$200 million up for digital video R&D. Now it's a US priority............
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NIST Prepares New Round of R&D Funding
Manufacturers of digital video gear might want to contact the U.S. Commerce Department for R&D funding in the coming year.
The Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has identified digital video as one of its top priorities and is actively looking for industry research programs to support.The program is currently slated to receive some $200 million for fiscal 1998, provided the numbers are not tweaked by Congress before the year begins October 1.
Within the next two weeks, NIST will issue a white paper outlining the specific types of innovations that would qualify for matching funds. According to David Hermreck, manager of the program, the paper outlines 15 key technology areas, including:
Composition and manipulation of multiple video sources in the compressed domain. Hermreck said this is largely designed to provide a way for local broadcasters to insert commercial, weather warnings and other items into compressed network feeds. The David Sarnoff Research Center in New Jersey is working on such a device, although it is unclear whether it has sought federal research funds; Real-time composition of real and synthetic content. This is largely a function of MPEG 4, in which rendered or synthetic objects can be combined with real images;Authoring tools to make low-cost, interactive digital video applications;Management of archived digital video;Super high-definition video of more than 7,000 lines designed to foster digital feature films and electronic distribution.
According to Hermreck, NIST will collaborate with technology companies until the competition is formally announced in the Commerce Business Daily, the Commerce Department's newsletter. That announcement is due in mid-October.
"We have an industry collaboration process," he said. "Either through conversation or written submission, industry can make suggestions as to what our areas of influence should be. The white paper is the results of that inquiry, but the door is not closed yet. We are still trying to engage in dialogue to determine what should be funded."
Millions Up for Grabs
NIST has been sponsoring the program since 1995. In that year, six projects involving 15 companies were funded to the tune of $55 million, with the companies putting up another $66 million. Typical projects are funded over three to five years at about $10 million to $20 million per year.
Commerce's goal is to facilitate U.S. economic growth by taking some of the bite out of high-risk, long-term research and development. All companies participating in the program retain the intellectual property and patents that emerge from the research, although Commerce does encourage manufacturers to commercialize products as soon as possible.
The program is open to U.S. companies, even those owned by a foreign parent provided the research, development and, whenever possible, the manufacturing is carried out in the U.S. French-owned Thomson Consumer Electronics and Dutch Philips NV have been awarded research funds in the past.
Cash Up Front
Hermreck said that while NIST has not formally received its fiscal 1998 funding, the leels being debated in congressional committees are more than adequate to fund the digital video program.
"We're looking at fairly good numbers in both houses," he said.
Congress previously funded the organization at about $400 million a year, although that level has been cut in half.
This year, the agency requested $225 million, and current bills are slated to dole out $200 milion. (NIST, 301/975-4328) |
