The purpose of this Global-X Challenge is to discover, and ultimately provide a catalyst through a research grant, for subsequent development and delivery of revolutionary capability to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the commercial marketplace, and the public. The expected outcomes of this Global-X Challenge are promising, potentially game-changing, concepts whose technology maturity may be accelerated under separate follow-on technology development efforts.
ONR Global is interested in promising concepts to achieve revolutionary capability advances with both military and commercial value in the multidisciplinary technology challenge areas described below. Specifically excluded are existing commercial systems or products, technical approaches already funded by existing research programs, or research that provides evolutionary improvements to existing technology.
ONR Global recognizes that international scientists and engineers conduct creative and novel research. This Global-X Challenge provides an opportunity for these international researchers to collaborate, generate revolutionary ideas and show proof of concept these ideas will succeed. ONR Global invites outstanding international researchers to form multi-national, multidisciplinary teams to address one or more of these capability challenges. Individual researchers may participate on more than one research team. Teams are responsible for establishing non-disclosure agreements among team members, if necessary.
Non-federal entity researchers from academia and industry may participate. ONR Global expects, but does not require, that multi-national teams will consist of at least two research entities outside of the U.S., whether from academia, industry and/or the broader research community. Researchers from U.S. research entities may also participate, but are not required. As stated above, this Global-X Challenge is an opportunity specifically directed toward international researchers; therefore, ONR Global expects the majority of team members will be outside of the U.S. Each team shall designate a lead Principal Investigator (PI) whose research organization outside of the U.S. will submit the white paper or proposal, and will distribute funding to co-PIs and other sub-recipients. For a given project team, one award is made to the PI’s institution. Only the PI’s institution will be the prime awardee, and that institution is responsible for all aspects of the grant, including conditions on the use of funds and other terms and conditions of the grant.
Deadlines:
- White Papers: March 18, 2024
- Full Proposals: May 20, 2024
1. Subsea Object Detection and Identification (Underwater and Seabed)
Descriptive Attributes:
• Detect objects of any material (ferrous, non-ferrous, polymeric, organic, biological, etc.) and scale (10-3m to 102m); objects may be moving or stationary, wholly immersed within the water or seabed, or at the interface between two media (e.g. on the seabed surface).
• Detection resolution and signal to noise ratio is sufficient to classify and identify the object; identification will occur at near real-time.
• Operates in all salinity (e.g. fresh and salt water) and in minimum visibility conditions (high turbidity) with no degradation in performance
• Power demand and size of detection and identification components meet mobile host platform constraints and availability.
• Detection and identification components may be active and/or passive and incorporate multimodal, distributed and cross-domain approaches.
• Detection and identification components are low cost.
Potential Enabling Technical Disciplines:
• Physics
• Electromagnetic spectrum
• Acoustics / Infrasound
• Quantum sensing / Quantum optics / Orbital Angular Momentum optics
• Signal processing
• Artificial intelligence / Machine learning
• Materials
• Oceanography
• Meteorology
• Remote sensing / Satellite altimetry
• Space science
• Earth science
• Synthetic biology
• Power and energy
• Microelectronics
• Neuromorphic imaging
2. Personal Expeditionary Power and Energy
Descriptive Attributes:
• Power density >1000 W/kg and Energy density >=5000 Wh/kg
• May be weight bearing and incorporated into structures
• Conformable to non-traditional, 3-dimensional architectures
• Long-life, quick charge, reusable and recyclable
• Lightweight and man-portable
• Low hazard (no risk of thermal runaway)
Potential Enabling Technical Disciplines:
• Microbiology / Synthetic biology
• Chemistry
• Physics / nuclear physics
• Quantum science
• Power and energy
• Materials Science
• Advanced manufacturing
3. High Latitude High Bandwidth Communications
Descriptive Attributes:
• Enables voice and data communications in the air, on land, ice, and sea surface in latitudes above 60o in locations with limited satellite communications
• Communication range is greater than 25 km with minimum data rates of 5 MBPS and in minimum visibility conditions
• Communication components operate at temperatures below -55oC with no degradation in performance and employ low power
• May incorporate multimodal, distributed and cross-domain transmission approaches
• May employ low probability of detection and interference resistant waveforms
Potential Enabling Technical Disciplines:
• Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Electromagnetic spectrum
• Next generation networking
• Autonomous self-healing mobile networks
• Quantum science
• Signal processing
• Space science
• Earth science
• Meteorology
• Remote sensing / Satellite altimetry
• Power and energy / long-duration resilient power
• Microelectronics
• Neuromorphic sensors
• Materials
• Logistics
• Oceanography
ONR Global expects to award up to a total of $750,000 for an initial nine-month period of performance for proposals selected under the Global-X Challenge 2024. Additional funding, not to exceed $250,000, may be possible for an additional nine-month optional research effort, following successful proof of concept. Total grant award values, including the initial and additional optional research period, will not exceed $1,000,000. ONR Global may award one grant or multiple grants, addressing a single challenge area or multiple grants addressing two or three challenge areas.