Noetic Assists USM Professors in Sale of Technology

What if a technology was developed that let us control the direct path of the sun?  Sure, its far-fetched.  But the benefits it would bring to the world of science are immeasurable.   While we may not ever be able to control the sun, two professors from USM developed a invention that may be the next-best thing. This groundbreaking invention, developed by Drs. Marek W. Urban and James M. Evans, utilizes GPS to precisely calculate and track the direct path of the sun. When integrated with a rotating platform, their invention yields the ability to control direct sun exposure.

Controlling precise sun exposure has long been a dream for scientists and engineers.  Sunlight exposure is a critical component in the process of weather-testing materials and samples.  Their device allows test samples to be positioned perpendicular to the sun’s rays at all times.  This greatly increases the efficiency of the weather testing process, as direct sun exposure decreases the total time needed for testing compared to conventional methods of indirect sun exposure. 

Dr. Urban and Evans’ technology boasts significant advantage over previous efforts to calculate and track the sun’s path.  In the past, other devices fell short because they were unable to accurately account for external variables.  Their new mechanism, dubbed “Sunflower”, is able to track the exact path of the sun regardless of its position to the earth, the time of day, weather conditions, or other external factors. 

Development of a working prototype for inventions such as Sunflower is a fundamental sign of progress, but not the final step to success.  Its not uncommon for technology innovators or aspiring small businesses to conceive an invention, yet be unsure of the best strategy to commercialize it.  Intellectual property assessment, market research, licensing, and marketing strategies are just a few of the hurdles that must be overcome in bringing an idea from conception to marketplace.  

To assist in the development and commercialization of Sunflower, they called upon the expertise of Noetic Technologies, Inc.  Noetic specializes in the commercialization process of technology.  The collaborative effort included market research, license negotiations, and evaluating the best strategy to find a customer for Sunflower. 

Noetic’s experience proved invaluable during the sales process  “In the end, it was decided that the sale of our intellectual property was the best option for all parties”, explained Dr. Evans. 

Dr. Urban concurred, “Noetic’s capacity to assist in negotiating the sale of our idea was a key component to our success.  There are numerous projects in the works, and we look forward to collaborating with Noetic in our future endeavors. ”  

The sale of the technology took place in July 2007.

Dr. Marek Urban (above) serves as professor at the USM School of Polymers and High Performance Materials.  He also directs the National Science Foundation funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC).

Dr. James Evans (above) serves as director of the Mississippi Polymer Institute, which provides technical expertise and business support for the polymers industry.

Noetic Technologies, Inc. began as an initiative of The University of Southern Mississippi and is geared toward marketing and commercialization of the university’s technology.  For the past three years, Noetic has played a vital role in bringing ideas to the marketplace for several high tech startup companies. “Connecting vision to reality for technology-minded innovators is our primary focus”, explains President Les Goff.

Noetic’s management team comprises fifty years of combined experience in market research, product development, process management, and marketing strategies. 

Contact Kelli Booth at 601.818.0612 for more information.