Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 186
Apply for PAR 18 186
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of Socially-Assistive Robots (SARs) to Engage Persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD), and their Caregivers (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-07-05. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity, titled "Development of Socially-Assistive Robots (SARs) to Engage Persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD), and their Caregivers (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional)," is a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is designed to push small businesses to build and test socially-assistive robots and related technologies that can meaningfully support older adults living with Alzheimer's disease, AD-related dementias, and other common co-existing health conditions. The core idea is to encourage practical, real-world robotic systems that can improve health, reduce illness, and lessen disability by helping individuals with cognitive impairment remain engaged, supported, and safer in everyday life.
A key emphasis of the opportunity is that the robotics work should not only focus on the person with AD/ADRD, but also address the day-to-day realities of caregivers. Caregivers often face heavy emotional strain, physical demands, and time pressure, and the FOA explicitly invites solutions that help with caregiver needs and conditions. In practice, that can include technologies that assist with monitoring, prompting, engagement, communication, routine management, or other supportive functions that reduce caregiver burden while maintaining dignity and quality of life for the person receiving care.
The award mechanism is SBIR under the R43/R44 pathway, which typically corresponds to a phased innovation process: Phase I (R43) is generally aimed at early feasibility and proof-of-concept development, and Phase II (R44) supports further research, development, and progression toward a product or service that can be deployed. The notice states "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose a clinical trial if it is appropriate for evaluating the technology, but they are not required to do so. This flexibility is useful for robotics and digital health projects because some efforts may focus on prototype development, usability, human factors, or non-clinical validation first, while others may be ready for formal testing in real care settings.
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules. Foreign institutions (non-U.S. entities) are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. At the same time, the FOA notes that foreign components, as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed in certain circumstances, which usually means discrete elements of work could potentially be performed abroad if properly justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though the applicant organization itself must be an eligible U.S. small business.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the health funding category, associated with CFDA number 93.866 and opportunity number PAR 18 186. It was created on 2017-11-28, and the original closing date listed is 2020-07-05. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided source data, so applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text and NIH SBIR budget guidelines to understand budget limits, milestones, review criteria, and submission requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Development of Socially-Assistive Robots (SARs) to Engage Persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD), and their Caregivers (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional)."
Which organization runs this program?
This is a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the overall purpose of this grant?
The purpose is to encourage small businesses to build and test socially-assistive robots (SARs) and related technologies that can meaningfully support older adults living with Alzheimer's disease (AD), AD-related dementias (ADRD), and other common co-existing health conditions.
What kinds of outcomes is the program trying to improve?
The program emphasizes practical, real-world robotic systems intended to improve health, reduce illness, and lessen disability by helping individuals with cognitive impairment remain engaged, supported, and safer in everyday life.
Who is the technology intended to support?
The technology is intended to support both (1) persons living with AD/ADRD and (2) their caregivers.
Is caregiver support explicitly included in the scope?
Yes. A key emphasis is that robotics solutions should address day-to-day caregiver realities, and the funding opportunity explicitly invites solutions that help with caregiver needs and conditions.
What caregiver challenges does the opportunity mention?
The opportunity notes that caregivers often face heavy emotional strain, physical demands, and time pressure, and it invites approaches that can reduce caregiver burden while maintaining dignity and quality of life for the person receiving care.
What types of supportive functions are examples of what might be proposed?
The description provides examples such as assisting with monitoring, prompting, engagement, communication, routine management, or other supportive functions that reduce caregiver burden and support the person receiving care.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
The award mechanism is SBIR under the R43/R44 pathway.
What do Phase I (R43) and Phase II (R44) generally represent?
Phase I (R43) is generally aimed at early feasibility and proof-of-concept development, while Phase II (R44) supports further research and development and progression toward a product or service that can be deployed.
Are clinical trials required?
No. The opportunity is listed as "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose a clinical trial if appropriate for evaluating the technology, but they are not required to do so.
Why might "Clinical Trial Optional" be useful for robotics projects?
This flexibility can support projects that are not yet ready for clinical testing and may focus first on prototype development, usability, human factors, or non-clinical validation, while still allowing projects that are ready for formal testing in real care settings to propose a trial.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules.
Can a non-U.S. (foreign) institution apply as the applicant organization?
No. Foreign institutions (non-U.S. entities) are not eligible to apply.
Can non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations be included?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, based on the information provided.
Are any foreign activities allowed at all?
The description notes that foreign components (as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement) may be allowed in certain circumstances, which generally suggests that discrete elements of work could potentially be performed abroad if properly justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though the applicant must be an eligible U.S. small business.
What funding category is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed in the health funding category.
Is this a discretionary grant?
Yes. It is identified as a discretionary grant opportunity.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 93.866.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number provided is PAR 18 186.
When was this opportunity created?
The listing states it was created on 2017-11-28.
What closing date is shown in the provided information?
The original closing date listed is 2020-07-05.
Does the provided listing include an award ceiling?
No. The provided source data does not include an award ceiling.
Does the provided listing include the expected number of awards?
No. The provided source data does not include the expected number of awards.
Where should applicants look for budget limits, milestones, and submission requirements?
Based on the information provided, applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text and NIH SBIR budget guidelines to understand budget limits, milestones, review criteria, and submission requirements.
What kinds of technologies does the opportunity emphasize?
It emphasizes socially-assistive robots (SARs) and related technologies that can be used in practical, real-world contexts to support engagement, safety, and everyday functioning for people with cognitive impairment, while also supporting caregivers.
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