Technology Transfer

Technology transfer (T2) is the ultimate goal of all transportation research. It is the process by which existing or newly acquired knowledge, facilities, or capabilities developed under federal research and development (R&D) funding, are shared and moved toward the commercial marketplace to fulfill public and private needs. Simply put, tech transfer accelerates the successful adoption of innovations and increases the impact of every taxpayers dollar spent on federal R&D.

DOT strives to make the knowledge and technology developed in its federal laboratories available to public and private entities in a variety of ways including:

• Scientific Dissemination – Sharing information with interested parties in government, industry, or academia.
• Direct Application – Putting knowledge to work directly in the programs of the DOT or other agencies.
• Commercial Transfer – Sharing knowledge with other organizations, especially from industry, that can realize the commercial potential of new or improved technologies.
• Importing Resources – Bringing in outside technology in cooperative and meaningful ways.