Intellectual Property and Commercialization¶
As part of our research activities in the Machine Intelligence and Human-Robot Interaction Laboratory, we sometimes develop novel technologies and systems with potential commercial value. In these situations, it's important to understand the basics of intellectual property (IP) and how it is managed at Queen's University.
What is IP?¶
Intellectual Property refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, software, algorithms, designs, or research outputs, that can have commercial applications and may be legally protected.
Who Manages IP at Queen's?¶
Queen's University Partnerships and Innovation (QPI) is responsible for helping researchers manage, protect, and commercialize their IP. This includes assistance with:
- Evaluating inventions for commercial potential
- Filing patents and other IP protections
- Creating licensing agreements and spin-off companies
Visit the QPI website for more details.
Who Owns the IP?¶
IP ownership at Queen's depends on your role and employment status. In general:
- Students typically retain ownership of their inventions, unless bound by specific funding or collaboration agreements.
- Faculty and staff are usually considered owners of their inventions, with certain exceptions related to employment responsibilities and funding sources.
- Collaborative inventions (with multiple contributors) are jointly owned, and QPI can help navigate these cases.
More detailed information is available in the Queen's IP Policy.
Resource: IP & Commercialization Overview¶
The original SharePoint page embeds a presentation providing an overview of IP and technology commercialization, including examples from Queen's.
Migration note: this embedded presentation could not be extracted as text. Re-upload the slide deck as a file attachment on this wiki page (or link to it from OneDrive/SharePoint) once you have a copy.
