[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 49 (Friday, March 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 11837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5665]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Notice of Government Owned Invention Available for Nonexclusive 
Licensing

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Government owned invention available for nonexclusive 
licensing.

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SUMMARY: The invention listed below is owned in whole by the U.S. 
Government, as represented by the Department of Commerce. The invention 
is available for nonexclusive licensing in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 
207 and 37 CFR part 404 to achieve expeditious commercialization of 
results of federally funded research and development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical and licensing information on 
this invention may be obtained by writing to: National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Office of Technology Partnerships, Attn: Mary 
Clague, Building 820, Room 213, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. Information is 
also available via telephone: 301-975-4188 , fax 301-869-2751, or e-
mail: [email protected]. Any request for information should include 
the NIST Docket number and title for the invention as indicated below.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST may enter into a Cooperative Research 
and Development Agreement (``CRADA'') with the licensee to perform 
further research on the invention for purposes of commercialization. 
The invention available for nonexclusive licensing is:

NIST Docket Number: 00-028US

    Title: Suspended Dry-Dock Platform.
    Abstract: A cable-supported platform that can precisely manipulate 
workers, tools/equipment and loads using position, velocity and force 
control modes. The platform uses six cables that attach to four support 
points on towers, walls or other structural supports so as to provide 
constraint and control of the suspended platform. The cable lengths can 
be independently controlled by hoist drive-mechanisms and coordinated 
to achieve intuitive platform movement in all six degrees-of-freedom 
(side-to-side, forward-and-back, up-and-down, and all three rotations 
about these motions: roll, pitch and yaw). The platform, consisting of 
servo components (i.e., hoist, amplifier, servo interface, sensory 
feedback), can be rapidly reconfigured to adjust to new applications. 
Initial applications address worker/equipment access challenges in dry 
dock ship and submarine repair and conversion. It can also be used for 
construction, high bays, and dam repair and maintenance. Various 
combinations of manual and automatic control can also be implemented. 
The hoists can be controlled manually by a multi-axis joystick, or can 
be automatically controlled by a computer.

    Dated: March 5, 2004.
Hratch G. Semerjian,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 04-5665 Filed 3-11-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P