Dielectric To Develop Wireless Communication Laboratory For University Of Maine
Boulder, CO - Dielectric Communications, a division of SPX and a leader in broadcast antenna systems, has been awarded a grant in the amount of $2.2M from the Maine Technology Institute's Maine Technology Asset Fund (MTAF) to develop a wireless communication laboratory at the University of Maine. In collaboration with the University, Dielectric will work to expand its cutting-edge wireless technology platform to new applications — including a more cost-effective method of delivering wireless broadband services to fixed and mobile users in rural Maine that can then be applied in other rural areas worldwide.
"Not only will the MTAF grant provide the foundation for global growth opportunities for our company, which has been doing business in Maine for 67 years, but it's a win-win for the state and the University as well," said Garrett VanAtta, president of Dielectric Communications. "We expect the laboratory to evolve into a global center for wireless innovation, which will attract new federal and industry grant funds to the University and better prepare engineering students for high-tech positions. And, since other Maine businesses will have access to the technology, the promise of wireless broadband access for all Maine citizens may soon become a reality."
Within the Maine Wireless Communication Laboratory, Dielectric and the University of Maine will work to create new capabilities in environmental testing, high-power RF and microwave circuit design, and wireless networking and communication system design. "The establishment of a new state-of-the-art laboratory at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department will allow University researchers and Dielectric engineers to work toward the creation of the next generation of wireless communications devices and networks," said Dr. Mohamad T. Musavi, chair and professor of the ECE Department. The novelty of this collaborative project is in the development of enhanced design, testing, and fabrication of complex wireless systems with 10 times the coverage provided by existing technology. This improvement in coverage allows a substantial reduction in the number of cell towers needed. In alignment with a desire by Dielectric and the University to develop "green" solutions, the implementation of this technology also results in significant energy savings.
This technology development is expected to provide many high-tech jobs to the Maine economy in the near term, in addition to creating future employment and internship opportunities within the state for graduating students.
The Maine Wireless Communication Laboratory is expected to begin operations by the end of 2009.
About the Maine Technology Institute
The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) invests in promising technologies by funding research and development projects in the state's seven technology sectors. MTI's competitive awards bring new products, services, and processes to the market, generating high-quality jobs across Maine. MTI is a private, non-profit organization created and funded by the state of Maine. It is governed by a Governor-appointed board of directors made up of industry leaders and representatives of key public agencies. For more information, visit www.mainetechnology.org.
About University of Maine
The University of Maine is the principal research and graduate institution of the state of Maine. It offers a comprehensive program of undergraduate study that is enriched by the resources of its university setting. The university is one of seven institutions in the University of Maine System; each institution complements and collaborates with the others in the System to fulfill the needs of public higher education in the state of Maine. The University of Maine has statewide responsibility for those educational, research, and public service programs associated with its designation as Maine's land-grant university and sea-grant college. In the spirit of its land-grant heritage, the university is committed to the creation and dissemination of knowledge to improve the lives of its students and Maine citizens in their full social, economic, and cultural diversity.
About Dielectric Communications (a division of SPX Corporation)
Based in Raymond, Maine, Dielectric Communications is the nation's largest manufacturer of broadcast antenna systems for radio, mobile media, and television.
Dielectric Communications is a division of SPX Corporation, a Fortune 500, global multi-industry manufacturing company. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., SPX employs more than 17,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit: www.dielectric.com.
SOURCE: Dielectric Communications