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NSF Sensors and Sensing Systems (SSS) Program FAQs

What is the NSF Sensors and Sensing Systems (SSS) program focused on?

The NSF Sensors and Sensing Systems (SSS) program is focused on advancing the fundamental science behind sensors and sensing systems. Its emphasis is on theory-driven, foundational research that changes what sensors can measure, how sensed information is interpreted, and how sensing systems handle real-world challenges like uncertainty, missing data, and imperfect measurements.

Is this program about building and deploying specific sensor devices?

No. The SSS program is described as supporting foundational research rather than building, fielding, or demonstrating specific devices. It draws a clear boundary against straightforward development work such as engineering prototypes, productization, or application demonstrations where the main goal is to show a device working in a use case.

What kinds of research projects are a strong fit for SSS?

Projects that fit best are centered on discovery and rigorous characterization of new sensing modalities and on fundamental analytical, mathematical, and theoretical underpinnings for sensing. This includes research that opens genuinely new sensing possibilities or provides new frameworks for aggregating, fusing, and reasoning over data from one or many sensors.

What does "new sensing modalities" mean in the context of this program?

In this context, "new sensing modalities" refers to research that identifies and rigorously explains new physical, chemical, biological, or computational mechanisms that can be used to sense something, with the focus on discovery and characterization rather than device engineering and deployment.

Does SSS support research on sensor data fusion, inference, and learning?

Yes. The description emphasizes fundamental theories and principled frameworks for data fusion, inference, and learning from sensor streams, especially when data are noisy, partial, delayed, missing, or inconsistent.

Is work on communication or transmission of sensed data within scope?

Yes, when it is tightly tied to sensing system needs. The program highlights fundamentally new approaches for transmitting sensed data, including new ideas in communication and information transfer that reduce bandwidth or energy use while preserving the information needed for inference.

Is nonlinear prediction, filtering, and estimation relevant to this program?

Yes. The opportunity description explicitly highlights innovative work in nonlinear prediction, filtering, and estimation, and signals alignment with rigorous methods in areas like signal processing, control, and estimation theory when motivated by sensing-system questions.

What types of projects are explicitly not supported by SSS?

The program does not support developmental efforts such as straightforward sensor development, engineering prototypes, productization, or application studies whose main goal is demonstration in a specific use case.

If my proposal requires sensor or system development as an enabling step, should I submit to SSS?

If sensor or system development is mainly an enabling step and the primary intellectual contribution resides elsewhere, NSF expects the submission to go to the most relevant Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) program. In that case, SSS may be listed as a secondary program.

What if my work is not within CMMI-relevant research?

If the work is not within CMMI-relevant research, investigators are directed to submit to other NSF divisions that better match the technical focus, so the proposal is evaluated by the most appropriate expert community.

Where should biosensing or biomedical sensor proposals be routed?

Projects primarily centered on biosensing or biomedical sensors may be more appropriate for the Biosensing, Biophotonics, or Biomedical Engineering program within the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET).

Where should device-and-circuit-centric sensing research be considered?

For work involving biosensing, sensors and actuators, or device-and-circuit-centric sensing research, investigators are encouraged to consider programs in the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS), such as Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) or Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems (CCSS).

Can SSS be listed as a secondary program on a proposal?

Yes. The description notes that if the main intellectual contribution is better aligned with another CMMI program, investigators should submit there and may list SSS as a secondary program.

How does NSF want investigators to choose the right program for submission?

The overall guidance is to place the proposal where the main fundamental contribution will be evaluated by the most appropriate expert community, even if sensing is a major theme of the work.

Is cost sharing or matching required for this opportunity?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed for this program in the provided description.

What is the CFDA category mentioned for this opportunity?

The program is described as a discretionary NSF grant program under the Engineering Grants CFDA (47.041) category.

What were the proposal submission windows and due dates?

The solicitation information indicates annual submission windows with due dates of January 15 and February 15, and another window of September 1 and October 1. All deadlines are stated as due by 5 p.m. local time of the proposer.

Is the specific funding opportunity announcement still active?

The specific listing referenced (Funding Opportunity Number PD 13 1639, titled "Sensors and Sensing Systems") is noted as archived as of June 23, 2014, meaning that particular announcement is no longer active as written. The underlying program concept may continue under updated NSF program descriptions or solicitations.

Who should I contact if I have trouble accessing the full announcement?

For access issues related to the full announcement, the contact listed is NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

Does the archived status mean the research area is no longer supported by NSF?

The provided information only states that the specific announcement (PD 13 1639) is archived and no longer active as written, while noting that the underlying program concept may continue under updated NSF program descriptions or solicitations.

What is the key difference between foundational sensing research and application studies, according to this description?

Foundational sensing research aims to create new sensing possibilities and new theory for sensing and interpretation under real-world constraints, while application studies are described as efforts where the main goal is to demonstrate a device in a particular use case, which the program does not fund.