Ana M. Bernardos Barbolla

Critical factors for success in university–industry research projects

This study provides insight into the reality of university-industry technology transfer through the assessment of some of the most influential factors for success or failure in research contracts. This widespread mechanism of technology transfer is examined in the light of exhaustive information and experience gathered from thirty interviews with qualified university researchers. The interviewees, who have been directly involved in collaborative projects with industry partners, have deeply described both sound and unsatisfactory cooperation cases, in order to explore which relevant circumstances have led to success or failure. The analysis drives to conclude that there are some features (beyond technological ones) related to the corporate partner’s strategic and functional characteristics, which come to be decisive for success. For example, company’s real interest and involvement during the technology transfer process, its capacity to assimilate new knowledge and a confident attitude towards the university research group are identified to be key elements for attaining an effective technology transfer. In this contribution, the importance of these aspects is contextualized and summarized in a model for successful technology transfer.This study provides insight into the reality of university–industry technology transfer through the assessment of some of the most influential factors for success or failure in research contracts. This widespread mechanism of technology transfer is examined in the light of exhaustive information and experience gathered from 30 interviews with qualified university researchers. The interviewees, who have been directly involved in collaborative projects with industry partners, have deeply described both sound and unsatisfactory cooperation cases, in order to explore which relevant circumstances have led to success or failure. The analysis drives to conclude that there are some features (beyond technological ones) related to the corporate partners strategic and functional characteristics, which come to be decisive for success. For example, companys real interest and involvement during the technology transfer process, its capacity to assimilate new knowledge and a confident attitude towards the university research group are identified to be key elements for attaining an effective technology transfer. In this contribution, the importance of these aspects is contextualised and summarised in a model for successful technology transfer.

Exploring Major Architectural Aspects of the Web of Things

A number of technological research lines around the feasibility and applicability of the Internet of Things are currently under discussion. Some of those research issues are dealing with the deployment of friendly smart spaces made of smart objects which are digitally augmented by means of RFID tags or embedded wireless sensor and actuator devices. The advantages of deploying heterogeneous ecosystems of smart things through web technologies have lead to the so called Web of Things paradigm, that relays on the Internet of Things principles. The opportunity of developing to develop new services and applications has driven research towards proposals that integrate isolate islands of networks based on the Internet of Things into the Web. In this context, the contribution of this chapter is twofold. On the one hand, it aims at detailing a Web of Things Open Platform for deploying and integrating smart things networks into the Web. The purpose of this platform is to expose the functionalities of sensor and actuator devices and their involved information model as a set of RESTful services to be retrieved from the Web. On the other hand,the Chapter describes a Resource-Oriented and Ontology-Driven development methodology, which enables easier the development and deployment of smart spaces. The feasibility of this holistic approach is demonstrated through a fully-implemented case study.