New Clarkson Lab Gives Glimpse Of Future

POTSDAM - A handful of researchers at Clarkson University are working to bring science-fiction films to life in their new high-tech research laboratory.

Sen. Joseph A. Griffo got a sneak peak at the university's 21st century facility on Monday, touring a series of labs that will serve as the campus' health and security research headquarters.

From smarter prosthetic limbs to advances in cyber security, students and faculty will use the $4 million facility to tackle cutting edge problems.

"This is not only fascinating but amazing," Mr. Griffo, R-Rome, who helped secure nearly $1 million in funding for the building, said. "It's going to make such a difference in contributions to society."

When completed, the university's Nanoengineering and Biotechnology Lab will house 21 student researchers from all levels of study.

Reminiscent of the "Six Million Dollar Man," engineers are already working to develop an intelligent prosthetic leg. The bionic limb will use state of the art sensors and processors to interact more smoothly with the human muscles.

An amputee can have as many as five or six prosthetic limbs, all designed to do particular functions, professor Kevin B. Fite said. His goal is to create a single limb that will allow amputees to go underwater, run and jump.

And the university is working directly with the FBI, Homeland Security and other government agencies to develop the most up to date face, fingerprint and eye recognition systems.

Researchers are also working on complex algorithms that will anticipate and prevent security breaches within computer software programs.

"These are opportunities for our students to help create, in essence, the future in biometric studies and prosthetic devices, science fields where were sure they are going to be able to get jobs and lead the nation," Clarkson President Anthony G. Collins said.

Linked to the Air Force Research lab in Rome, research in the 10,000 square-foot facility is being geared primarily towards military and government programs.

But Mr. Collins said he anticipates it will have an impact on the general public as well.

From ATM's to personal computers, the security systems can identify people faster and easier. And it can help find computer hackers or criminals who don't want to be found, researchers said.

"I said a long time ago that what civil rights issues were to the last half of the 20th century, privacy and technological issues will be to the first half of the 21st," Mr. Griffo said.

And with all the biology researchers on campus coming together in a central location, they are able to collaborate on their work, Electrical and Computer Engineering professor Stephanie A. Schuckers said.

"We really feel like this facility provides a world class space to advance the research and make us competitive," Ms. Schuckers said.