Bridge Science and Industry Notes on technology transfer from robotics research

Utku Çulha

CS 491/2 Senior Design Project – Bilkent University

18/04/2016

18.04.2016 Utku Çulha 2

B.Sc. 2009 – Computer Engineering

Bilkent University

M.Sc. 2012 – Computer Engineering

Bilkent University

Vis. Sch. 2011 – NanoLab

Carnegie Mellon University

Dr.Sc. 2016 – Mechanical Engineering

ETH Zurich

Res. Asst. 2015 – Information Engineering

University of Cambridge

Career Choice

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Graduation

Industry Academia

• Inner drive

• Scientific rigor

• Technical skills

• Recognize opportunities

• Customer value

• Risk taking

Need for value-creating ideas Need for outreach to world use

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Career Choice

Graduation

Industry Academia

• Inner drive

• Scientific rigor

• Technical skills

• Recognize opportunities

• Customer value

• Risk taking

Academic Entrepreneurship • Combine the skill sets

• Benefit from both worlds

Need for value-creating ideas Need for outreach to world use

Research Types

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Pure basic

research

(Niels Bohr)

Use-inspired

basic research

(Louis Pasteur)

Pure applied

research

(Thomas

Edison)

Consideration of use

Quest for

fundamental

understanding

NO

NO

Y

ES

YES

This is where we

place our research lab

Adopted from Donald Stokes, "Pasteur's Quadrant: Basic Science and Technology Innovation", 1997

A Research Lab Anatomy

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Science, students,

collaborating labs

Industry, institutes Spin-offs

New technologies

Patents

Products

Funding, publicity

Discoveries,

scientific progress

Academic

Entrepreneurship

How to Start a University Spin-off?

• Requires the mind-set of an academic entrepreneur

• Not straightforward

• Depends on university regulations

• You are not alone: Technology Transfer Offices

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Technology Transfer Offices

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Adopted from the ETH Innovation and Entrepreneurship Laboratory presentation, 2012

Bilkent University

Technology Transfer Office

A Multistage Holistic Model*

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*Pattnaik, P.N., & Pandey, S.C., University Spinoffs: What, Why, and How?, Technology Innovation Management Review, 4(12), 44-50, 2014.

Capabilities

Identify

Competency

Funding

Research

Results

Prototype

Disclosure

Patent

License

Create

Spin-off

Generate

Value

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Identification Prototyping Securing I.P. Outreach

The Road to Spin-off

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Capabilities

Identify

Competency

Funding

Stage 1

Define what research will be done and how

Contact Technology Transfer Office

Self or university, corporate or public funding

Identification

The Road to Spin-off

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Research

Results

Prototype

Stage 2

Conduct research based on capabilities

Test and confirm research

Generate the first reliable and working unit

Prototyping

The Road to Spin-off

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Disclosure

Patent

License

Stage 3

Protect the intellectual property

Is the invention patentable?

What can be licensed?

Securing I.P.

The Road to Spin-off

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Stage 4

The bridge has been established

Win-win scenario

Create

Spin-off

Generate

Value

Outreach

Examples from Own Research

• Prolog Ltd. – Learning Digital Stethoscopes GE402 Project to patent producing company

• NooNee Ltd. – Chairless chairs

ETH Spin-off that sells products to BMW and Audi

• In Proggress – Lettuce Picking Robot Hands

Farming 1 Million Lettuce in Cambridge

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eXist Ltd. to Prolog Ltd.

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eXist Ltd. to Prolog Ltd.

GE401-402 2009 Project: StethoMemoria

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http://ge402.bilkent.edu.tr/OLD/exist/

eXist Ltd. to Prolog Ltd.

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Prolog Ltd. was founded at Bilkent Cyberpark in 2010

Funded by:

• USIM (Üniversite Sanayi İşbirliği Merkezi) – Bilkent University

• Teknogirişim – TC Bilim, Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanlığı

Science, students,

collaborating labs:

Hacettepe Univ. Hospital

OSTİM

Consultancy

IT Services

Organisations

Funding, publicity Patented Technology

R&D

Stethoscope

Locomotion Research in BIRL

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Cargo: Efficient (distance vs power) locomotion ETHop: Spring-dampers on hopping height

More in: http://divf.eng.cam.ac.uk/birl/

Chairless Chair

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Capabilities on locomotion efficiency Simpler, competent use value

NooNee Ltd.

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ETH Spin-off

Funded by Venture Capitals

Patents pending

Customers: BMW and AUDI

More in: http://www.noonee.com

Hand Research in BIRL

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Human like soft joints, tendons allow flexibility Soft sensors gather tactile and position information

More in: http://divf.eng.cam.ac.uk/birl/

Lettuce Picking

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Work in Progress

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Cambridge Spin-off

Funding search continues

Patents pending

Customers: Sainsbury’s

?

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Summary

Graduation

Industry Academia

• Inner drive

• Scientific rigor

• Technical skills

• Recognize opportunities

• Customer value

• Risk taking

Academic Entrepreneurship • Combine the skill sets

• Benefit from both worlds

Need for value-creating ideas Need for outreach to world use

Thank You

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Spin-offs

New technologies

Patents

Products

Academic

Entrepreneurship

Quiz question:

What are the four stages that

pave the road to university

spin-off?