Information and Communication Technologies (IC) Proposal Due Date: December 3, 2010

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1 Infrmatin and Cmmunicatin Technlgies (IC) Prpsal Due Date: December 3, 2010 Murali Nair Juan Figuera Errl Arkilic Administrative Infrmatin The required 400-wrd prject summary shuld discuss the intellectual merit and brader impact in tw separate ~200 wrd paragraphs that specifically answer the fllwing questins: Paragraph 1) Intellectual merit: What is the prblem t be slved? Hw will the prblem be slved? What is the innvatin in the prpsed apprach? Paragraph 2) Brader Impacts: Why is yur slutin better than cmpetitive technlgies? Wh is ging t buy yur slutin? Wh are the ther key players? If these answers are nt addressed, the prpsal may be returned withut review. Prpsals must address the ptential fr cmmercializatin f the innvatin and hw it wuld lead ultimately t revenue generatin. It is imprtant that the prpsed technlgy increase the cmpetitive capability f industry, be respnsive t scietal needs, and is sensitive t slving "real" prblems driven by critical market requirements. There is cnsiderable verlap between the subtpics and prpsers shuld pay attentin t the areas indicated under each subtpic t assist the prgram in placing these prpsals n review panels. Letters f Supprt fr the Technlgy Inclusin f letters f supprt fr the technlgy within the prpsal is strngly encuraged fr prpsals being submitted t this slicitatin. Letters f supprt act as an indicatin f market validatin fr the prpsed innvatin and add significant credibility t the prpsed effrt. Letters f supprt shuld demnstrate that the cmpany has initiated dialg with relevant stakehlders (ptential custmers, strategic partners, r investrs) fr the prpsed innvatin and that a real business pprtunity may exist shuld the technlgy prve feasible. The letter(s) must cntain affiliatin and cntact infrmatin fr the signatry stakehlder. Imprtance f Cmmunicatin with Prgram Officer A cmpany cnsidering a prpsal submissin is encuraged t cmmunicate (via ) with the cgnizant prgram fficer t help gauge the respnsiveness t the slicitatin (the cgnizant prgram fficer is indicated at the end f each subtpic). When cntacting the cgnizant prgram fficer, please prvide a brief ne page executive summary with backgrund n the: 1) cmpany/team including experience with previus SBIR awards, 2) market pprtunity, 3) technlgy/innvatin and 4) cmpetitin. Yu may cntact the prgram fficer via at any time befre the submissin deadline. Nte, hwever, that cmmunicatin with the prgram fficer will becme increasingly difficult as the deadline nears. Electrnics, Infrmatin and Cmmunicatin Technlgies (IT) The Natinal Science Fundatin (NSF) Small Business Innvatin Research (SBIR) prgram seeks state-fthe-art, high-risk, high-ptential innvatin research prpsals in the area f Electrnics, Infrmatin and Cmmunicatin Technlgies. These prpsals shuld seek t prvide ecnmic and technlgical benefits that will mtivate their successful adptin in the cmmercial marketplace.

2 The NSF SBIR Prgram cnceptualizes Electrnics, Infrmatin and Cmmunicatin Technlgies in the frm f a five-layer stack. Each layer f the stack builds upn the layer(s) belw and supprts the layer(s) abve. At the fundatin f the IT stack are devices. Devices (I5) are the building blcks fr Cmpnents (I4) that are assembled int Systems (I3) built fr Applicatins (I2) that are emplyed t deliver Services (I1). Innvatins acrss the IT stack can range widely and hardware as well as sftware innvatins will be supprted. Cnsidering the tw ends f the stack, device innvatins will typically emply unique physical phenmena fr their cmpetitive advantage and be embdied in hardware, whereas innvatins in services will typically be mre architectural in nature and be embdied in sftware. Prpsals must address ne f the subtpics that are utlined belw. Prpsals that are nt respnsive t the subtpics utlined belw will be returned withut review. When submitting a prpsal t the IT Tpic, cde the prpsal t the crrespnding subtpic under which yu are submitting the prpsal, e.g., I3e fr prpsals in the area f "Rbtics". In additin, use the cde as the first item in the key wrds/phrases prtin f the Prject Summary f yur prpsal. I1. Services Enterprises large and small, fr-prfit and nn-prfit, must respnd t custmer needs, manage internal activities, and adapt t cmpetitive market pressures much mre rapidly than at any ther perid in human histry. Enterprises that effectively and efficiently cmbine cmputing, cmmunicatin, services and business prcess advances becme leaders in their respective markets. These develpments have created significant cmmercial pprtunities fr sftware that supprt the fllwing areas: Errl Arkilic (earkilic@nsf.gv) I1a. Security and privacy I1b. Knwledge discvery, search, data mining, data management and/r visualizatin I1c. Digital arts I1d. Financial services I1e. Persnalized user services I1f. Virtualizatin I2. Applicatins Advancements in applicatins prvide value by enabling increased user prductivity r enhanced quality f life. Examples f previus innvatins in applicatins include: the spreadsheet, and web brwser. Sftware innvatins (fr bth cnsumer and enterprise applicatins) that enable significant business pprtunities in the fllwing areas will be supprted under this slicitatin: Errl Arkilic (earkilic@nsf.gv) I2a. Mbile applicatins I2b. Tls fr facilitating cllective intelligence I2c. Peer-T-Peer applicatins I2d. Bradband-enabled applicatins I2e. Cllabratin-enabled applicatins I2f. Cmpnent/devices design/test sftware I3. Systems

3 Systems' innvatins cmbine multiple sub-elements and cmpnents tgether t enable the delivery f new value. Examples f previus systems innvatins include the MP3 player, the artificial heart and the radi telescpe. Sftware and hardware that enable significant, differentiable business pprtunities in the fllwing areas will be supprted under this slicitatin: I3a. Human Cmputer Interactin: Errl Arkilic (earkilic@nsf.gv) Applicatins emplying speech, tuch, visin r bimetric technlgies Spken language systems - cnversatinal dialg management, semantic language analysis r interpretatin I3b. Virtual/mixed reality envirnments: Errl Arkilic (earkilic@nsf.gv) I3c. Human assistive technlgies: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) I3d. Wireless systems: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) Recnfigurable wireless systems Minimal interference, graceful degradatin wireless systems Hardware slutins t security in wireless systems Ultra-cmpact, lw cst systems Fr advances in healthcare delivery Sensr based systems Bradband systems Nantube RFID I3e. Rbtics: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) Imprved time imaging, visualizatin, dexterity and manipulatin Haptic, real-time and bi-inspired feedback Semi-autnmus tele-rbtics Naturally inspired, bimimetic, neurmechanical rbtics Precisin agriculture rbtics Rbtics in healthcare (rbtic prsthesis, rbt-assisted rehab, miniature rbtics, high thrughput technlgies imaging, screening f drugs, surgical prcedures) Cncepts fr prtecting human hands (in varius extreme envirnmental cnditins) Rbtics in agile manufacturing

4 Rbtics in educatin I3f. Energy and Pwer Management Systems: Murali Nair Electrnic systems fr energy efficiency Prtable energy surces fr mbile technlgies Prtable energy surces fr ff-grid type applicatins Energy Scavenging/harvesting and its pwer management Smart grids, buildings and circuits Cmpact energy cnversin systems New strage technlgies e.g. super- and ultra-capacitrs Interface devices between batteries and super-capacitrs Nvel vltage cnversin, micr-inverters and DC-DC vltage cnverters Cmpact, hi-vltage, hi-pwer systems I3g. Test techniques t imprve chip design and manufacturability: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) I3i. Scientific Instrumentatin: Juan Figuera (jfiguer@nsf.gv) Astrnmical Gephysical Instrumentatin in supprt f scientific and engineering research I3j. Optelectrnics: Juan Figuera (jfiguer@nsf.gv) Imaging and display systems Plastic lgic devices/displays Superluminal cmputing All-ptical prcessing/cmputing Nvel applicatin f hybrid systems I4. Cmpnents Cmpnents represent basic building blcks fr mst engineered systems. By themselves, cmpnents are nt typically cnsumed by end-users and they must be assembled tgether with ther cmpnents t

5 prvide cmplete slutins. Examples f previus cmpnent innvatins include: Micr-Electr-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based accelermeters, Sigma-Delta Analg t Digital Cnverters (ADC) and Optical Add- Drp Multiplexer (OADM). Hardware that enables significant, differentiable business pprtunities in the fllwing cmpnent areas will be supprted under this slicitatin: I4a. Micr-Electr-Mechanical Systems (MEMS): Juan Figuera (jfiguer@nsf.gv) High perfrmance MEMS-enabled applicatins I4b. Optelectrnics: Juan Figuera (jfiguer@nsf.gv) Light generatin Lighting cmpnents Light prcessing, cntrl and transfrmatin I4c. Sensrs: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) Sensr-based smart transprtatin Envirnmental/chemical sensing Electrical/magnetic/ptical/physical sensrs Acustic emissin mnitring Bdy-area sensrs/actuatrs fr real-time, clsed lp health mnitring Wireless sensrs and wireless detectin f sensr I/O I4d. Packaging and thermal management: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) I4e. Radi Frequency (RF) cmpnents: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) Millimeter wave/terahertz technlgies, applicatins and prducts Ultra-cmpact, all-integrated RF cmpnents THz RF cmpnents Anti-cunterfeiting labels/seals I4e. Hardware slutins t cyber-threats: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) I5. Devices

6 Nvel devices emply unique physical principles that enable brad advances in technlgy and industry. They ften represent fundamental scientific and technlgical building blcks that require significant integratin with ther advanced technlgies t prvide cmmercial value. Examples f previus innvatins in the device field include: the transistr, the thermcuple and Light Emitting Devices (LED). Hardware that enables significant, differentiable business pprtunities in the fllwing cmpnent areas will be supprted under this slicitatin: Murali Nair (mnair@nsf.gv) I5a. Light detectin devices; nvel phtnic devices (light emitters; pht detectrs); ptical chips I5b. Nvel device r chip architectures; self-assembling chips; dense ICs and high pwer electrnics integratin; transparent/flexible/mlecular electrnic devices; ultra lw-pwer semicnductrs; single-die integrated precisin analg/dense digital; intelligent/adaptive/smart chips; ultra-highpwer semicnductrs; nvel I/O; interfacing and galvanic islatin I5c. ICs with nvel materials I5d. Quantum-effect devices; spintrnic devices

YOUR FUTURE STARTS AT IMEC

IMEC IN NUMBERS YOUR FUTURE STARTS AT IMEC Last year, mre than 300 Ph.D. researchers cntributed with their wrk t imec s lng-term research. 2,300 Mre than peple wrk at imec, 36% f which are guest researchers