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13 Corp. Bus. Tax'n Monthly 9 (2011-2012)
Rapid Robot Technology Advancements Supported by R&D Tax Credits

handle is hein.journals/corbus13 and id is 361 raw text is: June 2012

Rapid Robot Technology
Advancements Supported by R&D
Tax Credits
By Charles R. Goulding, Spencer Marr and Charles G. Goulding
Charles R. Goulding, Spencer Marr and Charles G. Goulding
discuss the growing robotics industry, recent advancements and the
possibility of companies developing robot technology qualifying for
the 13-percent federal R&D credit, as well as some state tax credits.

Long-awaited technology advancements for
robots are now gaining momentum and can
benefit from federal and select state R&D tax
credits. Recent major technology developments in
robot-related hardware and software are supporting
a new wave of robot innovation. These innovations
are serving as an advantage across wide regions
of the national economy and are changing many
industries-including the fields of surgical equipment,
hazardous waste disposal and facility maintenance-
and industrial/repetitive processes.
The Research and Development
Tax Credit
Federally enacted in 1981, the R&D tax credit allows
a credit of up to 13 percent of eligible expenditures for
new and improved products and processes. Qualified
research must meet the following four criteria:
Charles R. Goulding, Attorney/CPA, is the President of
R&D Tax Savers, an interdisciplinary tax and engineering firm
that specializes in R&D tax credits.
Spencer Marr is an Analyst with R&D Tax Savers.
Charles G. Goulding is an Analyst with R&D Tax Savers.

1. new or improved products, processes, or
software;
2. technological in nature;
3. elimination of uncertainty; and
4. process of experimentation.
Eligible costs include employee wages, cost of
supplies, cost of testing, contract research expenses
and costs associated with obtaining a patent.
Robot Hardware Innovation
Surgical
Recent advances in minimally invasive surgical
techniques have made it possible to perform
extremely precise procedures in the operating room
with minimal margin for human error. For instance,
the daVinci Surgical System is capable of performing
a surgical procedure for the removal of a diseased
gallbladder with only a single incision through
the belly button of a patient.' The system presents
several advantages over traditional techniques, but
doctors and researchers most frequently cite the
reduced patient discomfort as the greatest benefit.
Because surgeons using robots are able to control
the operating tools with increased dexterity, only the
minimum amount of incisions need to be made to

02012 C.R. Goulding, S. Marr, C.G. Goulding
CORPORATE BUSINESS TAXATION MONTHLY

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