Within the United States, funding is provided for research in ICT from many different sources. The federal government through individual programs such as NIDRR, highlights research as a primary focus. In addition private companies and Universities also do significant research in ICT. Some highlights are listed below.
The act on Networking and Information Research and Development Act (NITRD). This Act was introduced to follow-up on recommendations contained in the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) final report, Information Technology Research: Investing in our Future. The PITAC report stated the emphasis of Federal IT research programs in recent years has shifted from long-term, high-risk research to short-term mission-oriented research.
The Act establishes a pool of large grant funding at the NSF. Grants are limited to long-term, basic IT research with priority given to research that helps address issues related to high-end computing, software, social and economic consequences of IT, network stability, security (including privacy) and scalability. The Act also provides the following funding for IT research centres, terascale computing, colleges and universities to establish internship programs for research at private companies that commit to providing 50% of the cost of internships, educational technology research.
A primary constraining factor is the number of trained engineers and rehabilitation specialists designing technology. The market for AT is still relatively small; consequently, companies designing new technologies cannot regain their R & D costs. Another constraining factor is the lack of outcomes research in the field to determine benefits of AT, and thus payment for AT devices and services.
In independent communications with various experts contacted for this report, it was noted by several different sources that the driving force for IT in all three categories (general, care-related and assistive), is the demand of the market. Our experts noted that this is unlike many European countries where policy may be driving the process. They noted, that IT is evolving as a market, irrespective of government pressures, due to high market demands. This is the driving force for the production of technology and consequently, information technologies will continue to increase, as the market requires it.
| listing | back | next |