Technology and Patents

Best places to start

• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
  This is the portal to the USPTO, which offers a database of patents issued throughout our nation's history and includes schematics for many of them. There is also a searchable database for trademarks located at this site.
• Office of Scientific & Technical Information (OSTI)
  This is the web portal of the OSTI, which is the official clearinghouse of the United States government for scientific and technical information.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
  This is the web site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, providing access to information about United States space exploration efforts, astronomical observations, and scientific educational outreach activities.

United States sources

• National Technical Information Service Database (NTIS)
  The NTIS, a division of the Department of Commerce, offers access to this database of scientific, technical, and engineering reports sponsored through government research. The database offers access to the report abstracts; however, many of the reports require a fee for access in their entirety.
• National Technical Reports Library
  This site provides access to citations and abstracts for reports available from the National Technical Information Service.
• Defense Technical Information Center Online Public Technical Reports
  This web site provides a search engine to the digitized online public technical reports that have been made available to the public by the United States Department of Defense.
• DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration)
  DARPA is the research branch of the United States Department of Defense.
• Defense Science Board
  The Defense Science Board issues reports each year on scientific issues related to United States military operations.
• United States Department of Energy
  The United States Department of Energy is responsible for the energy policy of the United States - promoting the development of and fostering energy security; fostering energy independence; promoting research and development; and integrating energy policy while safeguarding the environment.
• ScienceAccelerator
  This is a database of science information and research & development that has been done by the Office of Scientific and Technical information and the Department of Energy.
• Science.gov
  This is a search engine for science related information provided throughout many agency web pages of the United States government.
• Energy Citations Database
  This is a searchable database of over 2.3 million citations for scientific and technical research and/or development papers provided by the United States Department of Energy and the Atomic Energy Commission.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  This is the web site of the NIST, which is the United States government agency that develops technical standards for businesses and industries for application in government contracts and business.
• United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
  This is the agency of the United States government that oversees the operation of nuclear energy plants and the handling of nuclear materials.
• DOE Data Explorer
  This site provides access to statistics and data collected and reported on by the United States Department of Energy.
• Astronomical Atlas Online
  This site, maintained as a collaboration between the United States Navy and the Royal Navy, provides a annual schedule of predicted astronomical events.

Wisconsin sources

International sources

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
  This is the web portal for the IAEA, which promotes the peaceful use of atomic energy and supports non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
• WorldWideScience.org-the Global Science Gateway
  This web site provides access to information about science initiatives currently being undertaken in nations throughout the world.