News Release

Senators Lautenberg and Corzine secure $1 million to accelerate smart gun development at NJIT

Grant and Award Announcement

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Senator Jon S. Corzine (D-NJ), will announce tomorrow that they have secured $1 million in federal appropriations funding for 2005 to accelerate the development of a safer and more secure personalized handgun at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The senators secured similar funding last year for 2004.

The senators' announcement will take place during a testing of a smart gun prototype by NJIT security officers. NJIT researchers will be available to answer questions. (NOTE: To attend the 1 p.m. event at the Sgt. James J. Shea Memorial Pistol Range, 16th St, Bayonne, http://www.range.bayonne.net/, contact Sheryl Weinstein, 973-596-3436, Alex Formuzis, 202-224-1309 or David Wald, 973-645-3030.)

The funds are part of Congress' 2005 omnibus appropriations bill. The U.S. Senate passed the bill last week following its passage several weeks earlier by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill wraps unfinished fiscal business for 2005 into one package and includes funding for higher education, science research, homeland security and more.

NJIT has spearheaded efforts to develop a personalized handgun that can recognize instantly and reliably one or more preprogrammed authorized operators since spring of 2000. The project has come to be known as "smart gun." New Jersey Legislature has awarded $1.5 million, since the project's inception.

###

New Jersey Institute of Technology, the state's public technological research university, enrolls more than 8,800 students in bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 100 degree programs offered by six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, New Jersey School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, Albert Dorman Honors College and College of Computing Sciences. NJIT is renowned for expertise in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering and eLearning.


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.