ARM Announces New Tech Project Call

 

ARM Institute Announcement

Contact
Suzy Teele
Head of Marketing and Communications
Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM)
[email protected] O: 412-681-8264 C: 412-310-5207

ARM Technology Project Call Announced

February 28, 2019, Pittsburgh, PA – Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) today issued a formal solicitation for a call for proposals for eight topic areas relative to advancing robotics technology for manufacturing.  ARM is the nation’s leading collaborative in robotics and workforce innovation, focused on increasing U.S. global manufacturing competitiveness by progressing robotics innovation and the availability of skilled workers. ARM’s 189 members are able to participate in project calls.

This is the fourth project call since ARM’s formation in January 2017.  To date, over 20 million dollars (US) across 18 projects has been committed to this mission by ARM and its members.

These topic areas reflect the Technology Investment Strategy developed by ARM and its member collaborative. Detailed information about the project call can be found on the ARM Member Community and on the ARM public website at www.arminstitute.org/projects. 

The eight topic areas are as follows:

1. Methods & Tools for Successful Robotics Adoption and Expansion
The development of decision-making methods and tools that can be used to assess the risk associated with adopting robots for use in a manufacturing process.

2. User-friendly Interfaces for Programming, Operation, & Maintenance
The development of robotic systems with human-robot interfaces and sufficient artificial intelligence that reduce the burden of learning, operating, maintaining or programming a robotic system applied to a manufacturing process.

3. Bi-directional Communication on the Shop Floor
The development of robotic systems with human robot interfaces and sufficient artificial intelligence that enables humans and robots to communicate in a manufacturing environment more effectively including via devices and software, information formats, and protocols for information transfer and interpretation.

4. Human-Robot Trust and Safety
The development of robotic systems with human robot interfaces and sufficient artificial intelligence that improve workers’ trust in robots when engaging in collaborative and co-located robotic manufacturing activities.

5. Modular Robotic Designs 

The development of modular, reconfigurable, agile, and flexible robotic work cells for manufacturing processes that can be deconstructed and reassembled to achieve a new operational objective.

6. Smart, Flexible Sensors and Integration
The integration of smart reconfigurable, agile, and flexible sensors for robotic work cells for manufacturing processes that can be varied in their scope and purpose, applying to a variety of roles and functions, while helping to enable easier integration between different robots, components, and hardware elements.

7. Automated Path Planning and Robot Instruction Generation
The development of reconfigurable, agile, and flexible robotic work cells for manufacturing processes with the ability to provide automated path planning and robot instruction generation to safely and efficiently navigate their environment to complete tasks. This could include navigation using pre-tailored planning, mapping, and response as well as in-situ planning in response to unforeseen changes in the environment and situations.

8. Advisor Robot
The development of robotic systems with the ability to sense, interpret, and make decisions under unanticipated conditions, by observing, identifying and detecting the faults and spec compliance of the manufacturing systems, processes, and environment.

The proposal submission is a two-step process with the following anticipated schedule. Proposals are submitted via the ARM Member Community.

Step 1: Concept Paper Submission: 5:00 PM ET, March 20, 2019

Step 2: Full Proposal Submission (by invitation only): 5:00 PM ET, June 7, 2019

Project requirements are as follows:

  • Proposed projects must develop within Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4-7 and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL) 4-7.
  • Each project has a minimum of 1:1 cost sharing with deference to those with higher cost share.
  • Projects must be industry-led and address an industry need.
  • Projects must develop or integrate innovation.
  • A typical project would be awarded $500K in federal funding over a one-year time period.

ARM may award up to $5M in federal funding for this proposal cycle. Note that only active ARM members can participate in project calls. Visit www.arminstitute.org/membership to learn about becoming a member.

About ARM – Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) is the nation’s leading collaborative in robotics and workforce innovation.  Structured as a public-private partnership, we accelerate transformative robotic technologies and education to increase U.S. global manufacturing competitiveness. Founded in January 2017 in Pittsburgh, PA by Carnegie Mellon University, and funded by the Department of Defense, ARM is part of the Manufacturing USA® network. Learn more at www.arminstitute.org.