Research & Development

Research and Development (R&D) activities can be understood as all creative work carried out systematically with the aim of increasing knowledge – including knowledge of humanity, culture and society – and designing new applications resulting from that knowledge.

Generally speaking, R&D is considered if the resolution of a problem that is not obvious to anyone who is familiar with the basic knowledge and techniques commonly used in the area in question. Routine activities should be included in R&D if they are carried out exclusively or mainly as part of R&D projects.

R&D activities are classified into three categories:

  • Basic research: consists of experimental or theoretical work, developed with the primary purpose of obtaining new knowledge about the fundamentals of observable phenomena and facts, without any specific objective of practical application.
  • Applied research: consists of original research work, developed with the objective of creating new knowledge directed towards a predetermined application or goal.
  • Experimental development: consists of the systematic use of existing knowledge obtained through research and/or practical experience, aimed at the production of new materials, products, or devices; the establishment of new processes, systems, or services; or substantial improvement of existing ones.

R&D in Scientific & Technical Activities

Examples:

  • Data collection
    • Research on new measurement methods (e.g., temperature).
    • Study and development of new systems and techniques for data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
    • The collection of data that is part of the R&D process, exclusively or primarily, should be considered R&D activities (for example, topographic mapping, geological, hydrological, oceanographic or meteorological surveys, and astronomical observations). Similarly, in social sciences, data collection through surveys or other means, conducted to support R&D projects, should also be considered R&D activities. Routine data collection for purposes other than scientific research should not be considered R&D activities. Market studies are also excluded from R&D.

  • Methodologies and statistics
    • Conceptual and methodological work related to the development of new or substantially modified surveys or statistical research methods; and
    • Work on sampling methodologies, estimation/forecasting techniques and data analysis.

  • Viability studies and scientific articles
    • Viability studies for R&D projects; and
    • Scientific articles.

  • Patents and licenses
    • Administrative and legal work carried out to register patents and licenses should be excluded from R&D. However, work on patents directly related to R&D projects is considered R&D.

  • Mining and prospecting activities
    • Development of new geological survey methods and techniques;
    • Geological surveys undertaken as an essential part of a research project concerning geological phenomena; and
    • Research into geological phenomena per se undertaken as a subsidiary part of geological prospecting and surveying programs.

  • Specialized medical care
    • Research into the side effects of particular therapies (e.g. in an autopsy, research into a particular death to establish the side effects of a particular treatment); and
    • Research into the effects of using new medicines (e.g. special blood collection and testing programs).

Investigação
  • Clinical trials
    • Systematic trials on human volunteers to ensure the efficacy and safety of new medicines, vaccines or treatments before they are placed on the market (Phases 1, 2 and 3).
    • Activities related to the testing of medicines or treatments after they have been produced and placed on the market, if they bring scientific and technological advances (Phase 4).

  • Space exploration
    • All activities except routine satellite orbiting or the establishment of tracking and communication stations.

  • Software development
    • Include as R&D activities::
      • Development of new operating systems or languages;
      • Design and implementation of new search engines based on original technologies;
      • Efforts to resolve hardware or software conflicts based on re-engineering processes of a system or network;
      • Creation of new or more efficient algorithms based on new techniques; and
      • Creation of new and original encryption or security techniques.

  • Routine activities not considered R&D (exclude from IPCTN)::
    • Improvements to existing systems or specific programs;
    • Technical problems already solved in previous projects on the same operating systems and computer architecture; and
    • Routine computer and software maintenance.

  • Other software-related activities that are not R&D activities (exclude from IPCTN)::
    • Development of application software and information systems using known methods and existing software tools;
    • Adding functionalities to existing programs/applications (e.g. user-friendly functionalities);
    • Creating websites or software using existing tools;
    • Using standard encryption methods, security checks and data integrity tests;
    • The customization of a product for a specific use, unless in this process knowledge is added that significantly improves the base program; and
    • Routine analysis (debugging) of existing systems and programs.

HMID’s Action in R&D Projects

The brand’s integrated Research & Development (R&D) and Innovation package:

  • Strategic R&D Management;
  • Interconnection with Entities in the National Scientific and Technological System;
  • Applying for and monitoring R&D projects;
  • Applications for R&D Tax Benefits (ex: SIFIDE II);
  • Obtaining the ID Seal;
  • Collecting capital;
  • Monitoring and reporting R&D activities;
  • Intellectual Property; and
  • Implementation of R&D Management Systems.

With you at the forefront of innovation