The Ontario Telepresence Project partners with a small number of companies to share knowledge and technologies gained through the course of the research. There is a commitment by the Project and the companies to support each other's interests in the research. Firms joining the Project are called "Industrial Partners" accordingto the definition in the "International Strategic Framework" document.
Final authority in all matters pertaining to partnership in the Ontario Telepresence Project reside with the President of the Information Technology Research Centre. He/she will, in consultation in the President of the Telecommunications Research Institute and the Managing Director of the Project, have contractual responsibility and overall control of the Ontario Telepresence Project.
Industrial Partners are Active Participants
A precondition to industrial participation in Ontario Telepresence Project is that all Industry Partners commit people to the Project in addition to cash and other in-kind support. Our experience has shown that it is difficult andrare for precompetitive research projects to transfer know-how tosponsoring companies through technical reports or occasional meetings. Technology transfer between academic researchers and industryprofessionals happens best through an ongoing process of bi-directionalinterchange and learning. It is through the active participation ofindividuals from partner firms that company-specific benefits can be identified and extracted from the on-going work.Benefits of partnership are shown in the table below.
Education, Information and Expertise :
Some Industry Partners have chosen to have their researchers reside on campus with the university researcher; offices have been arranged in these cases. Others have chosen to equip company resident researchers with advanced telecommunications systems to enable collaboration to take place using Telepresenc systems under development.
Information Sharing
Industrial Partners recognize that open sharing of Intellectual Property among research groups is fundamental to the success of both the Ontario and the International Telepresence projects. They further recognize that due to the pre competitive nature of the project, the Ontario Telepresence Project or it's European partners will currently have or will be able to accept new firms and Industrial Partners that may be competitors of existing Industrial Partners. Thus, Industrial Partners agree that it is incumbenton them to empower their collaborator such that he/she can interact freely with these other participants sharing insights and know-how.
Eligibility and Cost
Eligible organizations include private or public research organizations and firms incorporated in Canada which have significant related R&D activities in Ontario. These organizations must be willing and able to contribute personnel (scientific, marketing and other as appropriate) to the project as well as other resources (facilities, equipment, cash).
These organizations are committed to observing the terms of this agreement and the "International Strategic Framework" which defines the international project.
The general guideline for deterrnining the contribution level necessary to become an Industrial partner is as follows:
Organization size Annual contribution More than 100 employees or having $100k cash or in-kind revenues in excess of $15M annually Fewerthan 100 employees or having $50k cash or in-kind revenues less than $15M annually
In exceptional cases, special contribution levels can be negotiated with the Managing Director. Several companies collaborate with the Projectin lesser ways and, although they are not eligible for all the benefits of Partnership, derive certain benefits from their collaboration.