We may be in the internet age, but Dan Kilper, a University of Arizona professor in the College of Optical Sciences and lead researcher on the project, said many Harlem residents are only able to access the Internet on their phones and have limited access in their homes.

“Even though it’s in the middle of Manhattan, high-density area. Should be easy to fiber up and provide broadband there, and it turns out many of buildings there and folks in the community were being overlooked,” Kilper said.

He states the project aims to get residents broadband in their homes through what he calls an “edge cloud” approach. He says the goal is to improve Harlem residents lifestyles by giving them affordable advanced technology.

The project is being funded by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation.