Congressman Steve Womack spoke at a recent event announcing Extremis' plans for the lab.
The University of Arkansas' research expertise, welcoming and innovative business environment, and easy access to U of A graduates have helped attract fast-growing defense and technology startups to Arkansas.
Xtremis Inc. is working with the university to develop a unique field laboratory in southern Washington County for the advancement of electromagnetic spectrum technologies such as wireless networks. This effort is supported by the U.S. Army Pathfinder Program, Winrock International, and the Civil Military Innovation Institute.
Plans for the lab, dubbed the “Devil's Den Test Site,” were announced Monday, April 22, at an event attended by Congressman Steve Womack, Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs of the Arkansas National Guard, and university leaders. As envisioned, the laboratory will be a unique national resource that will propel both Arkansas and the United States to the forefront of spectrum-related applied research for civil and military applications.
Xtremis expects to hire up to 75 highly paid employees over the next three years and more than 200 in five years.
“Our partnership with Extremis is a great example of how the university's expertise and capabilities can have a positive economic impact for our state,” said Mike Malone, deputy chancellor for economic development. “We offer cutting-edge research and provide our graduates with a highly trained and motivated workforce, which attracts innovative companies to Arkansas.”
Extremis chose the Washington County site primarily to take advantage of the university's high-frequency engineering expertise, specifically its research group led by Samir El-Ghazaly, Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering. did.
“Professor El-Ghazaly's groundbreaking research in radio frequency engineering is leading to breakthrough technologies that strengthen and protect our military,” said Margaret Sovah McCabe, Deputy Prime Minister for Research and Innovation. . This is an application to optimize the performance of everyday technologies such as electric vehicles and consumer electronics, and is a shining example of how university research is making a positive difference for the nation and the world. is. ”
Xtremis is a venture capital-backed startup spun out of Vanderbilt University that will commercialize a portfolio of spectrum sensing and management technologies developed in conjunction with two Grand Challenges sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The unique Ozark terrain of Devil's Den Proving Grounds is ideal for testing and refining these technologies.
A rendering of the Devil's Den Proving Ground campus by Marlon Blackwell Architects, the university's Distinguished Professor and E. Fay Jones Professor of Architecture, gave a sense of the scope of the project. . Once development is complete, Devil's Den Proving Ground will have the following features:
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A state-of-the-art radio frequency laboratory that combines virtual and physical (indoor and outdoor) test environments, including a large-scale anechoic chamber.
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special testing equipment;
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A new radio frequency channel emulator platform based on the DARPA Colosseum testbed.and
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Clean room compatible.
