9ce8f866   
   XPost: sci.electronics.design, comp.dsp   
   From: jya@ieee.org   
      
   Le Chaud Lapin wrote:   
   > Hi All,   
   >   
   > I am on the downslope of disillusionment regarding the truth of US-   
   > Government-funded research. I could pick any from a broad array of   
   > such insitutions and tell you of utterly-perplexing interactions I   
   > have had with them, but I decided to focus on DARPA, since, as we   
   > know, they were the original financial supporters of the Internet, it   
   > is claimed, and I do research with Internet protocols.   
   >   
   > I am beginning to think, no matter how truthful the claim of support   
   > is, it was probably more luck than anything. Bob Kahn et al probably   
   > squeeze out a solution by the Grace of God, and others beyond him had   
   > to fight massive intransigence and political battles to help IPv4   
   > survive. I say this after experiences over the last 5.5 months   
   > interacting with them and other US agencies. They claim to want   
   > breakthrough technology that is "high-impact", "revolutionary",   
   > "moderate-to-high risk". And they spend enormous amounts of money   
   > supposedly funding such research each year. They issue solicitations   
   > on the the SBIR/STTR programs. They have Broad Agency Announcements.   
   > They accept unsolicitied proposals. They employ Ph.d's whose bio's   
   > indicate deep experience in their respective areas of governance. And   
   > they have those cool demos on the Military Channel.   
   >   
   > Looking at all this, you would think that, if they had been searching   
   > for the solution to X for 15 years, and someone came to them and   
   > offered tangile proof of S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, they would be   
   > enthralled.   
   >   
   > NOT!!!!   
   >   
   > It is a bit hard to explain the experience, in mere words, so I have   
   > created this fictitious dialogue which is similar to the kind I have   
   > had.   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Hello?"   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Hi, yes, I am here."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Hi, I was told to contact you regarding research I have   
   > been doing for 15 years. I am aware of your SBIR/STTR, BAA's,   
   > etc...but I am contacting you directly to preempt problems that might   
   > occur if I follow those paths."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Ok, I am listening."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "I noticed that much of your research involves getting   
   > away from steam engines. For example, you have 7 outstanding   
   > solicitations on alternative to steam alone, not to mention 11 others   
   > on reducing rust ."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Yes, that's true."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "What if I told you that I had a machine that not only   
   > solved that rust problem you have with the steam, etc., but also   
   > validated your current push toward petrol-based fuel, in an engine   
   > that actually  runs. I call it an internal combustion engine."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Uh...not sure what you mean. This is a research organization,   
   > you do realize?"   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Yes, I know. I do research in engines, the same kind you   
   > do and write about each year. Now I know that you have spent $ 225US   
   > million in this area already, and...uh...you do not yet have what it   
   > is you want. I would like to have the opportunity to give you those   
   > things, plus a few extra, like something I call a fuel injector. Then   
   > there are oxygen sensors, overhead-cam, etc."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Overhead what? You realize..we are are under a a federal   
   > mandate to do fundamental research only?"   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Yes."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "We do research in advanced engine systems."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Yes."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "And my group does research, in particular, in non-steam   
   > engines that should provide advanced capabilities in the next 15-20   
   > years for the warfighter..."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Yes, I know."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "So how can I help you?"   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Well, I would like to demonstrate to you solutions to   
   > some of the problems you have."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Have you seen our web site? Why don't you go and read our   
   > solicitations...they are located at WWW-DOT..."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Yes, yes, I have read them, all of them, several times   
   > each."   
   >   
   > (Researcher pauses for a moment, goes to web page of Program Manager   
   > he is talking to, reads his bio, discovers that PM did Ph.D on   
   > governors in steam engine. Presumes that if research can speak   
   > intelligently about governors for 2-3 minutes, that will break the   
   > current impasse and mental disconnect)   
   >   
   > Researcher: "I was just reading your bio. I see you did your Ph.D. on   
   > governors. Was that challenging?"   
   >   
   > DARPA:: "Yes, quite challenging."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "You must have had problems achieving correct control loop   
   > with the analog components you had."   
   >   
   > (dialogue continues, Researcher eventually convinces PM of merit of   
   > electronic control of feedback, etc, and that Researcher is at least   
   > experienced with fundamentals of feedback.)   
   >   
   > Researcher: "So you can see that, if you had not only that, but other   
   > fixes, including a fuel that can actually be extracted from petrol   
   > which I call 'gasoline', that could be of some benefit to your   
   > research efforts."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Look, it's obivous that you have a lot of interest in this   
   > area, but I am not sure you have reached the right organization. We do   
   > fundamental research here. Maybe you could sell your product to a   
   > steam engine company. We actually have a few of them on contract now.   
   > We also have SBIR, STTR, and unsolicited proposals. Have you tried   
   > SBIR?"   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Well, not yet. I noticed that your SBIR solicitations   
   > focus on a relatively small problem, like an improved ventilator, or   
   > wood pulverizers, etc. There does not seem to be anything for an   
   > entire engine. My worry is that..if I were to write about an entire   
   > engine, there might be a bit of conceptual disconnect with the PM   
   > managing the solicitation...as the program managers are expecting   
   > proposals for narrowly focused problems.."   
   >   
   > DARPA: "Well, I don't know what to tell you.  These are the programs   
   > we have available. If you had something that addressed and immediate   
   > need of ours, then perhaps there would be something I could do, but   
   > nothing you have said so far has convinced me of that."   
   >   
   > Researcher: "Allow me to approach this from a different angle, if you   
   > will. I am reading here, this article in Big Bad Important Defense   
   > Industry Magazine. There is a Navy Admiral claiming that the greatest   
   > advance in military technology would be a not-yet-explored type of   
   > engine, perhaps running on fuel that 'derives from oil', and that   
   > $5.6US billion is being allocated over next 10 years to DARPA to   
   > pursue this technology. So I guess I am saying that, I can help you   
   > achieve that, if you will allow me a chance."   
   >   
   > DARPA: (impatiently) "What is it exactly that you want?"   
   >   
   > Researcher: "I would like the opportunity to demonstrate to you, the   
   > vision in that article realized, in a rough form, rough because I do   
   > not have the luxury to get all the components perfect, but certainly   
   > enough to move forward to a more thorough review. It actually   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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