A national laboratory/private industry cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA)

The paper provides an overview of the history and process of establishing a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between Sandia National Laboratories and Magnavox Electronic Systems Company for the design, development, and testing of a 360-degree scanning, imaging, intrusion detection sensor. The subject of the CRADA is the Advanced Exterior Sensor (AES). It is intended for exterior use at ranges from 50 to 1500 meters and uses a combination of three sensing technologies (infrared, visible, and radar) and a new data processing method to provide low false-alarm intrusion detection and tracking combined with immediate visual assessment. The establishment of this CRADA represents a new paradigm in the cooperation between the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the National Laboratories and Private Industry. Although a formal document has now been executed, a CRADA is, nonetheless, primarily an agreement to work with each other to achieve goals that might otherwise be unattainable. For the DoD, a program continues in the face of uncertain funding. For the DOE, a CRADA is in place that meets congressionally mandated guidelines. For Sandia, sponsors are in agreement on requirements and synergistic funding and for Magnavox, an opportunity is in hand to work with researchers in developing advanced security technology