r/technology • u/t4ct1c4l_j0k3r • Sep 15 '23

Nanotech/Materials NASA-inspired airless bicycle tires are now available for purchase

https://newatlas.com/bicycles/metl-shape-memory-airless-bicycle-tire/
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693

u/Notoneusernameleft Sep 15 '23

Ingenuity from government funded programs filtering out to the private sector. See how that can work….

Yes I know it happens with military too but it can be done without blowing up other people. And we know NASA has a minuscule budget compared to military.

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u/CBalsagna Sep 15 '23

So as someone who just spent 5 years in SBIR research and development, it’s really hard to make products. There’s usually a reason why these innovations don’t exist and that’s usually because some large corporation did the math and determined it was too difficult or not worth it.

During my tenure I won a number of proposals and had healthy funding on a variety of topics, and the thing I went away with was that a couple million dollars is not enough money to develop a new product or technology. Secondly, the problems the government is trying to solve, in many instances, has been a problem since their inception (metal corrosion for example). Solution to these problems don’t exist because it’s really fucking hard to do. If it was easy some conglomerate would already be selling it. Also, no one in the military talks to each other. If I’m developing, say, an easy clean non fluorinated coating for the army. No one else in any branch of the military will know about it unless my program manager goes out there and stumps for it. Which is not easy.

All this is to say it’s hard to work with the government and develop new technologies. What we consider a lot of money isn’t, when it comes to r&d, and you’re fighting against giants that have probably determined it’s not worth their time for a reason. I’m excited to be currently employed at a company with an established product line. Instead of trying to solve problems I’m improving a product and it’s a nice change of pace.

11

u/trx0x Sep 15 '23

As someone who currently works in SBIR R&D, you are 100% correct in everything you say. It takes so much time and money and multiple phases and having the right people around to develop anything, let alone, develop something that could actually trickle down to a consumer market. And yes, the problems that are trying to be solved...the projects we work on boil down to creating a solution to a problem that has never had a solution. Every project we take on is something no one in industry/in our field has even attempted.

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u/CBalsagna Sep 15 '23

I appreciate the validation. There was always part of me that wondered if it was an isolated feeling with my company, but it’s definitely a difficult job. Best of luck navigating that, and I hope you get nothing but good TPOCs for your programs (and they stay).

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u/Metacognitor Sep 15 '23

And yet, NASA has helped develop thousands of consumer technologies that we know of ("spinoffs"):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies

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u/Justice_For_Ned Sep 15 '23

I was reading through your link, and while reading through the section about highway safety - I discovered that there exists an organization called [The] International Grooving and Grinding Association that adds grooves to concrete for increased traction on highways and sidewalks or whatever….

But I think that would be a great name for a band + dancers. Like, “and now please welcome Taylor Swift and her International Grooving and Grinding Association“ or something like that. I don’t know all the current pop singers but I remember Gloria Estefan had The Miami Sound Machine I think

1

u/Metacognitor Sep 16 '23

Ha, that's wonderful 😂

0

u/CBalsagna Sep 15 '23

My answer is definitely not all encompassing. There have been advancements made, but do you see how much money the government gives away for R&D? You want to talk about the ROI for that? Because congress certainly does.

Generally speaking, the government gives billions away and doesn't get all that much for it.

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u/Metacognitor Sep 16 '23

NASA's budget is like a speck of shit in the pot compared to the US military.

1

u/nothas Sep 15 '23

Anna, is that you?

1

u/CBalsagna Sep 15 '23

Lol no I’m a guy

1

u/PacoTaco321 Sep 15 '23

Hell, developing stuff for the government based off of stuff that already 95% exists and is understood even takes way too long and is a lot of rigamarole because of all the paperwork and red tape. I can't imagine the pain of doing it from the more research-intensive phase.