EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE:             G 94-102
Nov. 18, 1994  12 noon E.S.T.

Contact:  Michael Baum             U.S. INDUSTRIES FROM MEDICINE
          (301) 975-2762           AND ELECTRONICS TO AGRICULTURE
                                   AND MATERIALS TO GAIN FROM 
                                   COMMERCE AWARDS

     A robot assistant for surgeons doing hip replacements,
genetically engineered cotton plants (shrink- and wrinkle-
resistant fibers), and polymer-based composite materials to
replace steel, iron and concrete in automobiles and bridges are
among the research goals of 47 new Advanced Technology Program
(ATP) industry-proposed projects announced today by Commerce
Secretary Ronald H. Brown.

     The Commerce Department program works with U.S. industry on
a cost-sharing basis to develop promising but high-risk
commercial technologies that will expand U.S. industries.  The
Commerce Department will commit up to $137 million over five
years on the new projects, matched by over $158 million from
industry, Brown said.

     "The ATP is fast becoming the important technology resource
that U.S. business and industry need to be competitive in the
years ahead," Brown said.  Forty-one ATP awards were announced by
Brown in late October.

     "In both the breadth and depth of the technologies
represented in these projects proposed by, and to be carried out
by, industry, we are providing a tool to extend their reach to
new and exciting technologies that will drive economic growth and
create new jobs," he said.

     The awards announced today go to industry-proposed projects
selected in two ATP competitions.
                                     
     Thirty-two projects were selected from 397 proposals
received in the ATP's 1994 general competition.  ATP general
competitions are open to proposals from any area of technology. 
The 32 projects span a range of innovations in biotechnology,
medicine, software, manufacturing, industrial chemistry,
electronics and materials.  The selected projects from the
general competition represent a planned R&D investment of more
than $186.5 million, of which approximately $84.5 million will be
funded by the ATP.

     Fifteen awards were selected from 53 proposals submitted to
the ATP Program on Manufacturing Composite Structures, one of
five ATP programs focusing on relatively long-term support for
particular technology and business goals that industry feels
offer the best opportunities for major economic returns.  The
Manufacturing Composite Structures program supports research on
cost-effective design and manufacturing technologies to support
the commercial use of affordable, high-performance composite
materials for large structures such as bridges and off-shore oil
platforms, and mass-produced manufactured products such as cars. 
The selected projects in Manufacturing Composite Structures
represent a planned R&D investment of more than $109 million, of
which approximately $52.5 million will be funded by the ATP.

     ATP awards are made after a rigorous competition based on
the scientific and technical merit of each proposal and its
potential benefits to U.S. industry.  Applicants must include a
detailed business plan for bringing the new technology to market
once technical milestones have been achieved under ATP support. 
The program is designed to foster research and development on
enabling technologies that can form the basis for new and
improved products, manufacturing processes and services.

     The ATP is managed by the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, part of the Commerce Department's Technology
Administration.

     Today's awards and the amount of funding are contingent on
completion of negotiations and the signing of cooperative
research agreements between NIST and the applicants.
     
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Note on electronic access:

     Additional information on the ATP 1994 awards is available
     from the NIST gopher service [gopher-server.nist.gov] under
     the "NIST News & General Information" menu.