Navy calibration patent goes commercial

The automated calibration system the Navy uses to assess operational equipment functionality is being made available for  industry use. The system enables sailors to perform some 10,000 calibrations annually on land and sea. 

Under this cross-licensing patent agreement, which the Navy called the first of its type, American Technical Services will be able to commercialize the system, while the Navy obtains a license to use ATS software. The Navy plans on using the license, worth almost $1 million, to make improvements to the calibration system, dubbed Metrology Bench Top.

“Often unnoticed behind the scenes, calibrations are critical to nearly every aspect of naval operations and help ensure weapons, equipment and systems function safely and accurately to support sailors' and ships' missions,” a Navy news release said.

A patent for the system was awarded to the Navy in 2007. The system sped up the calibration process by  nearly 90 percent, the Navy said.