SEMI-NBMC Invites White Paper Proposals for Funding of Human Monitoring Innovations

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SEMI Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for innovations in ambulatory monitoring, wearable technologies for cognitive assessment, and innovative power sources for wearable monitors. Proposals are also welcome for new concepts to advance mobile human monitoring and diagnostic capabilities. Projects will be awarded with cash budgets ranging from $500,000 to $2 million. The RFP is funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

SEMI-NBMC focuses on innovation challenges and opportunities during research and development (R&D) to increase the technology and manufacturing readiness levels (TRL/MRL) of nanotechnologies and biotechnologies. The SEMI-NBMC program and committee encourages submission of novel technical approaches that carry significant risk as well as those that represent evolutionary improvements on existing technical capabilities, which tend to be less risky and involve shorter development and delivery times.

Industry experts on the NBMC RFP Review Committee selected the RFP topics based on an analysis of strategic market gaps and will evaluate all white paper submissions against that gap analysis. To learn more about the aeromedical mission and the status of biomarkers and sensors for telemedicine, watch the SEMI-NBMC and AFRL August MedTech Workshop Series.

After evaluating white papers, the committee will invite select organizations to submit full proposals that will be rigorously evaluated on criteria including budget, collaboration value, dual-use (commercial and military/aerospace) applicability, relevance to the digital healthcare ecosystem, relevance to advancing nano-bio materials for human monitoring, schedule and milestones, deliverables, and overall proposal quality. See the complete SEMI-NBMC 2020 Request for Proposals for more details on the evaluation process.  

The consortium strongly encourages partnerships among industrial companies, R&D organizations and university teams. SEMI-NBMC funding will be matched with funds provided by grant recipients to cover total project cost. Development partners retain ownership of intellectual property developed under a SEMI NBMC contract.

White paper responses, the first step in responding to the RFP, are due October 20, 2020. SEMI-NBMC staff will review the RFP topics and submission and review process during a live webinar on October 2, 2020 at 10:00am PDT. Registration is open to anyone considering submitting a proposal. A recording of the webinar will be available for those unable attend the live event.