Rouzbeh Yassini - inventor of the cable modem, author of “Planet Broadband” and CED’s Person of the Year in 1999 - has created an independent facility dedicated to broadband research.

The industry vet, who is currently the CEO of YAS Broadband Ventures, designed the Yassini Broadband Knowledge Center, which utilizes IP technology for all communications services.

The $10 million laboratory is located in Boston and features a hands-on learning environment tightly focused on targeted and interactive advertising, bandwidth expansion, content and in-home applications.

Yassini is also funding four annual grants, at $50,000 each, to enable post-graduate student investigators to participate in a nine-month research study program.

“Even though we have made tremendous strides in broadband utilization over the past 10 years, we’ve only scratched the surface of what broadband technology can do to improve the quality of life worldwide,” Yassini said. “By combining a state-of-the-art venue, an experienced staff and well-funded research, I believe we can attract the right talent from around the world to increase the power of broadband to enhance communication, learning, innovation and understanding across all cultures and civilizations.”

The activities planned for the center are new technology research and innovation, an executive scholar and broadband policy center, a broadband “Think Tank” and weekly educational tours.

Yassini founded LANcity, a maker of cable modems, in 1991. He sold LANcity to Bay Networks in 1996.

From there, he led the development of the CableLabs cable modem specification and interoperability program (DOCSIS).