Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 13 7564
Apply for PD 13 7564
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 6, 2015 and posted on Aug 14, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 2, 2015 REU/RET Supplements REU/RET Supplements. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems (CCSS) program is a discretionary research grant opportunity within the Engineering Directorate, under the Engineering Grants CFDA 47.041 category. Its central purpose is to push forward bold, systems-oriented research that brings together multiple disciplines and integrates hardware, signal processing, and system architectures. The program is framed around enabling the next generation of cyber-physical systems (CPS), meaning engineered systems that tightly combine computation, communications, algorithms, and real-world physical processes. In practical terms, CCSS is looking for work that does not stay in a single technical lane, but instead connects component-level innovation (circuits, devices, sensors) to higher-level system functionality and real application impact.
A major theme of the opportunity is building new complex and hybrid systems across many scales, from nano-scale devices up through macro-scale deployed platforms. The program emphasizes both foundational engineering advances and the creation of demonstrably useful system concepts. NSF highlights a wide application landscape for these technologies, including healthcare and medicine, environmental monitoring, communications infrastructure, disaster mitigation, homeland security, transportation, manufacturing, energy systems, and smart buildings. Projects are expected to contribute new engineering principles, architectures, and methods that can generalize beyond one narrow use case, even if a specific domain is used to motivate and validate the work.
Technically, CCSS supports research and integrated educational activities spanning MEMS/NEMS (micro- and nano-electromechanical systems), communications and sensing systems, and broader CPS research. It also explicitly calls out integration technologies at both intra-chip and inter-chip levels, signaling interest in how information moves within chips, between chips, and across packages or modules. On the communications side, the program points to advanced radio-frequency (RF) and millimeter-wave systems, along with optical wireless and hybrid communications architectures that blend multiple modalities. On the sensing and imaging side, CCSS includes interest in terahertz (THz) frequency sensing and imaging, which often sits at the intersection of novel devices, signal processing, and system design constraints.
Collaboration is not just encouraged but built into the program identity. CCSS notes that proposals may involve collaborative research to capture the breadth of expertise needed for multidisciplinary, integrative work. In addition, the NSF Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) indicates it may support a limited number of small team proposals consisting of three or more investigators from different disciplines and/or universities. This signals that teams that genuinely span areas like circuits, communications, signal processing, devices, sensing, and CPS security may be especially well aligned, particularly when the integration across those areas is essential to the research vision.
The solicitation outlines representative areas of interest associated with program leadership focus areas. Topics include low-power, low-noise, high-efficiency communications; inter- and intra-chip communications and networking, including THz and optical guided or wireless interconnects; wireless communications and sensing circuits and systems; integrated circuit design approaches such as mixed-signal ICs, fault-tolerant design, self-test and repair, and stochastic design methods; and real-time monitoring and stimulation of the brain and other body functions in natural (non-lab) environments. Additional highlighted directions include RF/wireless, optical, and hybrid communications and networking; integrated systems that combine sensing, communication, and computation; spectrum access and sharing, including cognitive radio concepts; signal processing methods such as compressive sampling; and cyber-physical systems with a security emphasis. Another cluster centers on micro, nano, and bio systems (MEMS/NEMS), diagnostics across chemical, biological, and physical domains, sensors and actuators with electronic interfaces for health, infrastructure, and environmental monitoring, and ultra-low-power wearable or implantable sensing and imaging systems.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed as a grant (FundingInstrumentType: Grant) and does not require cost sharing or matching. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement. Key dates in the provided record include an original posting date of August 14, 2012, an original closing date of November 1, 2012, and a later current closing date listed as November 2, 2015, with references to REU/RET supplements (Research Experiences for Undergraduates / Research Experiences for Teachers) and an archive date of December 3, 2025. The administering agency is the National Science Foundation, and applicants are directed to NSF and Grants.gov support channels for technical access issues with the full announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems (CCSS)
What is the NSF CCSS program?
The Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems (CCSS) program is a discretionary NSF research grant opportunity within the NSF Engineering Directorate. It sits under the Engineering Grants CFDA 47.041 category and supports systems-oriented engineering research that integrates multiple technical areas, including hardware, signal processing, and system architectures.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The central purpose is to advance bold, integrative research that connects component-level innovation (such as circuits, devices, and sensors) to higher-level system functionality and real-world impact. A key aim is enabling the next generation of cyber-physical systems (CPS) that tightly combine computation, communications, algorithms, and physical processes.
What does NSF mean by "cyber-physical systems (CPS)" in this context?
In the CCSS description, CPS refers to engineered systems where computation, communications, and algorithms are tightly integrated with real-world physical processes. The program emphasizes research that treats these as a unified system rather than isolated parts.
Is CCSS focused on single-discipline projects or multidisciplinary projects?
CCSS is framed around multidisciplinary, integrative work. The program explicitly emphasizes research that does not remain in a single technical lane and instead connects multiple disciplines, linking lower-level components to system-level concepts and applications.
What kinds of technical areas does CCSS support?
Based on the opportunity description, CCSS supports research and integrated educational activities spanning MEMS/NEMS (micro- and nano-electromechanical systems), communications and sensing systems, broader CPS research, signal processing methods, and system architectures. It also calls out integration technologies at intra-chip and inter-chip levels.
What are "intra-chip" and "inter-chip" integration technologies?
These refer to how information moves within a chip (intra-chip) and between chips (inter-chip), including across packages or modules. CCSS signals interest in advances that improve communication and networking across these boundaries.
What communications technologies are highlighted as relevant?
The program points to advanced radio-frequency (RF) and millimeter-wave systems, as well as optical wireless and hybrid communications architectures that combine multiple modalities. It also highlights spectrum access and sharing, including cognitive radio concepts.
Does CCSS include sensing and imaging research?
Yes. CCSS includes sensing and imaging research, including interest in terahertz (THz) frequency sensing and imaging, as well as integrated systems that combine sensing, communication, and computation.
What is terahertz (THz) sensing and imaging, and why is it mentioned?
THz sensing and imaging is explicitly listed as an area of interest. In the CCSS framing, THz work often sits at the intersection of novel devices, signal processing, and system-level design constraints, which aligns with the program's integrative emphasis.
What kinds of application areas does NSF associate with CCSS research?
The description lists a broad application landscape, including healthcare and medicine, environmental monitoring, communications infrastructure, disaster mitigation, homeland security, transportation, manufacturing, energy systems, and smart buildings.
Do projects need to be tied to a specific application?
The program emphasizes both foundational engineering advances and demonstrably useful system concepts. While a specific domain can be used to motivate and validate the work, projects are expected to contribute engineering principles, architectures, and methods that can generalize beyond a single narrow use case.
What does CCSS mean by "systems-oriented" research?
In the provided description, "systems-oriented" means research that integrates multiple layers of technology (for example, devices/circuits/sensors plus signal processing plus architectures) and links them to system-level performance and real application impact.
What scales of systems does CCSS emphasize?
CCSS highlights new complex and hybrid systems across many scales, ranging from nano-scale devices up to macro-scale deployed platforms.
What are some representative research topics listed for CCSS?
The solicitation description includes representative areas such as low-power, low-noise, high-efficiency communications; inter- and intra-chip communications and networking (including THz and optical guided or wireless interconnects); wireless communications and sensing circuits and systems; mixed-signal IC design; fault-tolerant design; self-test and repair; stochastic design methods; and integrated systems combining sensing, communication, and computation.
Does CCSS support research related to brain and body monitoring technologies?
Yes. One highlighted direction is real-time monitoring and stimulation of the brain and other body functions in natural (non-lab) environments.
Is security within scope for CCSS?
Yes. The description explicitly mentions cyber-physical systems with a security emphasis as one of the highlighted directions.
Are signal processing methods within scope?
Yes. Signal processing methods are included, with compressive sampling specifically listed as an example.
Are MEMS/NEMS and bio-related systems included?
Yes. The description includes micro, nano, and bio systems (MEMS/NEMS), diagnostics across chemical, biological, and physical domains, and sensors/actuators with electronic interfaces for health, infrastructure, and environmental monitoring.
Does the program mention wearable or implantable technologies?
Yes. The opportunity highlights ultra-low-power wearable or implantable sensing and imaging systems.
Is collaboration required?
The description states that collaboration is encouraged and aligns with the program identity, noting that proposals may involve collaborative research to capture the breadth of expertise needed for multidisciplinary, integrative work.
Does NSF mention any specific team structure it may support?
Yes. The NSF Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) indicates it may support a limited number of small team proposals consisting of three or more investigators from different disciplines and/or universities.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement.
What type of funding instrument is this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed as a grant (FundingInstrumentType: Grant).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The provided record states that cost sharing or matching is not required.
Which NSF organization administers this opportunity?
The administering agency is the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program is within the Engineering Directorate, and related information references the NSF Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS).
What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The provided record lists an original posting date of August 14, 2012; an original closing date of November 1, 2012; and a later current closing date listed as November 2, 2015. It also references an archive date of December 3, 2025.
What are REU/RET supplements, and are they referenced here?
The record includes references to REU/RET supplements (Research Experiences for Undergraduates / Research Experiences for Teachers). The provided information indicates they are referenced in connection with this opportunity record.
Where should applicants go for technical help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants are directed to NSF and Grants.gov support channels for technical access issues with the full announcement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The program is identified under the Engineering Grants CFDA 47.041 category.
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