Bringing Science from Lab to Home

ARS’s Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) is, in essence, the bridge that connects ARS scientific technologies to homes across the Nation. Every year, ARS scientists discover technological breakthroughs and advancements in agriculture—from new varieties of fruits and vegetables to farming equipment that makes harvesting safer and more efficient. OTT works with ARS scientists to bring their technological advancements to the marketplace through patents, licenses, and partnerships with commercial businesses.

LabTech Brings Science from the Lab to the Home

Federal research and technological advances touch the lives of all Americans. In fact, there’s a good chance that many items in your kitchen, bathroom, living room, even garage were developed in a federal laboratory or grown in a field with the help of federal researchers and scientists. See firsthand how everyday household items are influenced by federal research by checking out LabTech in Your Life. This website provides a virtual tour of a home to discover some of the many commercialized federal technologies that have become common household items. Each of the technologies represents years of federal laboratory research and development and successful partnerships in a wide range of scientific areas.

ARS has 17 technologies throughout the virtual house – see if you can spot them all (hint: they are not all in the kitchen). Take the tour and discover how ARS research impacts your everyday life.

* Building photo courtesy of Getty Images