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Proposals were due March 18, 2026. Record had March 30 which is incorrect.
"Autonomous Surgical Robotics & Microbots" is currently closed and not accepting applications.
Autonomous Surgical Robotics & Microbots is a funding program from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) that supports high-risk research to develop autonomous robotic systems capable of performing life-saving surgical interventions without direct human input.
The Autonomous Interventions and Robotics (AIR) program aims to expand access to time-sensitive procedures such as thrombectomy for stroke patients, of whom only 12% currently receive treatment. The program also funds development of miniaturized microbots that can transform invasive procedures into minimally invasive ones performable in general practitioner settings.
Eligible projects must bring together scientists, engineers, surgeons, and industry partners to advance safe, autonomous medical robotics and strengthen domestic innovation.
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Autonomous Interventions and Robotics What if we could perform life-saving interventions autonomously? Many Americans do not have access to specialized facilities with advanced surgical expertise, including for time-sensitive surgeries. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer from strokes caused by a clot blocking large blood vessels in the brain.
The only way to effectively treat such a stroke is a thrombectomy, a procedure where a highly specialized surgeon removes the clot to restore normal blood flow. Unfortunately, there are not enough trained surgeons to perform these procedures for everyone who needs them. Only 12% of the 335,000 eligible stroke patients get this life-saving treatment each year.
More than half of Americans live over an hour away from a hospital that can perform a thrombectomy. The longer treatment is delayed, the higher the risk of serious long-term disability or death. Every 10-minute delay in treatment adds about $10,000 in healthcare costs.
Even surgical procedures that are not as time-sensitive, such as biopsies or kidney stone removal, often require people to travel long distances, missing work and incurring high costs. These procedures can also be invasive and cause complications. Autonomous Interventions and Robotics (AIR) is a game-changing robotic surgery program aiming to increase access to life-saving surgeries.
If successful, AIR will revolutionize surgery by enabling robots to perform entire interventions without direct human input. Stroke patients will be able to receive curative thrombectomy procedures at the nearest hospital, vastly improving health outcomes and life expectancy.
Small AIR robots (microbots) will introduce a new paradigm for medical interventions transforming invasive procedures in advanced care settings into minimally invasive procedures performed in a general practitioner’s office, and, in the future, anywhere. All Americans will be able to receive simpler, less invasive and more affordable treatments anywhere in the U.S., not just in highly specialized medical centers.
Transform surgical care and stroke treatment for patients by taking on high risk projects and mobilizing our nation’s most advanced technological and clinical expertise. Bring together scientists, engineers, surgeons, and industry to create safe, autonomous medical robotics. Strengthen the U.S. economy by driving breakthrough innovation that is so vital to small and large domestic companies in this growing field.
What ARPA-H needs to solve this problem The AIR program aims to solve these problems by developing robots that can do parts of or entire surgical interventions on their own. The program’s focus is twofold: first, to develop autonomous robotic systems that can perform thrombectomies, making curative stroke care available to all Americans.
Second, to create very small, mechanical, electronic, or hybrid devices (microbots) that can perform medical procedures independently, revolutionizing healthcare delivery. Notice ID: ARPA-H-SOL-26-146 ARPA-H invites interested parties to review the solicitation, which is posted and maintained on SAM.
gov. The solicitation outlines the opportunity and its requirements, key dates and deadlines, submission documents and templates, evaluation criteria for submissions, and information on how to apply. Solution Summaries due: January 20, 2026 by 5:00 PM EST Proposals due: March 18, 2026 by 5:00 PM EST Reminder: Dates are estimates and are subject to change. Please reference the solicitation for the most up-to-date information.
Review Solicitation Details Ready to apply? To submit a Solution Summary or Proposal, sign-in to the ARPA-H Solutions Portal . Frequently Asked Questions Review responses to common questions about this funding opportunity asked by others in the proposer community.
You can also ask a question. Review FAQs and Ask A Question This was an optional event held on December 16, 2025 for the proposer community to learn more about this opportunity. View the AIR PD recording .
Please reference the Special Notice ( ARPA-H-SN-26-146 ) for additional details about this event. ARPA-H anticipates that teaming will be necessary to achieve the goals of AIR. Prospective proposers are encouraged to form teams with varied technical expertise to submit a research proposal.
To facilitate this process, we have created a teaming page where prospective proposers can share their profiles and learn more about other interested parties. "The AIR program aims to increase access to life-saving surgeries. Millions of Americans will be able to be treated at their local hospital; chronic disability after stroke will become a thing of the past.
We envision care extending beyond the four walls of a clinic to anywhere you can take a container of microbots." ARPA-H launches new robotic surgery program to transform surgical care nationwide
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Universities, non-profit organizations, small businesses, other-than-small businesses. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The published deadline was March 18, 2026, which has passed. Check the official notice for any future application windows before investing time in a proposal.
Autonomous Surgical Robotics & Microbots is funded by Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
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