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FAQs: DARPA Near Zero Power RF and Sensor Operations (N-ZERO) - DARPA BAA 15-14

What is the N-ZERO opportunity?

N-ZERO (Near Zero Power RF and Sensor Operations) is a DARPA research and development effort (DARPA BAA 15-14) run by the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). The focus is on radically reducing the energy used by unattended sensing systems while they are idle and waiting for something important to happen.

What problem is DARPA trying to solve with N-ZERO?

The program targets standby power. Many deployed sensors spend most of their time listening or monitoring for a "signature of interest," and the energy consumed during that waiting period can dominate total battery usage. N-ZERO is focused on eliminating or substantially reducing that standby draw.

Why does standby power matter for deployed sensors?

If a sensor burns most of its battery while simply waiting, mission life is limited even if active events are rare. By cutting standby energy, DARPA expects sensor mission lifetimes to increase from months to years, which is especially important for remote, hard-to-service, or denied-area deployments.

What is the technical objective of the N-ZERO program?

The objective is a new class of intelligent sensors that can recognize radio-frequency (RF) and physical-world signatures using extremely small amounts of power, specifically under 10 nanowatts.

What power level is DARPA targeting?

The program is aiming for sensing operation under 10 nanowatts, described as approaching near-zero standby energy.

What operational performance targets are described for real-world settings?

In addition to ultra-low power, the opportunity describes a practical performance target: maintaining a low false alarm rate of about one false alarm per hour or better in an urban environment.

Why is false alarm rate emphasized alongside low power?

Lowering power by simply reducing sensitivity or duty cycling too aggressively can cause missed events or constant false triggers. N-ZERO is pushing designs that remain selective and useful (including in noisy, cluttered environments) while still consuming near-zero standby energy.

What kinds of signatures are of interest?

The description highlights both RF signatures and physical-world signatures. The program is interested in sensors that can recognize these signatures while consuming extremely low power.

What types of technical approaches does N-ZERO call for?

The opportunity is a call for innovative microelectronics, circuits, architectures, and sensing approaches that enable sensors to be effectively "always on" for detecting relevant RF or physical phenomena at extremely low power levels.

Is N-ZERO focused only on lab demonstrations?

No. The end goal described is not just laboratory demonstrations of low power, but credible sensing operation with acceptable false alarm behavior in challenging, noisy environments such as urban areas.

Which DARPA office is running this program?

The program is run by DARPA's Microsystems Technology Office (MTO).

What is the CFDA number associated with this solicitation?

The solicitation is listed under CFDA 12.910, Research and Technology Development.

What type of solicitation is this?

It is a discretionary Department of Defense R&D solicitation under a DARPA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), identified as DARPA BAA 15-14.

What award instruments may be used?

The synopsis indicates multiple possible award instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transaction/procurement-style contracts, and related mechanisms typical of DARPA BAAs. This provides DARPA flexibility to match the instrument to the proposed work and desired level of government involvement.

Are funding amounts specified in the synopsis?

The listed award ceiling and floor are shown as zero in the summary data. This generally indicates funding amounts are not preset in the synopsis and instead may be defined through the proposal, negotiations, and the selected scope of work.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is noted in the synopsis.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to qualified entities (for example, companies, universities, nonprofits, and other organizations), subject to any additional details that may be provided in the full BAA text.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on January 23, 2015.

What were the closing date and archive date?

The original and current closing date is listed as April 23, 2015. The archive date is listed as October 23, 2015.

Where are applicants directed for full details?

The announcement points applicants to the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) solicitations page for the full details of the opportunity.

Who is the program manager contact listed for this opportunity?

Dr. Troy Olsson is identified as the program manager contact for access or solicitation questions, particularly if there are issues obtaining the full announcement electronically.

What is meant by "always on" in the context of N-ZERO?

In this context, "always on" refers to a sensor maintaining continuous readiness to detect relevant RF or physical phenomena while consuming extremely low standby energy, rather than relying on conventional higher-power continuous monitoring or aggressive duty cycling that can degrade performance.

What environments are emphasized as challenging for these sensors?

Urban environments are highlighted as challenging due to spurious signals, interference, and clutter that can overwhelm simplistic detectors and increase false triggers.

What is the key success idea behind N-ZERO?

The central success idea is achieving both near-zero standby power (under 10 nanowatts) and useful selectivity in real-world conditions (about one false alarm per hour or better in an urban environment), enabling unattended sensors to operate for years instead of months.