What does TRL (Technology Readiness Level) mean?
The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale is used to determine how ready a technology is for application. Originally developed by NASA, the TRL scale ranges from 1 to 9, where TRL 1 represents the earliest stage of the technology's development, and TRL 9 represents its fully commercial, applicable stage. Now, it is used expansively in a wide variety of industries and organisations.
Even the same product may have differing levels of TRL depending on which industry it is being applied to.
SoundBounce, an advanced acoustic insulation material developed by Lios, has a TRL of 7 in some industrial applications. However, in the space industry, we are working on achieving TRL 5 due to higher standards for industry materials.
Technology Readiness Level Stages Explained
The Technology Readiness Levels explained. Source: Lios
What is TRL 1-3?
TRL 1-2 is the experimental stage, when scientific research has just begun. In TRL 3, active research and development take place, often along with a proof-of-concept. In our partnership with ESA, we have expanded our application of SoundBounce to the space industry, where we have achieved TRL 3.
TRL 4-5
In TRL 4-5, technology is tested through increasingly rigorous simulations in a relevant environment. Lios targets TRL 5 as our development goal for SoundBounce in space flight. We’ve managed to reduce our area density by 6x, and we are working on validating SoundBounce for a larger-scale space flight environment.
TRL 6-7
TRL 6-7 is when a technology has been tested and has a fully operational model or prototype that has been demonstrated in a similar environment.
TRL 8-9
The technology can then be moved to TRL 8 when the system is completed and qualified, and then finally to TRL 9 when the actual system has been proven in an operational environment, such as competitive manufacturing or in space.
Why is TRL important?
TRL enables stakeholders and external partners to know at a glance how ready your technology is for deployment. Depending on an organisation’s TRL level, they can choose to focus on certain grants, budget, and effort. In short, TRLs are a convenient way for people to gauge expectations of a certain technology.
You can find more information on TRLs here: Using Technology Readiness Levels to analyse technology progression in Horizon Europe