U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand today announced that Stony Brook and Farmingdale State College are set to receive a federal funding totaling $3,400,000 as part of Fiscal Year 2011 Defense appropriations bill. The funding will be used to fund an innovative research program to engineer next generation advanced battery materials that would allow power to be beamed wirelessly. By eliminating wires and portable batteries and freeing up these electronic devices, this technology would have a significant impact on the quality of life for the military, businesses, and in homes by eliminating wires for consumer electronics.
“This funding will allow Stony Brook and Farmingdale State College to create revolutionary new devices that free up our electronics from wires and batteries by beaming power wirelessly. The uses for such technology are mind boggling,” Schumer said. “Imagine a world with no power lines and no electronics wires. The potential for new jobs, economic development and the benefits to our military, businesses, and consumers are endless. I’m proud that we can support this crucial step towards making this technological dream a reality.”
“Stony Brook University and Farmingdale State College are leading the way for cutting edge research, working together to develop the next generation of battery technology,” Senator Gillibrand said. “By investing in this research and innovation, they are creating new devises that can charge wirelessly. The work done at these institutions will help create new jobs right here at home and will be a critical component to changing the energy landscape in our country.”
The system will provide continued power to portable electronics without the need for human intervention. The beamed power can be encrypted and secure, and will be used for essential electronic devices such as those used in the military, in medicine, and in the home. The research will take place in the new Advanced Energy Center at Stony Brook University. It is anticipated that approximately 20-25 jobs will be created at Stony Brook and Farmingdale as a result of this project.
The appropriations bill for the Department of Defense passed the Appropriations Committee and will head next to the floor for a full vote before the Senate. The bill will then proceed to the House-Senate Conference Committee, before final passage in both chambers, and sent to the President to become law.