National Robotics Initiative (NRI) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF), USDA, NIH, NASA, DOE, DOD. The National Robotics Initiative aims to accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work alongside or cooperatively with people. This is a multi-agency federal research partnership supporting innovative robotics research and applications.

NSF 16-517: National Robotics Initiative (NRI-3. 0) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived. Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements .

All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects. NSF 16-517: National Robotics Initiative (NRI) The realization of co-robots acting in direct support of individuals and groups Posted: December 10, 2015 Download the solicitation (PDF, 1.

5mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering Division of Information & Intelligent Systems Directorate for Engineering Directorate for Education & Human Resources Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Technology Mission Directorate, Game Changing Technology Program National Institutes of Health National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute on Aging National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Nursing Research Office of Behavioral and Social U.S. Dept.

of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Air Force Office of Scientific Research U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Environmental Management (EM) Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Second Thursday in January, Annually Thereafter Important Information And Revision Notes This solicitation is a revision of NSF 15-505 , the solicitation for the National Robotics Initiative (NRI). The corresponding National Institutes of Health (NIH) notification, NIH Guide Notice NOT-EB-15-008 ( http://grants. nih.

gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-EB-15-008. html ), is being updated in parallel with this solicitation. Below are several important points for FY 2016 NRI submissions: The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE/EM) has joined the NRI.

For a detailed statement of their interests, see section II. A. 2.

Sponsoring Agency Mission Specific Research. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) has provided its research interests relevant to the NRI. For details, see section II.

A. 2. Sponsoring Agency Mission Specific Research.

In the context of NRI, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is interested in proposals in the area of assistive robotics. NIH will not review proposals submitted on topics in surgical robotics, prosthetics, or exoskeletons, in response to the NRI solicitation. For a detailed statement of NIH’s interests, see section II.

A. 2. Sponsoring Agency Mission Specific Research.

In addition to hypothesis-driven research, NIH also supports non-hypothesis-driven applications, which includes technology-driven and problem-driven applications. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has updated its research interests relevant to the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) program. For details, see section II.

A. 2. Sponsoring Agency Mission Specific Research.

The research areas supported by NRI include those relating to autonomous operations of robots. This fact has been emphasized by adding a bullet on autonomy to the list of research areas listed in section II. A.

1 of this solicitation. Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the revised NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) ( NSF 16-1 ), which is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 25, 2016. Please be advised that proposers who opt to submit prior to January 25, 2016, must also follow the guidelines contained in NSF 16-1 .

Summary Of Program Requirements National Robotics Initiative (NRI-2. 0) NRI 2. 0: Ubiquitous Collaborative Robots The goal of the National Robotics Initiative is to accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside or cooperatively with people.

Innovative robotics research and applications emphasizing the realization of such co-robots working in symbiotic relationships with human partners is supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

The purpose of this program is to support the development of this next generation of robotics, to advance the capability and usability of such systems and artifacts, and to encourage existing and new communities to focus on innovative application areas. It will address the entire lifecycle from fundamental research and development to manufacturing and deployment.

Questions concerning a particular project's focus, direction and relevance to a participating funding organization should be addressed to that agency’s point of contact listed in section VIII of this solicitation.

Methods for the establishment and infusion of robotics in educational curricula and research to gain a better understanding of the long-term social, behavioral and economic implications of co-robots across all areas of human activity are important parts of this initiative.

Collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit and other organizations is strongly encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and technology development, deployment and use. Only one class of proposals will be considered in response to this solicitation; there will not be separate competitions for small, medium, and large proposals.

Please refer to section III of this solicitation for budget size information. Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

For a full listing of agency contacts see Section VIII. of this solicitation. Ephraim P.

Glinert, CISE/IIS, Tatiana Korelsky,CISE/IIS, Hector Munoz-Avila, CISE/IIS, Alexander Leonessa, ENG/CBET, Radhakishan Baheti,ENG/ECCS, Frederick M.

Kronz,SBE/OAD, Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative --- Air Force Office of Scientific Research --- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Science) --- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Education) --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences --- Education and Human Resources --- Office of Science Financial Assistance Program --- Environmental Remediation and Waste Processing and Disposal --- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders --- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering --- National Institute of Nursing Research --- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke --- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development --- National Institute on Aging --- National Eye Institute Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant or Cooperative Agreement or contract vehicles as determined by the supporting agency Estimated Number of Awards: 25 per year, subject to availability of funds Anticipated Funding Amount: $30,000,000 to $50,000,000 per year, subject to availability of funds Who May Submit Proposals: The categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation are identified in the Grant Proposal Guide, Chapter I, Section E.

There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: 2 An investigator may participate as PI or co-PI in no more than two proposals submitted in response to this solicitation per deadline.

This limit does not apply to other senior personnel. In the event that an individual exceeds this limit, proposals received within the limit will be accepted based on earliest date and time of proposal submission (i.e., the first two proposals received will be accepted and the remainder will be returned without review). No exceptions will be made.

Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation may not duplicate or be substantially similar to other proposals concurrently under consideration by other NSF, NASA, NIH, USDA, DOE, or DOD programs or study sections. Duplicate or substantially similar proposals will be returned without review, including those substantially similar to previously declined proposals without revisions to address concerns raised by reviewers.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.

nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp?

ods_key=gpg . Full Proposals submitted via Grants. gov: NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants. gov Guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.

gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ) Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: For NSF, Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) guidelines apply.

For DOD, DOE, and NASA, contact the cognizant program officer. See Section VIII for the contact information. For awards made by USDA/NIFA: Section 715 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub.

L. 113-235) limits indirect costs to 30 percent of the total Federal funds provided (or 42. 857 percent of total direct costs) under each award.

Similar language may be included in the FY 2016 appropriation; therefore, when preparing budgets, you should limit your request for the recovery of indirect costs to the lesser of your institution’s official negotiated indirect cost rate or the equivalent of 30 percent of total Federal funds awarded. See Part V section 7. 9 of the NIFA Grants.

gov Application Guide for further indirect cost information. See webpage at http://nifa. usda.

gov/indirect-costs for options. Other Budgetary Limitations: Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Second Thursday in January, Annually Thereafter Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Additional reporting requirements apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. The goal of the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) is to accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside or cooperatively with people.

Innovative robotics research and applications emphasizing the realization of such co-robots working in symbiotic relationships with human partners is supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

This solicitation describes the goals and features of this National Robotics Initiative with particular attention to fundamental research and education by academia and industry built on open platforms, enabling demonstration systems and transfer for commercial development.

Proposers more focused on development activities should consider Small Business Innovative Research ( SBIR) , Small Technology Transfer Research ( STTR) , and other related solicitations from NSF and partner agencies. Considerations that apply to basic research grants are outlined in the Program Description in section II. A.

More detailed information on the domain-specific interests of NASA, NIH, USDA, DOE, and DOD is described in section II. A. 2.

Within NSF, NRI is administered jointly by the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering and the Directorate for Engineering. Supporting Directorates include the Directorate for Education and Human Resources and the Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences.

Within NASA, NRI Phase I is administered by the Office of the Chief Technologist, with sponsoring Directorates in Science, Exploration, Space Operations, and Aeronautics Research. Within the NIH, NRI is led by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and is supported by multiple Institutes and Centers of the NIH. Within USDA, NRI is led by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

Within DOD, NRI is led by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research, and is supported by multiple departments and agencies. Within DOE, NRI is led by the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management and is supported by multiple offices and agencies. Contacts for these and related activities at other sponsoring agencies can be found in section VIII of this document.

Over the past ten years, tremendous advancements in robotics technology have enabled a new generation of products in industries as diverse as manufacturing, logistics, medicine, healthcare, military, agriculture, and consumer products. It is becoming increasingly evident that these early, next-generation products are harbingers of numerous, large-scale, and global robotics technology markets likely to develop in the coming decades.

Additionally, robotics science and technology together with the science of learning have the potential to play a very important role in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education as a unique, integrative discipline that brings together basic science, applied engineering, and creative thinking.

The U.S. robotics industry largely collapsed in the 1980s, with a substantial market share decline to below 10% of global sales. In the last 20 years this market has revived, with the industrial robot manipulators of the 1980s now being augmented with new and different forms of robots. Surgical robots, sentry robots, and household robots emerged as new sub-markets presently exceeding the industrial robot sector.

Although the industrial robots for manufacturing (e.g., for welding, painting, handling) are still dominated by foreign industry, new markets for service robots were created by U.S. inventors, U.S. Government initiatives, and U.S. investors and are now dominated by U.S. industry.

One of the key discriminators between industrial robots and these new robotic systems is the elimination of the requirement of complete isolation of the industrial robot from humans; such large, fast and dangerous machines are best kept away from areas where people work. The new markets focus on robots that work beside, or cooperatively with, people to extend or augment human capacities.

To assess the opportunities and challenges for a national robotics initiative, over 140 robotics experts from industry, laboratories, and universities from across the country joined forces to produce a definitive report entitled A Roadmap for US Robotics- From Internet to Robotics ( http://www. us-robotics. us/reports/CCC%20Report.

pdf ) that was updated in 2013 ( http://robotics-vo. us/sites/default/files/2013%20Robotics%20Roadmap-rs. pdf ).

Other informative reference reports include the Office of the Secretary of Defense Unmanned Systems Roadmap (2009-2034) ( http://www. dtic. mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?

Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc. pdf&AD=ADA522247 ) and the WTEC Panel Report on International Assessment of Research and Development In Robotics ( http://www. wtec.

org/robotics/report/screen-robotics-final-report. pdf ). These reports suggest ways in which robots in the future can serve as our co-workers , co-defenders , co-explorers, and co-inhabitants.

The primary purposes of the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) are to provide leadership in research fundamental to the development of the next generation of robots and co-robots, to advance the capability and usability of such systems and artifacts, and to encourage existing and new communities to focus on innovative application areas where robots collaborate productively with humans.

The NRI looks to stimulate partnering arrangements necessary to create next-generation operational systems in such areas as manufacturing, space and undersea exploration, healthcare and rehabilitation, military and homeland security, civil and environmental infrastructure protection, food production, processing, and distribution, assistive devices for improving independence and quality of life, and safer driving.

It covers the entire life cycle from fundamental research and development to industry manufacturing and deployment. Methods for the establishment and infusion of robotics in educational curricula and research to gain a better understanding of the long-term social, behavioral and economic implications of co-robots across all areas of human activity are important parts of this initiative.

The scope of the application domains perceived as worthy and viable adopters of this technology include robotic systems that serve as co-workers, co-inhabitants, co-explorers, and co-defenders.

Collaboration among academic, industry, non-profit and other organizations is strongly encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and technology development and use, through partnerships among researchers, applications developers, users and industry. While the NRI encourages projects that include some aspects of technology development, fundamental research should dominate.

Proposers focused on developmental work are encouraged to consider submission to SBIR and STTR programs. II. A.

1. Research and Application Areas The co-robot theme of the NRI recognizes the emerging analytical, computational, mechanical, electrical, and cognitive technologies that will make the next generation of robotic systems able to safely co-exist in close proximity to humans in the pursuit of mundane, dangerous, precise or expensive tasks.

Co-robots will need to establish a symbiotic relationship with their human partners, each leveraging their relative strengths in the planning and performance of tasks. Co-robots will be distinguished from robots of the past by their new levels of environmental modeling, situational understanding, and resourcefulness due, in part, to the use of real-world data in real time.

As research advances, co-robots will operate with ever-increasing levels of intelligence, safety, productivity, and autonomy in unstructured, human-dominated environments. This will ultimately manifest in levels of robot intelligence and adaptability seen only in animals and humans.

Despite the vastly improved capabilities for broad diffusion, access, and use (and hence, to achieve societal impacts), co-robots must be relatively cheap, easy to use, and available everywhere.

As the U.S. population ages and becomes more culturally and linguistically diverse, co-robots may serve to increase the efficiency, productivity and safety of individuals in all activities and phases of life, and their ubiquitous deployment has the potential to measurably improve the state of national health, education and learning, personal and public safety, security, the character and composition of a heterogeneous workforce, and the economy, more generally.

Widespread deployment may also pose ethical issues and exacerbate disparities among social, linguistic and demographic groups.

Thus, in addition to fundamental research issues in analytical, computational, mechanical, electrical, and cognitive technologies, basic research in social, economic, and behavioral sciences, jointly with computer science, mathematics, and engineering, is a critical element in understanding and modeling both the individual and aggregate human/co-robot interactions.

To achieve the goals of the NRI program, funding will be available to support basic research in robotics science and technology as well as research and development in shared infrastructures that support basic research. While disciplinary research is important, the NRI program encourages cross-disciplinary projects with an emphasis on human-robot interaction. The list below is a sampling of basic research topics relevant to co-robots.

Some topics will appear in multiple categories. This list is by no means exhaustive. Proposers are encouraged to incorporate other topics that support the co-robot theme into their proposals.

However, proposers are reminded that NRI proposals must show a compelling connection to co-robotics. Autonomy: principles, computational methods, and architectures for enhancing intelligent perception and decision-making by single agents and teams of agents in unstructured environments; examples include human interaction with unmanned systems for supervision, collaborative control, and peer-to-peer collaboration.

Social, Behavioral, and Economic: research to understand long-term social, behavioral, and economic implications of co-robots across all areas of human activity, including uptake, diffusion, and use among different demographic and social groups, including appropriate incentives and potential disparities and ethical implications; workforce participation among various diverse groups, including the elderly and non-native English speakers.

Sensing and Perception: sensor/biosensor systems and networks; real-time environmental sensing systems with high spatial and temporal resolution and target specificity; object perception in clutter and various lighting conditions; sensors capable of discriminative monitoring of multiple agents such as chemical and biological threat agents, biomarkers and metabolites, and plant pathogens; sensors for food quality; strategies to improve perception; enhanced immersive interfaces using multi-model displays; real-time estimation of human physical and emotional state; real-time prediction of human intent; and methods for object recognition and human activity monitoring.

Modeling and Analysis: models of physical human-robot interactions for collaborative tasks (such as assembly) and associated performance metrics; verifiable simulation models and benchmarking; engineering and human-factors models of dynamic interactive human-robot teams; models of multi-modal interfaces and operator skill development; formal models that support tasks execution with success guarantees for human-robot systems; new geometric and physical models that capture uncertainty and allow efficient construction of robust task plans; and social, behavioral, and economic models to support analysis and prediction of long-term impacts of co-robots.

Design and Materials: physical co-robot designs that enhance the safety and comfort of the human during collaborative task execution; compliant actuation methods; novel approaches and mechanisms for actuation and robot mobility; soft structures with embedded power, actuation, sensing, and computation; system-level design and engineering; optimization of kinematic and dynamic properties of co-robots; miniaturization of sensors and robots; manufacturability, cost, and life-cycle analysis; and wearable robots and smart clothing capable of biometric monitoring and first aid.

Communication and Interfaces: research in human cognition, communication, and natural language processing; language understanding and production; communication through physical contact and brain-machine interfaces; computational algorithms and architectures for analyzing, understanding, and generating speech and other communicative forms such as gestures and haptic displays; interaction of communicative forms; and dialogue, conversation, and cross-language capabilities.

Planning and Control: motion or task planning methods with success guarantees; provably correct planning methods; models and algorithms to efficiently represent the structure of search spaces to speed planning; generation of legible motions; optimal control of hybrid systems including human-robot systems; real-time planning with kinematic and dynamic models; human-guided planning; fault-tolerant planning; real-time fault diagnosis and replanning; continuous calibration and adaptation of kinematic and dynamic models; formal methods for planning; stability of hybrid local-central controllers such as both that arise in exoskeletons and smart prosthetics; controllers that mimic human learning, reasoning, and action planning; and stability of human-robot co-learning for interfaces where the robot’s controller adapts to human control inputs.

Artificial Intelligence: mechanisms of human reasoning and action planning; problem-solving architectures that integrate reasoning, perceptual, motor, and natural language capabilities; models of human cognition and acquisition of contextual knowledge; systems that integrate robotic and AI planning with learning and navigation for human-robot teams; research in specialties supporting the expansion of robot capabilities such as multi-agent systems, human and machine cognition, and developmental science; and knowledge representation.

Cognition and Learning: machine cognition and cognitive prediction; models of human or animal cognition; cognitive prostheses that extend human cognitive capabilities; shared mental models for human-robot teams; systems that learn from personal experience or from other robots’ experiences; cognitive prostheses; hybrid architectures that integrate different methods such as deductive, probabilistic, case-based, and symbolic reasoning; and general-purpose learning algorithms possibly using universal nonlinear function approximators or extensions to nonsmooth function approximators.

Algorithms and Hardware: design of data structures, algorithms, and computing hardware including GPUs and FPGAs for all topics above to achieve real-time, interactive performance; and methods that support scaling up of problem sizes, for example, a single operator controls very large teams of robots.

Application-Inspired: new types of sensors needed for new types of applications; research topics peculiar to healthcare, marine, surveillance, mining, household, agriculture, and nano-robots; and neural interfaces, signal processing, and control methods for intelligent prosthetic devices.

Platform-Specific: issues peculiar to specific platforms and operating domains including micro- and nano-robots, humanoid robots, networked multi-robot teams, Robot Operating Systems (ROS), exoskeletons, prosthetic devices, households; and assembly lines.

Assistive Technologies: enabling humans to amplify or compensate for their capabilities, with systems that interpret their intent, make context based decisions, and allow people to operate beyond their diminished or normal physical, cognitive or sensory capabilities, including prosthetics and exo-skeletal augmentation; and methods to use new environmental monitoring technologies and to make decisions to improve human quality of life.

STEM Education: Research on robotic technologies that will enable the development of interactive and adaptive learning environments for learners of all ages, across all domains; and preparation of the next generation of researchers to confront new challenges in data-enabled robotic technologies and science (e.g., co-robot systems that support experimental workflow design, data ubiquity, and personalized learning).

The list below is a sampling of applied research and development topics in shared infrastructures that support basic research. This list is by no means exhaustive. Proposers are encouraged to incorporate other topics that support the co-robot theme into their proposals.

Establish open system robotics architectures and common hardware and software platforms enabling the technical community to build upon and interface to a layered capability or functional model and set of protocols. Establish competitions among funded projects for best performance of tasks to be defined by the participating program officers and managers.

Competing teams may be comprised of individuals or groups with the option of partnering with unfunded collaborators from academia or industry. Establish simulation-based software systems to support virtual competitions and STEM education.

Create a repository of software, hardware and data to encourage sharing of results and coordination of efforts on hardware and software, and contributions from users and "citizen engineers," and create the cyberinfrastructure to enable cloud robotics. Data will include standard test sets and specifications for common performance measures of algorithms and systems to encourage use of domain-specific metrics.

Create physical and virtual testbeds for integration of the outputs of multiple activities and their testing, demonstration, and evaluation on high-level and complex tasks. Virtual testbeds should be validated for a suite of benchmark problems. Transfer new platforms or functional capabilities to agency mission applications and facilitate agency-specific technology demonstrations of robotic systems over the period of the initiative.

Produce empirical findings that contribute to knowledge about the use of robotics to facilitate STEM learning across the K-16 continuum, with particular emphasis being placed on means to stimulate and motivate participation in STEM careers and broaden participation in them.

Coordinate with a separately funded companion effort to generate such advances leading to commercial products and services through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and independent business plan competitions.

Sponsor a range of projects from one or more investigators to multi-faceted collaborative efforts that may include academic and industrial scientists in the core technologies; domain application specialists; educators; and social, behavioral and economic scientists. II. A.

2. Sponsoring Agency Mission Specific Research NSF will consider for funding proposals addressing any of the areas described above in section II. A.

1. , as well as those described below in sections II. B and II.

C and all others needed to achieve the co-robot vision. NSF strongly encourages potentially transformative research in core robotic technologies and education. NASA encourages robotics research and technology development to enhance NASA's aeronautics and space missions.

NASA seeks innovative proposals that will significantly: (1) extend exploration capabilities beyond human spaceflight limitations; (2) reduce risk and cost in human spaceflight and on-orbit assembly; (3) improve science, exploration mission operations, and launch systems performance; (4) increase the performance of autonomous robotic missions; (5) enable robots and autonomy to be used as a force multiplier; and/or (6) improve autonomy and safety for operating unmanned aerial vehicles.

NASA's top level goals are to: Create and capture new markets for the U.S. robotics industry. Invent new robotic systems for assisting astronauts in dangerous and expensive missions. Develop innovative robotic explorers for missions beyond human craft, extending human reach.

The critical technologies needed to address these needs are summarized in the NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and in particular the Roadmap for Technology Area 4 (Robotics, Tele-Robotics and Autonomous Systems): Sensing & perception: Space-relevant sensors (environment, hazards, etc). Computationally efficient and infrastructure-free navigation (localization, hazard avoidance, etc).

Tactile and force perception for equipment deployment, sampling, repair, etc. Mobility: Systems to improve the transport of crew, instruments, and payloads on planetary surfaces, asteroids, and in-space. This includes active suspension, grappling/anchoring, legged locomotion, free flying and other transport modes. Manipulation: Systems to improve handling and maintenance of payloads and assets.

Fusing vision, tactile and force control for manipulation. Exceeding human-like dexterous manipulation. Mobile manipulation that is safe for working with and near humans.

Human-system interaction: Systems that enable crew and ground controllers to better operate, monitor and supervise robots. This includes robot user interfaces, automated performance monitoring, ground data system tools, command planning and sequencing, real-time visualization/notification, and techniques for expressing intent between humans and robots.

Autonomy: Software and systems to enable operations of robotic systems in dynamic and uncertain environments with various levels of human interaction. This includes planning and scheduling, robust execution and reasoning, integrated system health management and validation/verification.

System engineering: Robot software and hardware architectures that improve operational robustness and longevity, facilitate maintainability and upgradeability, and reduce costs associated with integration and test. NASA's need to assist humans in space is well aligned with the safety, productivity, interface, and other challenges that co-workers and co-explorers have in common.

NASA is particularly interested in robotic technologies that increase the productivity of human explorers and that allow humans to amplify their capabilities.

NASA's future includes robots that perform pre-cursor work to help prepare for future human activity; robots that go into space with humans as our assistants; robots that work after humans on tasks that complete, complement, or supplement human activity, and robots that are sent to explore beyond the reach of human missions.

More information about NASA's Technology Roadmaps can be found at the following NASA website (look for Technology Area TA04, Robotics, Tele-robotics and Autonomous Systems): http://www. nasa. gov/offices/oct/strategic_integration/technology_roadmap.

html . More information about NASA's involvement in the National Robotics Initiative can be found at the following NASA website: http://www. nasa.

gov/robotics . More information on NASA solicitations can be found at the following NASA website: http://www. nasa.

gov/offices/oct/home/solicitations. html . The NIH encourages robotics research and technology development to enhance health, lengthen life and reduce illness and disability.

The NIH also supports non-hypothesis driven applications, which include technology-driven and problem-driven applications. NIH supports technology that is needs-driven.

Specifically, the participating NIH institutes on this solicitation are interested in targeting this solicitation to support the development of assistive robotic technology to achieve functional independence in humans; improve quality of life; assist with behavioral therapy and personalized care; and promote wellness/health.

The most significant challenges will be in addressing safety issues, especially for applications to be used in home-based and long-term care settings where integration of complex systems will be required. Additionally, these assistive robots need to quickly adapt to changes of the user and the environment. Human assistive devices should be designed to assist healthcare providers as well as the individuals needing care.

Development of robotic applications is important to NIH because of their potential significant impact on healthcare in the future. Human assistive devices will revolutionize healthcare in the next 20 years as much as personal electronics have changed our daily lives in the past two decades. Affordable and accessible robotic technology can facilitate wellness and personalized healthcare.

Continual health assessment and personalized intervention have the potential to offset the shrinking size of the healthcare workforce and the growing elderly and disabled population. In the