SBIR-STTR Award

The proposed project will determine the feasibility of commercializing Rural Integrated Technology Centers (RITC's) in local communities for modernization of services and greater access to existing and future program and information resources. Rural communities face challenges in obtaining the resources needed for economic development and competing with urban centers to attract and retain professionals and viable commercial enterprises. A systematic research approach focusing primarily on survey and interview processes, will determine how state-of-the art technologies can help rural communities successfully face these challenges. The project will prioritize needs that exist for connectivity to program and information services and identify available and potential resources. Existing and emerging technologies will be examined for integration into Centers, with research and development activities to be undertaken for the design of components required for the combined technologies to function as a unit. This effort will utilize the extension knowledge and expertise of the principal investigators (who founded and headed the nations first satellite network to meet the academic needs of rural schools) as well as the sociological, geographic, and rural economic development knowledge and expertise of an internationally recognized authority.Applications:Phase I will result in a matching of rural community needs for information and program resources, with an integrated technical delivery system interfacing existing program origination sources across the nation with local community redistribution systems. Modernization of rural technology-based services will be emphasized. Commercialization is expected to result for the implementation of technical products and services, it is also anticipated that the resulting comprehensive program and services resource document will be of immediate use to rural communities.

The proposed Phase II project will determine the feasibility of commercializing Rural Integrated Technology Centers (RITCs) in local communities for modernization of services and greater access to existing and future program and information resources. Rural communities face challenges in obtaining the resources needed for economic development and competing with urban centers to attract and retain professionals and viable commercial enterprises. A systematic research approach will be implemented utilizing a selected number of Community Research Centers and an advisory board, established as a result of Phase I. Administrative systems and operating models will be developed to support the technical delivery of education and training programs and information services via RITCs. Applicable hardware and software components of the integrated equipment package which will be required for the combined technologies to function as a unit, and which will be the key to successful operation of RITCs, will be designed, implemented and evaluated. The effort will utilize the extensive knowledge and expertise of the principal investigators (who founded the nation's first satellite network to serve rural schools); the sociological, geographic, and rural economic development knowledge and expertise of internationally recognized authorities; and the resources of one of the nation's largest land-grant universities.Applications:Phase II will result in greater connectivity of rural communities to education/training programs and information services, to enhance local economic development and human resources development efforts. The resulting design of a comprehensive integrated technical equipment package for local implementation will be based on a detailed analysis of required management and operating systems. Commercialization is expected to result for the implementation of technical products and services. In addition, the infrastructure of communications between providers of resources and services, and rural communities, will establish a vehicle for enhanced commercialization of a variety of products and services in rural states.