Collaborative Research Opportunities

Often times, it may not be cost-effective for a single party to undertake important research to support their business interests. Collaborative research is the shared underwriting of research by multiple stakeholders with a common interest in the product of that research effort. These stakeholders may be business colleagues, competitors, or have no business relationship whatsoever, save their common interest in the targeted research area. None the less, they can agree that it makes sound business sense to share in underwriting and guiding a collaborative research effort, since the ultimate value of the product lies not in the product itself, but moreso in how each stakeholder ultimately uses the product of the research to support their individual business operations.

While many industries have collaborative research organizations that, in fact, are organized for the express purpose of performing collaborative research on behalf of their industry members, this valuable mechanism is not universally available. JJENCO has broad experience in all facets of organizing, conducting and documenting collaborative research programs, and is pleased to offer that capability at large.

Following are current collaborative research opportunities that are of interest to various stakeholders. You may also contact JJENCO to nominate an opportunity of your own choosing, and we will be happy to try and identify additional stakeholders who share your interest to make your research effort a cost-effective reality.

Compression Fitting Failure
A continuation of our work in the Fluid Sealing Technology area. The project goals are to identify current causal factors that contribute to failure of compression fittings in fluid sealing applications, and to develop successful leakage mitigation techniques for implementation by end-users.

Rapid Deployment Emergency Shelter
There is often an urgent need on the part of disaster victims for replacement temporary housing, after their own homes have been destroyed by an earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, or other natural disaster. Likewise, in war-torn regions of the world as was seen in Bosnia during the 1990's, armed conflicts can sometimes also result in massive requirements to provide immediate housing for whole populations of displaced peoples. Project goals are to design, build and test an inexpensive prototype rapidly deployable structure suitable for short-to-intermediate term habitation for a family of 4-6 persons.

Wearable Technologies for Enhanced Task Performance
Wearable technologies, such as wearable computers, augmented vision and communications systems, and other sensors have become feasible for integration into independent wearable systems. This concept is already finding traction with the US Army 'Advanced WarFighter' program, and holds the promise of providing significant increases in individual productivity for workers involved in the performance of complex work tasks. Project goals are to identify core technologies that share broad application and develop a prototype wearable technology demonstration platform as a foundation for further evolution by specialized application.

Commercialization of Wi-Fi Networks
Wi-Fi networks, particularly in the form of 'wireless clouds' over entire sectors of a city or town, are now technically possible and are attracting great interest from end-users. However, commercial and municipal incentives to implementation are less clear, particularly with respect to cost-benefit and cost-recovery factors important to the network owner. Project goals are to design and implement an outdoor wireless network shared by a variety of different businesses, and subsequently study the value of various identified applications and benefits in concert with the affected businesses and end-users.