Innovative technologies often emerge in the marketplace due to research conducted at universities, federal laboratories, and other not-for-profit institutions. Technology transfer is one of UCAR's six primary goals. Through the UCAR Foundation, the fruits of our research are made available for private firms to adapt into commercially viable products. Software and educational training modules developed within NCAR and UCAR Community Programs are also examples of our technology transfer activity. By commercializing knowledge and technology, the foundation amplifies the benefits of publicly supported science and establishes independent sources of revenue to help support further research at NCAR and UCAR. In addition to licensing technology directly to private firms, the foundation also invests in business development as a means of bringing the fruits of UCAR research to society.

The UCAR Foundation has managed NCAR's intellectual property developed by scientists and researchers since 1986. Through the establishment of the commercial partnerships with industry and the development of products from these technologies, UCARF Technology Commercialization provides important benefits to the public and promotes economic growth.

Featured Technologies

Low-Level Windshear Alert System (LLWAS)

Low-Level Windshear Alert System (LLWAS) is used to detect low-level windshear in runway corridors of operation. The ground based system gives both audio and visual alarms to ATC professionals in clearly represented numerical and graphical form. In locations where low level windshear is known to be experienced an LLWAS system can be utilized to increase the operational efficiency and safety of the airport.

The Phase-3 LLWAS algorithm was developed for the FAA by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) to detect low level windshear at U.S. airports. The technology currently serves over 100 airports in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

For more information, contact these LLWAS vendors:

GPS Dropsonde & AVAPS

The GPS Dropsonde is a lightweight instrument package that is launched from an aircraft. As it descends from altitude (5,000 - 38,000 feet) to the surface, at about 2500 feet per minute, it measures and transmits current pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and GPS position information to AVAPS hardware in the aircraft every 0.05 seconds. The sonde also receives GPS navigation signals from at least four GPS satellites, and measures the Doppler shift of each signal. Up to four sondes can be deployed simultaneously. AVAPS receives this data, processes it, then displays the time from launch, raw weather data, number of FPS satellites being tracked, and geopotential altitude for each sonde deployed. The raw and processed data are also written to the computer's internal hard drive. After the drop has ended, the data files can be printed and data can be analyzed.

For more information, contact:

Water Vapor Sensing System II (WVSS II)

By pairing a sleek new air sampler designed at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) with a diode laser from SpectraSensors, Inc., researchers have hit on a technology that can capture highly accurate atmospheric water vapor data during routine commercial flights. The data will benefit researchers and forecasters, who need more frequent, accurate measurements at various altitudes worldwide to improve weather forecasts and monitor climate change.

The WVSS-II is designed to meet the demanding need for accurate observations of atmospheric water vapor from commercial aircraft. WVSS-II is also suitable for atmospheric research applications, using alternative installation and communications interfaces.

For more information, contact:

Hotplate

About five inches in diameter, the device consists of two plates warmed by electrical heaters. During storms, it measures the rate of rain or snow by how much power is needed to evaporate precipitation on the upper plate and keep its surface temperature constant. The second pate, positioned directly under the evaporating plate and heated to the same temperature as the top, factors out cooling from the wind.

For more information, contact:

    (Yankee Environmental Systems, Inc.)

Advanced Radar Corporation was founded by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Foundation (UCARF) with the purpose of transferring weather radar technology from the research community to the commercial arena.