the prior tests (Lugano etc.)
Come on Bob ! Lugano has nothing to do with any contract. Lugano was done because as a continuation of the Ferrara Hot cat test.
IH signed the contract after they have done their own tests in Ferrara on the 1 MW Ecat with their own Engineers.
Lugano has been analyzed and found defective at best.
Again the usual blah blah blah. All the critics to Lugano are ill based at best but most probably they have been conceived on porpoise so to make IH not to pay.
Rossi and Fabiani were there 100% of the test and the professors only occasionally visiting, how much we do not know yet
Are you trying to suggest that "Rossi te Evil" and "Fabiani the Devil" have manipulated the aparatus ?
Again another false argument. There was a full video record with IR cameras and data loggers of the whole experiment. There ware two cameras and two power meters always connected. Every operation was recorded. This is also clearly written in the report.
In modern experiments DAQ systems are automatic and can be controlled remotely. So the continuous presence of the experimenter is not needed .
that people are holding off on spending money doing research
As far as we know there are big players in the LENR field that are investing money. Japan is a good example but you can find more reading this forum.
It is because Rossi's actions have been exposed.
Your preamble was false and the conclusion also. The trial is still on going and from what I can see are the action of IH that have been exposed.
Also the large part of the LENR research that is on going in the world have nothing to do with Rossi or IH so it can't be influenced by this trial.