Tech RAID developed to advance AFRL research

Tech RAID

The Doolittle Institute will offer three menu options to facilitate intellectual property development. Collectively called Technology Researcher’s Agile Invention Development (Tech RAID), these options advance research at increasing stages of maturity. Pulling its name and concept from the Doolittle Raids and Agile project management, the Tech RAID hints at the idea that researchers are going to get everything out of their invention that they can: any improvement, claims, coverage, strength, applications, industries, products, and uses. Although all events will be structured similarly, their goals and outcomes will differ.

Events are congruous to innovation development. These three menu options include: (1) Novelty Exploration Workshop (before invention disclosure), (2) Disclosure Improvement Process (post-disclosure but pre-application), and (3) Commercialization Exploration (post-patent application).A scientist or engineer (S&E) may enter the process at any phase of their research, provided that the S&E participates in at the appropriate stage (pre-disclosure, post-disclosure, or post-application). An S&E may drop in at any maturity level, or complete all three events consecutively.

Novelty Exploration Workshop

This event is for S&Es who have not yet started the process of moving towards a patent. This is pre-disclosure, before the S&E formally notifies the lab of a discovery. Novelty Exploration is for the phase of research when the S&E is uncertain what is "novel, unique, and non-obvious" about their discovery, let alone what commercial applications it could fit. These S&Es are primarily focused on solving the problem at hand, or what practical military applications the technology will have. This event will also help S&Es learn how to communicate their research to a non-technical audience. A panel will brainstorm the unique, patentable, and possibly commercially valuable aspects (it might not have any, and that's okay). The panel may also identify other possible fields of use, other applications (industrial, consumer, military, or otherwise) for the technology, or other problems the technology could solve. Other IP may be developed during this process. Results are turned over to the S&E and patent attorney to begin developing a patent application.

Disclosure Improvement Process

S&Es at this phase will have already disclosed their invention to their labs, but have not yet applied for a patent. This type of Tech RAID will focus on strengthening existing invention disclosures to improve the odds of obtaining a broader, possibly commercially viable patent. Though the technology may still be tightly focused on solving a specific military problem, S&Es at this stage will be able to clearly and concisely convey what makes their invention unique. They may or may not have completed another Tech RAID. A panel will focus on how to improve the disclosed invention, specifically, how to: (1) broaden the claims, and (2) identify new fields of use (though not necessarily commercial ones). The panel will generalize and abstract those specific claims to extend the patent's coverage. Further, the panel may identify new and unforeseen fields of use for the innovation. Once this event concludes, the results are turned over to the S&Es and patent attorney to use in the application process. This may also be part of an invention review process internal to the lab.

Commercialization Exploration

S&Es interested in this Tech RAID will have already applied for a patent. Once an S&E has applied for a patent, he/she/they may begin exploring potential commercial applications for said patent. The goal of a commercialization exploration is to improve the marketing to industry, and can include (as requested) collaboration with industry for feedback on the technology. A panel will brainstorm potential commercial applications, identify markets, products, and industries. To conclude this event, the panel could then identify and screen the commercial candidates, using specific criteria to rank said candidates in terms of their sustainability and attractiveness. After the Commercialization Evaluation, a Tech Valuation Study can be conducted to determine fair and appropriate royalties for a licensed patent.

Get Started

Contact techtransfer@doolittleinstitute.org if you're an AFRL researcher who would like to find out how to participate in a Tech RAID. Other Innovation Institutes or licensing offices are welcome to adopt incorporate Tech RAIDs into their technology transfer programs. Contact the Doolittle Institute to get the secret sauce!

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