This Guide will help you to utilize library and university resources to think through finding and exploiting a new technology.
Researching a new or expanding technology is not like research you normally would do for a research paper. Often the information you want doesn’t exist together in one place, synthesized in the manner you want it to be. You will need to read and synthesize data and research and often create "bridges" for the new technology you are looking at.
My suggestion for doing this type of research is:
- Begin with the outcome, what will the technology achieve, break the technology down into technology components. (i.e. autonomous cars are vehicles that are capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input, it is made up of a number of technologies: safety systems, human-machine interfaces, digital security & privacy systems, crash systems, etc.)
- Use Wikipedia to get a general idea of technology. Identify trade magazines and academic journals, organizations, foundations and think tanks that might cover your topic.
- Use the Encyclopedia of Associations or search Google for associations that follow and support your research focus or the systems within the technology.
- Identify governmental agencies using that might regulate your industry (i.e. virtual reality in robotic surgery training is covered by Food and Drug Administration https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies )
- Search Google for industry blogs, white papers, working papers, preprints, technical reports and other key technology starting points.
- Research standards for your industry or technology. If there are multiple standards, rank them in order of market share by companies using the standard.
- Use general business article databases to find high-level articles on your technology. Keep an eye out for associations, subject matter experts and statistical resources mentioned in the article.
- Research target technology in academic journals with peer-review research. Look for researchers leading the field or performing overviews to the “state-of-the-art” in the target technology. Use Web of Science and Google Scholar to research leading academics publishing.
- Use company research and industry resources to research target technologies and systems by company and industry
