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Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) is sponsored by National Science Foundation. Supports fundamental research on robotic systems, including mechanical design, control, and intelligent systems engineering.
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Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) NSF's implementation of the revised 2 CFR NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website .
These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.
Important information for proposers All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements.
Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.
Updates to NSF Research Security Policies On July 10, 2025, NSF issued an Important Notice providing updates to the agency's research security policies, including a research security training requirement, Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program annual certification requirement, prohibition on Confucius institutes and an updated FFDR reporting and submission timeline.
The Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) program, jointly led by the CISE and ENG Directorates, supports research on robotic systems that exhibit significant levels of both computational capability and physical complexity.
For the purposes of this program, a robot is defined as intelligence embodied in an engineered construct, with the ability to process information, sense, plan, and move within or substantially alter its working environment. Here intelligence includes a broad class of methods that enable a robot to solve problems or to make contextually appropriate decisions and act upon them.
The program welcomes research that considers inextricably interwoven questions of intelligence, computation, and embodiment. Projects may also focus on a distinct aspect of intelligence, computation, or embodiment, as long as the proposed research is clearly justified in the context of a class of robots. The focus of the FRR program is on foundational advances in robotics.
Robotics is a deeply interdisciplinary field, and proposals are encouraged across the full range of fundamental engineering and computer science research challenges arising in robotics. To be responsive to the FRR program, each proposal should clearly articulate the following three points: The focus of the research project should be a robot or a class of robots, as defined above. [Is there a robot?]
The goal of the project should be to endow a robot or a class of robots with new and useful capabilities or to significantly enhance existing capabilities. [Will a robot gain a new or significantly improved capability?] The intellectual contribution of the proposed work should address fundamental gaps in robotics.
[Is robotics essential to the intellectual merit of the proposal?] Meaningful experimental validation on a physical platform is encouraged. Projects that do not represent a direct fundamental contribution to the science of robotics or are better aligned with other existing programs at NSF should not be submitted to the FRR program.
Potential investigators are strongly encouraged to discuss their projects with an FRR Program Officer before submission. Non-compliant proposals may be returned without review.
Updates and announcements NSF-NIFA opportunity in agricultural robotics October 31, 2025 - Foundational Research in Robotics – National Robotics… October 30, 2025 - Foundational Research in Robotics – National Robotics… May 14, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar May 14, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar May 8, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar May 8, 2025 - 2025 ENG/CMMI CAREER Program Webinar June 2, 2022 - Informational Webinar: Sunset of the National Robotics Initiative April 26, 2021 - Robotics Program Webinar for CAREER Principal Investigators Awards made through this program Browse projects funded by this program Map of recent awards made through this program Directorate for Engineering (ENG) Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (ENG/CMMI) Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ENG/ECCS) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CISE/CCF) Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (CISE/IIS) Division of Computer and Network Systems (CISE/CNS)
Key questions and narrative sections extracted from the solicitation.
Is there a robot (or class of robots) as the focus?
Will a robot gain a new or significantly improved capability?
Is robotics essential to the intellectual merit of the proposal?
Describe meaningful experimental validation on a physical platform
Justify the research in context of foundational gaps in robotics
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Institutions of Higher Education, Non-profit, non-academic organizations. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates $100,000 - $750,000 Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
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The MSE program supports fundamental research leading to a better understanding of the effect of microstructure, surfaces and coatings on the properties and performance of engineering materials, and the ultimate control of these properties through material design.?? Of particular interest is materials service under conditions such as impact, temperature extremes, corrosion, oxidation, and friction.?? The program also supports research leading to biomedical applications of materials. ??Funded research includes both experimental and theoretical approaches. Funding Opportunity Number: PD-08-1633. Assistance Listing: 47.041. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST.
Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science (SCH) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF) & National Institutes of Health (NIH). This interagency program supports transformative high-risk, high-reward advances in computer and information science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, behavioral and/or cognitive research to address pressing questions in the biomedical and public health communities. It emphasizes scientific and engineering innovations by interdisciplinary teams developing novel methods to intelligently collect, sense, connect, analyze, and interpret data from individuals, devices, and systems to enable discovery and optimize health, particularly leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence.
America's Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) - Robotics (R) Topic is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). This NSF SBIR/STTR topic focuses on robot intelligence and experiential learning, specifically in high-performance processors or hardware that provide situational awareness and improved artificial intelligence. It encourages innovations in voice, obstacle and image recognition, emotional response, and hand-eye coordination. Proposals that borrow features from animal nervous systems and include biologists, neuroscientists, and psychologists are also encouraged. The program also seeks proposals for next-generation automation, flexible assembly lines for mass customization, advanced control with agile robotic systems, and applications supporting individuals with disabilities, healthcare, smart drones, and personal robots.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). This NSF SBIR topic focuses on cutting-edge technologies in deep learning-based AI systems and AI-based hardware. It emphasizes next-generation AI technologies that are safe, reliable, fair, robust against adversaries, privacy-preserving, and efficient. It also includes hardware technologies for sustainable AI, edge devices, and AI technologies that lead to better hardware systems.