Cyber Physical Systems | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) Program (Funding Opportunity Number 10-515)

1. What is the NSF Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) grant opportunity (10-515)?

The NSF Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 10-515) supports research and education that advance systems in which computation and the physical world are tightly integrated and coordinated. The program is framed around enabling next-generation CPS that significantly outperform existing systems in areas such as adaptability, autonomy, efficiency, reliability, safety, and usability.

2. What does NSF mean by “Cyber Physical Systems” (CPS) in this solicitation?

In this solicitation, NSF describes CPS as systems where cyber elements (computation, communication, software, algorithms) and physical elements (machines, infrastructure, environments, physical processes) are integrated and coordinated. The program emphasizes cross-cutting principles that apply broadly to cyber-physical integration, rather than solutions limited to a single application domain.

3. What kinds of real-world impacts does NSF associate with CPS research?

NSF highlights CPS as a cornerstone technology with major real-world impacts. Examples listed include autonomous collision avoidance, robotic surgery, ultra-precise manufacturing, autonomous systems for search and rescue or firefighting, large-scale distributed coordination such as automated traffic control, and highly efficient infrastructure such as zero net energy buildings.

4. Does the solicitation mention quality-of-life or human-centered applications?

Yes. NSF notes that CPS innovations can expand human capabilities and improve quality of life through areas such as assistive technologies and continuous healthcare monitoring and delivery.

5. Which NSF organizations lead this CPS program?

The program is jointly led by NSF’s Directorates for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) and Engineering (ENG).

6. How does NSF position the CPS program in terms of national priorities?

NSF states that CPS is strategically important to U.S. security and economic competitiveness and aligns the program with recommendations from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) about strengthening U.S. leadership in information technology research and development.

7. What sectors or domains are considered relevant to CPS?

NSF notes relevance across many sectors, including aerospace, automotive, chemical production, civil infrastructure, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, materials, and transportation.

8. What is the program’s goal regarding domain-specific versus cross-cutting research?

A key goal described in the solicitation is to move beyond domain-specific solutions and uncover cross-cutting scientific and engineering principles that apply broadly to the integration of cyber and physical elements, regardless of the application area.

9. What are the main research themes supported by this CPS solicitation?

The solicitation invites proposals across three main research themes: (1) Foundations, (2) Methods and Tools, and (3) Components, Run-time Substrates, and Systems. Projects may address one or more themes, depending on the project size and scope.

10. What types of work fall under the “Foundations” theme?

The Foundations theme focuses on developing underlying principles to analyze and design CPS, including new theories, models, algorithms, and analytical techniques.

11. What types of work fall under the “Methods and Tools” theme?

Methods and Tools targets the practical gap between cyber and physical design approaches. The solicitation mentions innovations such as multi-view design support, new programming languages, and methods for reasoning about complex cyber-physical integrations, including formal verification of system properties.

12. What types of work fall under “Components, Run-time Substrates, and Systems”?

This theme emphasizes creation of new hardware and software building blocks, platforms and infrastructure for execution and deployment, and engineered CPS prototypes or systems motivated by grand challenge applications.

13. Are education and community-building activities part of this opportunity?

Yes. NSF describes using the program to build and connect a broader CPS research and education community, including plans to establish a CPS Virtual Organization (CPS VO) and to hold regular principal investigator (PI) meetings to accelerate knowledge sharing, collaboration, and field-building across disciplines.

14. What is the CPS Virtual Organization (CPS VO) mentioned in the solicitation?

The solicitation describes plans to establish a CPS Virtual Organization (CPS VO) as part of NSF’s intent to accelerate knowledge sharing and collaboration across the CPS community.

15. Does the program anticipate PI meetings?

Yes. NSF describes holding regular principal investigator (PI) meetings as part of building the CPS community and accelerating collaboration and knowledge sharing.

16. What project sizes are available under this solicitation?

Funding is offered through three project sizes: Small Projects, Medium Projects, and Large Projects. Each project size can support work in one or more CPS themes.

17. What is the maximum funding and duration for Small Projects?

Small Projects are intended for an individual investigator or small team and can be funded up to $200,000 per year for up to three years.

18. What is the maximum funding and duration for Medium Projects?

Medium Projects support one or more PIs and a larger research team (often including students and/or postdoctoral researchers) and can be funded up to $500,000 per year for up to three years.

19. What is the maximum funding and duration for Large Projects?

Large Projects can be funded up to $1,000,000 per year for up to five years.

20. What types of teams are Large Projects designed for?

Large Projects are designed for multi-investigator, often multidisciplinary teams spanning computer science, engineering, and relevant physical application domains.

21. What scope requirements are described for Large Projects?

The solicitation states that Large Projects must address a coherent set of research issues that either cuts across multiple CPS themes or explores one theme in substantial depth.

22. What is the estimated total program funding and number of awards?

The solicitation lists an estimated total program funding level of about $30,000,000 and anticipates roughly 40 awards.

23. Is this a discretionary grant program?

Yes. Administratively, it is described as a discretionary NSF grant opportunity within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category.

24. What CFDA numbers are associated with this CPS opportunity?

This opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 47.041 (Engineering Grants) and 47.070 (Computer and Information Science and Engineering).

25. Is cost sharing required for this NSF CPS solicitation?

No. The solicitation states there is no cost sharing requirement.

26. What types of institutions are eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes U.S.-based accredited universities and colleges (including two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges) applying on behalf of faculty. Eligibility also includes certain U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations tied to educational or research activities.

27. Can non-academic non-profit organizations apply under this solicitation?

Yes. The solicitation includes certain U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations (for example, independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies) as eligible, when tied to educational or research activities.

28. When was this opportunity posted and what was the proposal deadline?

The opportunity was originally posted in December 2009. It lists an initial full proposal deadline of March 11, 2010 (the second Thursday in March, annually thereafter at the time).

29. Is this funding opportunity still active?

The record notes that the opportunity is archived and directs users to see the related archive listing 11-516 for subsequent information.

30. What is the relationship between 10-515 and 11-516?

Based on the archived record note, 10-515 is archived and the listing points to a related archive entry 11-516 for subsequent information.