Published on Saturday, September 30, 2006

WiFi lab awaiting funding

A WiFi test lab in Fayetteville is likely to have $1.08 million in federal funding coming its way.

Rep. Robin Hayes, a Republican whose 8th District includes parts of Cumberland County, originally wanted $2.4 million in funding for the lab, but the proposal was whittled down.

A spokesperson from his office said the Senate version of the bill cut the initially proposed amount, but the money received would be critically beneficial for wireless battlefield-related research.

“This research has immense implications for our soldiers communicating in the battlefield,” Hayes said in a statement. “Supporting defense research creates improved equipment for our military but it also creates jobs and opportunities for Fayetteville businesses.”

The WiFi Lab and Testbed will be located in the Defense and Security Technology Accelerator — a military and security business incubator scheduled to open in October on Ramsey Street.

It will help provide wireless networks that soldiers can use on the battlefield to communicate real-time situations to their commanders.

With Wi-Fi technology, instant video, still imaging, sensor information and e-mails could be sent back and forth from the battlefield to a command center without cumbersome wiring.

Money for the lab would go to the Partnership for Defense Innovation, a nonprofit group overseeing the accelerator that will then distribute the funds to the lab.

Hayes’ office was unsure of when the lab would receive the money. The funding is part of the 2007 Defense Appropriations Act Conference Report and, if it passes the Senate, the president will sign it into law and the money will be released.