Rep. Slaughter Announces $12.5 Million

in Defense Funding for Local Projects

Rochester, NY - At a press conference this morning at The Rochester Airport, Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-Fairport) announced that she has secured $12.5 million in funds for local projects in the House Department of Defense appropriations bill.

"I'm pleased that this money will be going to so many deserving companies right here in our own backyard," said Rep. Slaughter.  "This is a testament to the fine work they are doing not just in making our country more secure but also seeing to it that our troops have the tools they need to be better prepared and protected," continued Slaughter.

On hand at the press conference were several members of the local community whose companies will directly benefit from the funds including Arnie Lagergren, CEO of Dimension Technologies Inc. which will receive $3 million to fund their Ultra HD Projection Display Project.

"I think Congresswoman Slaughter has her eye on the ball matching the Federal Governments needs with Rochester based innovative technology.  The funding that she and her able staff have appropriated for Rochester provides the vital missing link to creating new valuable local jobs," said Lagergren. "With this funding, Dimension Technologies Inc. will commercialize its new large screen Ultra High Definition displays which will be sold worldwide to anyone seeking up to wall size clear video displays... like the Department of Defense and Homeland Security who need the technology for vital location surveillance and satellite image comparisons."

Also in attendance was Don Golini, President of QED which will receive $4 million in funds.

"QED Technologies is very pleased to be included in the DoD appropriations bill. The funds will advance the development of next-generation technologies and products for manufacturing and metrology of precision optics and advanced substrates. QED expects this project to bring new jobs to the Rochester workforce, both directly and through its local supply chain." Golini said.

John Schoen of the Center for Optics Manufacturing at the University of Rochester which will receive $2.5 million said, "These funds enable the continuation of optics manufacturing resources that are of great value to the local optics industry By offering these resources in research and development, we support the technology infrastructure of Upstate New York."

The Department of Defense appropriations bill is expected to pass the House next week, at which point the Senate will consider its version of the legislation for Fiscal Year 2006.  It will then be taken up by a House-Senate conference, after which it will be voted on by both chambers before it proceeds to the President who is expected to sign it.

BACKGROUND

Below are descriptions of the projects receiving funding and additional media contacts for comment:

$3 Million for Buffalo BioBlower

Additional Press Contact: Ellen Goldbaum (716-645-2000)

Buffalo BioBlower is requesting funds for further testing with actual biological toxins (such as anthrax, SARS, smallpox, influenza). This funding is required to design, test and build prototypes for testing in a real environment to optimize performance and finalize mission requirements for eventual DOD procurement. 

The BioBlower device is designed to immediately and indiscriminately destroy all airborne pathogens by rapidly heating contaminated air. The BioBlower can provide a continuous clean air supply in hospitals, as well as military command centers and other battlefield operations, such as tents, command headquarters and enclosed armored vehicles, where a continuous supply of clean air is essential by sterilizing the air. 

$3 Million for Dimension Technologies' Ultra HD Projection Display Project: 

Additional Press Contact: Arnie Lagergren, CEO (585-436-3530)

Dimension Technologies (DTI) is requesting funds to develop an ultra high-resolution display technology that leapfrogs any existing or emerging display technologies in terms of resolution and data interpretation.  The company has attracted multi-agency interest.  Representatives of US Department of Defense, Ft. Meade, National GeoSpatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) visited DTI again; both representatives reiterated their interest in the development of DTI's Ultra High Definition (UHD) technology.  Their primary interest lies in the ability of the technology to provide image analysts with high-resolution images within context.  Today, trade-offs are made between viewing a high-resolution segment of a larger image or seeing the whole image at lower resolution. 

$4 Million - QED Technologies' Magnetorheological Finishing Science Base:

Additional Press Contact: Donald Golini, President (585-256-6540 x155)

QED Technologies is requesting funds to support the DoD manufacturing of complex military optics and nanometer scale precision advanced substrates using magnetorheological finishing (MRF) and subaperture stitching interferometry (SSI).

QED Technologies is developing machinery that would manufacture highly precise and complex surfaces for Army and other Department of Defense systems.  This technology will improve optics to enable greater standoff engagement and low observable capabilities for systems such as the Army's Future Combat System (FCS) Program.  The FCS requires improved performance optics to detect, recognize, and engage threats at greater range and in harsher conditions, so that lightweight FCS ground vehicles can avoid direct combat. 

$2.5 million - Center for Optics Manufacturing (COM) at the University of Rochester. 

Additional Press Contact: Robert Kraus (585-275-4124)

The Center for Optics Manufacturing, established at the University of Rochester in 1990, is an award winning university-industry-DoD research and development alliance that is modernizing the U.S. precision optics industry.  A primary objective of the Army's Five-Year Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Plan is to develop and mature defense-essential manufacturing technology, and then foster the rapid, low-risk transition of that advanced technology into production, and into new systems.  COM fulfills this objective by systematically identifying and attacking manufacturing cost drivers and technology shortfalls that can prevent the application of advanced optics in next-generation DoD weapon systems.