The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has announced morning-long showcase of commercial applications of space- related technology Oct. 28 to kick off California's Technology Week, the first week of November.
The state Legislature passed concurrent resolution designating the week of Nov. 1-7, 1987, as California Technology Week to make state residents and businesses more aware of technological developments arising from the work of NASA centers.
In letter to Gov. George Deukmejian, JPL Director Dr. Lew Allen noted that the technology developed by JPL, Ames Research Center and other federal laboratories in California is available for exploitation by private sector businesses, state and local governments and schools and colleges.
"If more small business organizations were aware of the technologies and took advantage of them to start new projects or new businesses, the result would be many new jobs for Californians," Allen said.
New products and innovations developed by entrepreneurs from the technologies pioneered at JPL on space exploration projects will be exhibited at JPL's von Karman Auditorium Oct. 28 as part of the Laboratory's "Spinoff Showcase."
The agenda includes news briefing and an address by Ken Gibson, Director of the California Department of Commerce, statements by Technology Utilization officials and NASA/JPL panel.
Gordon Chapman, NASA Technology Utilization Officer at JPL, is coordinator of the lab's participation with NASA Headquarters. Dr. Norman Chalfin, JPL Technology Utilization Manager, is coordinator of JPL participation.
Representatives of 190 local area small business support groups have been invited to take part in the show- case, along with the NASA Industrial Applications Center at USC.
The showcase will include demonstrations of NASA/JPL spinoff which led to new businesses, such as new electric vehicle developments, sunglasses that shield against harmful ultra-violet radiation, parallel computers, advanced engineering software and welding curtains, among others.
Two of the businesses to be exhibited were created by former JPL employees who exploited space technology on which they worked. One is device which makes possible the detection of particulate matter (pollution) in atmospheres. The devices are used in laboratories, clean rooms, and hospitals. The idea arose from techniques developed for the capture of tiny particles in space.
Another former JPL employee under license from NASA used his own invention to create system called Genetiscan, which is able to image genetic material such as chromosomes on display where they can be computer manipulated to observe any defects. The process is called karyotyping.
The technique arose from the type of imaging used to bring photos of the planets to earth from NASA's unmanned scientific spacecraft.
The morning's program also includes "Spinoffs-in- the-Making," exhibitions of 3-D terrain imaging, mobile telephone systems via satellite, and remote pollution detection.
Business and news representatives also will be given tour of JPL facilities.
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