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Office of Science and Technology Policy Blog

  • Developing the Next Generation of Robots

    Posted by Tom Kalil and Sridhar Kota on June 24, 2011 at 10:14 AM EDT

    Today, in a speech at Carnegie Mellon University, President Obama is launching the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a research initiative that will promote a renaissance of American manufacturing.

    One exciting element of the President’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership is the National Robotics Initiative.  Robots are working for us every day, in countless ways.  At home, at work, and on the battlefield, robots are increasingly lifting the burdens of tasks that are dull, dirty, or dangerous.

    But they could do even more, and that’s what the National Robotics Initiative is all about. So today, four agencies (the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA, and the United States Department of Agriculture) are issuing a joint solicitation that will provide up to $70 million in research funding for next-generation robotics.

    The focus of this initiative is on developing robots that work with or beside people to extend or augment human capabilities, taking advantage of the different strengths of humans and robots.  In addition to investing in the core technology needed for next-generation robotics, the initiative will support applications such as robots that can:

    • Increase the productivity of workers in the manufacturing sector;
    • Assist astronauts in dangerous and expensive missions;
    • Help scientists accelerate the discovery of new, life-saving drugs; and
    • Improve food safety by rapidly sensing microbial contamination.

    The initiative will also accelerate progress in the field by requiring researchers to share the software and robotics operating systems they develop or contribute to, and funding the purchase of robotics platforms.

    The Administration has decided to make robotics a priority because:

    • Robotics can address a broad range of national needs such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, services, transportation,  homeland security, defense, medicine, healthcare, space exploration, environmental monitoring, and agriculture;
    • Robotics technology is reaching a “tipping point” and is poised for explosive growth because of improvements in core technologies such as microprocessors, sensors, and algorithms;
    • Robotics can play an important role in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education because it encourages hands-on learning and the integration of science, engineering, and creative thinking; and
    • Members of the research community such as the Computing Community Consortium and program managers in key sciences have developed a shared vision and an ambitious technical agenda for developing next-generation robotic systems that can safely work with humans and augment human capabilities.

    We want to thank the team of agency program managers that worked on development of this solicitation.  We also want to encourage leaders in industry and academia to partner with the Administration as we work to promote U.S. leadership in next-generation robotics and its applications.

    Tom Kalil is Deputy Director for Policy at OSTP

    Sridhar Kota is Assistant Director for Advanced Manufacturing at OSTP

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  • Materials Genome Initiative: A Renaissance of American Manufacturing

    Posted by Tom Kalil and Cyrus Wadia on June 24, 2011 at 9:03 AM EDT

    From the synthetic fibers in Kevlar vests to the lithium-based compounds that power your laptop, advanced materials are so much a part of our everyday lives it’s not surprising that many people don’t appreciate how difficult it is to develop them. It can take 20 or more years to transition a material from discovery to a commercial product on store shelves. Those lithium ion batteries, for example, which are ubiquitous today not only in laptops but in all kinds portable electronic devices, were first proposed in the mid-1970s but only achieved broad market adoption and use in the late 1990s.

    This current “time-to-market” from discovery to deployment for new classes of materials is far too slow, given the range of urgent problems that advanced materials can help us solve.  New materials, for example, can enable companies to make safer, lighter vehicles, packaging that keeps food fresher and more nutritious, and solar cells as cheap as paint.

    Today, as part of his new Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, the President is announcing an ambitious plan, the Materials Genome Initiative, to double the speed with which we discover, develop, and manufacture new materials. The White House released a new white paper describing the initiative, Materials Genome Initiative for Global Competitiveness (pdf), produced by the Cabinet-level National Science and Technology Council.  

    In the same way that the Human Genome Project accelerated a range of biological sciences by identifying and deciphering the basic building blocks of the human genetic code, the Materials Genome Initiative will speed our understanding of the fundamentals of material science, providing a wealth of practical information that entrepreneurs and innovators will be able to use to develop new products and processes.

    The President’s FY12 budget includes $100 million to launch the Materials Genome Initiative, with funding for the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.  The initiative will fund computational tools, software, new methods for material characterization, and the development of open standards and databases that will make the process of discovery and development of advanced materials faster, less expensive, and more predictable.

    Realizing the goals of the Materials Genome Initiative will require an unprecedented level of collaboration among all stakeholders, including government, industry, academia, professional societies, and national labs.  By working together, we can use advanced materials to help solve of our most pressing national challenges and promote a renaissance of American manufacturing.

    Tom Kalil is Deputy Director for Policy at OSTP

    Cyrus Wadia is Assistant Director for Clean Energy and Materials R&D at OSTP

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  • Taking the Pulse on Health IT Exports

    Posted by Aneesh Chopra on June 22, 2011 at 1:52 PM EDT

    Recently I had the pleasure of hosting a roundtable to discuss opportunities and challenges relating to the export of Health Information Technology (Health IT) products and services.  This emerging sector is one of several that are important for the success of the National Export Initiative, announced by President Obama in February 2010 with the goal of doubling exports in five years.

    Held in conjunction with the Manufacturing & Services unit of the International Trade Administration and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, our roundtable featured dynamic conversations among a broad array of industry leaders, including representatives from healthcare providers, software and hardware vendors, and consulting firms. 

    Together we addressed opportunities in this rapidly globalizing sector that embraces a wide array of participants and can benefit from innovation both at home and abroad.  The discussion was focused on three primary topics:  1) barriers to increased exports; 2) HIT services and international partnerships; and 3) standards and interoperability.  Input provided by the group was helpful in identifying current and potential future obstacles and ensuring that our domestic innovation is informed by the reality of global markets.

    Along with my co-hosts Assistant Secretary of Commerce Nicole Lamb-Hale and National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, I would like to personally thank the talented health, technology, and professional services representatives who took time out from their schedules to ensure that our Health IT sector remains competitive both at home and abroad. 

    Stay tuned for more opportunities to engage in this important topic.

    Roundtable Attendees: 

    Andrew Slavitt, CEO, INGENIX (soon to be OptumInsight)
    Robin Raiford, Executive Director, Federal Affairs, Allscripts
    David Yakimischak, Chief Quality Officer, Surescripts
    John Feikema, President and CEO, Visionshare
    Linda Boles, Chief Strategist, U.S. Public Sector Healthcare Innovation, Strategic Relations Operation, Cisco
    Shawn Dolley, Vice President & General Manager, Worldwide Public Sector, Netezza/IBM Marc Perlman, Global Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Oracle
    Matt Krupnick, Director, Global Public Policy, Dell/CSC
    R. Shaun Gause, President, Global Group Inc.
    Alice Borrelli, Director, Global Health and Workforce Policy, Intel (also Continua Health Alliance)
    Brian DeMay, CIO, Enterprise Architecture, Walgreens
    Joe Ternullo, Director of International Corporate Relations, Partners Healthcare
    Jamie Ferguson, Vice President, Health IT Strategy and Policy, Kaiser Permanente
    Hank Fanberg, Director of Technology Advocacy, CHRISTUS Health
    Jay Sanders, President and CEO, The Global Telemedicine Group
    Jeremy Bonfini, Executive Vice President of Global Services, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)
    Tom Leary, Senior Director, Federal Affairs, HIMSS
    Allison Viola, Director, Federal Relations, American Health Information Management Association
    Jonathan Linkous, Executive Director, American Telemedicine Association
    Jennifer Covich Bordenick, Chief Executive Officer, eHealth Initiative
    Chuck Parker, Executive Director, Continua Health Alliance
    Justin Barnes, Vice President of Marketing, Corporate & Government Affairs, Greenway Medical Technologies
    Laura Caliguiri, Director, Government and Industry Relations, Microsoft Health Solutions Group (also representing TechAmerica)
    West Shell, Chairman and CEO, Healthline

    Aneesh Chopra is U.S. Chief Technology Officer

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  • Inventing a Better Patent System

    Posted by Aneesh Chopra on June 21, 2011 at 9:08 PM EDT

    Congratulations to the House Judiciary Committee for its stewardship in ushering the bipartisan, bicameral, Leahy-Smith America Invents Act onto the Floor for full House consideration.

    Enactment of this bi-partisan patent reform legislation would advance an important component of the President’s Strategy for American Innovation.  As such, we urge the House to pass H.R. 1249, as modified by the Manager’s Amendment, so this important job-creating legislation can be enacted. 

    It is also crucial that final legislative action ensure that the US Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO’s) fee collections are made fully available to support the Nation’s patent and trademark system.

    A strong patent system is vital to all types of innovators – whether they are hobbyists, small business entrepreneurs, or team members within large industrial enterprises.  The time-limited market exclusivity allowed by patents helps businesses raise funds to create jobs, invest in research and development, and launch new cutting-edge products and services.

    At the same time, the disclosure requirements that accompany patent issuance ensure that others don’t waste time and resources reinventing the wheel but rather accelerate the Nation’s engine of ingenuity by taking inventions to the next level of sophistication and efficiency.

    We desperately need to revamp our Nation’s intellectual property system to meet the needs of today’s fast-moving global economy.  Passage of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act would help boost patent quality, reduce the backlog of patent applications, and cut costs for American companies.  The legislation will provide greater certainty and consistency for innovators’ rights, reduce legal costs that often hinder small businesses as they develop their products, and make it easier for innovators to bring their inventions to the global marketplace.  

    I am hopeful that the President will have the opportunity to sign this historic legislation this year, which would help unlock the potential of U.S. inventors to help America create quality jobs and out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world.

    Aneesh Chopra is the U.S. Chief Technology Officer

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  • White House Event Amps Up Grid Modernization Efforts

    Posted by Aneesh Chopra on June 15, 2011 at 2:39 PM EDT

    On Monday, the White House brought together a range of stakeholders from throughout the energy sector—including  utility executives, state regulators, federal agencies, consumer advocates, technology leaders and entrepreneurs -- to discuss along with Administration officials the most effective ways of upgrading our country’s electric grid.  The White House also released a new report, A Policy Framework for a 21stCentury Grid, produced by the Cabinet-level National Science and technology Council.

    The advent of a range of information, communications, and energy technologies provides us with an opportunity to upgrade the grid in a manner that will enable it to operate more efficiently, more reliably, and to spur innovation.  To take best advantage of the opportunities provided by these technologies, A Policy Framework for a 21stCentury Grid establishes four key priorities:

    1. "Scale what works" to enable cost-effective smart grid investments;
    2. Unlock the innovation potential in the electricity sector with a continued focus on open interoperability standards;
    3. Empower consumers with education and access to their own energy usage information in consumer- and computer- friendly formats, with improved privacy safeguards and consumer protections; and
    4. Continue to secure the grid against natural disasters and cyber-threats.

    President Obama has set goals of having one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 and generating 80% of our electricity from a diverse set of clean energy sources by 2035.  Upgrading our grid can play an important role in moving towards these bold but achievable goals, as well as integrating renewable energy into the grid while also becoming better able to facilitate the wider use and charging of electric vehicles. Upgrading the grid would also have a direct effect on consumers by saving families money through increased efficiency and reliability, while also helping utilities avoid blackouts and restore power quicker when they occur. 

    We are already making progress. Secretary Chu announced on Monday that Recovery Act investments have enabled the installation of 5 million smart meters and 140,000 programmable thermostats to date. We are paving the way so customers have the information they need to make informed decisions about their energy use and can save money.

    We are also making progress bringing renewable energy to American cities and towns.  At Monday’s event, Nancy Sutley, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), announced the formation of a Department of Energy, Department of Interior, and CEQ-led Renewable Energy Rapid Response Team, which will improve Federal coordination and ensure timely review of proposed renewable energy projects and transmission lines.  In addition, the Administration continues to support transmission planning efforts, which have already resulted in the identification by stakeholders of high-priority transmission lines.

    As we heard this week, making sustained progress on grid modernization will take a collaborative partnership with States and stakeholders.  What works for New York isn’t the same as what might work for North Dakota or Texas. The Administration is committed to continuing to work with various stakeholders, hearing their concepts or concerns while also sharing lessons learned and best practices, as we move forward with this important project.

    We also heard from two inspiring high school students who have already set up their own non-profit to promote energy savings in schools. It is in that spirit the Department of Energy has launched an America’s Home Energy Education Challenge, to ensure students can learn about energy and help their families save money at the same time. Participants in that challenge are sure to benefit from electronic access to their energy data.

    Modernizing America’s electric grid is critical to winning the future.  A smarter and expanded electric grid – a 21st century electric grid – is an important part of continuing to build our 21st century clean energy economy, leveraging American ingenuity while creating jobs and maintaining American competiveness. Thanks to the efforts of the Administration and the many stakeholders that gathered at the White House on Monday, we are confident it will happen.

    Aneesh Chopra is US Chief Technology Officer

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  • U.S. – International Dialogue on Women in STEM Livecast Tomorrow 6/14, 11 a.m EDT

    Posted by Lauren Andersen on June 13, 2011 at 6:05 PM EDT

    President Obama has made clear that as part of his commitment to “restore science to its rightful place” the United States needs to do more to engage young people and underrepresented groups in the pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and careers.

    Although women represent a majority of college graduates in the United States, they still constitute a significant minority of those receiving STEM degrees. The Obama Administration is committed to increasing their participation by encouraging, supporting, and retaining women who will play a driving role in advancing the science and technologies of the future.

    Tomorrow, the White House will invite 16 women scientists representing a number of countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America to participate in a dialogue with senior women scientists from across the Administration on increasing the number of Women in STEM fields. Having traveled from various parts of the globe to take part in the State Department’s Changing Mindsets Symposium, these visiting scientists will share their experiences and impressions on best practices for engaging women and girls in this critical arena.

    Moderated by Sherburne Abbott, Associate Director for Environment, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the discussion will also feature insights from the following U.S. officials:

    • Dr. Marcia McNutt, Director, US Geological Survey, Department of the Interior
    • Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services
    • Dr. Cora Marrett, Deputy Director, National Science Foundation
    • Dr. Machi Dilworth, Director, Office of International Science and Engineering, National Science Foundation

    You too can participate in this discussion. Before the event, tweet your questions for participants using the tag #WHwomeninscience, then watch the conversation live tomorrow, June 14th at 11 a.m. on WhiteHouse.gov/Live for a chance to see your questions answered.

    Learn more about Education, Technology, Women