SEMI NBMC invites proposals for wearable sensor innovations

The Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC), a SEMI Technology Community, have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) aimed at advancing human performance through innovations in wearable transdermal, subcutaneous, and textile-based sensor technologies. Selected projects will receive cash awards ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. The RFP is funded by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

The white paper proposals should address real-time cognitive and physical state monitoring, integrated sensing and edge computing, performance augmentation, human health protection, and environmental monitoring. SEMI NBMC Governing Council members selected the RFP topics based on an analysis of strategic market needs.

Organisations submitting proposals will be evaluated based on their capabilities, experience, and strengths including team diversity. See the complete SEMI NBMC 2023 Request for Proposals for more details on the evaluation process.  

White paper submissions, the first step in responding to the RFP, are due June 5, 2023. To help organisations prepare their proposals, SEMI NBMC staff will review the RFP topics and the submission and review process during a live webinar on May 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. The webinar is open to organisations considering submitting a proposal. A recording will be available for registrants unable to attend the event. Registration for the event is open.

Following the review of white papers by the RFP Review Committee, consisting of NBMC Council members and other subject matter experts (SMEs), SEMI NBMC will invite selected organisations to submit full proposals. The evaluation criteria include:

• Rationale
• Budget
• Collaboration value
• Dual-use (commercial and military/aerospace) applicability
• Relevance to digital healthcare ecosystem
• Relevance to RFP technologies
• Schedules and milestones
• Reasonable and stretch deliverables
• Overall proposal quality

SEMI NBMC focuses on research and development (R&D) to increase the technology and manufacturing readiness levels (TRL/MRL) of technologies related to RFP topics. The Consortium encourages proposals for novel technical solutions that carry significant risk as well as those that represent evolutionary improvements on existing technical capabilities. 

SEMI NBMC encourages partnerships among industrial companies, R&D organisations, and university teams. AFRL funding will be matched with contributions by grant recipients to cover total project cost. Development partners retain ownership of intellectual property developed under SEMI NBMC contracts.