Cyber-Physical Systems | 18 538

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): NSF Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) Program (Funding Opportunity Number 18-538)

1) What is the NSF Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) grant opportunity (18-538)?

The NSF Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) program (Funding Opportunity Number: 18-538) supports research and education that advance engineered systems tightly integrating computation with the physical world. The program frames CPS as potentially as transformative for human interaction with machines and infrastructure as the Internet was for human interaction with information.

2) What kinds of outcomes is NSF looking for from CPS projects?

NSF is looking for work that helps CPS become more capable, adaptable, scalable, resilient, safe, secure, and usable. A strong fit includes research that improves trustworthiness and high-confidence behavior in complex real-world settings, including correctness, robustness, and assurance.

3) Is this solicitation limited to certain application areas or sectors?

No. The opportunity is not limited to any single application area. It emphasizes cross-cutting principles, methods, and engineering foundations that generalize across domains, even while noting that CPS innovation is reshaping many sectors.

4) Which sectors does the solicitation highlight as being reshaped by CPS?

The solicitation highlights agriculture, aeronautics, buildings, civil infrastructure, energy, environmental quality, healthcare and personalized medicine, manufacturing, and transportation as major sectors being reshaped by CPS innovation.

5) What is the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in this CPS opportunity?

The opportunity calls out a growing research frontier that combines artificial intelligence with CPS. It notes that this combination can open new technical directions and may carry major societal implications.

6) Does NSF encourage unconventional or nontraditional CPS approaches?

Yes. NSF explicitly encourages thinking beyond standard CPS architectures and conventional "cyber plus physical" design patterns. Proposals are encouraged to be creative and to address both current CPS and future systems that have not yet been built or deployed.

7) What does NSF mean by "foundational" and "cross-cutting" CPS research?

The program prioritizes scientific and engineering concepts that abstract away from any one domain's details to uncover general principles governing cyber-physical integration broadly. It emphasizes solutions that translate beyond a single niche system.

8) What research topics are included in the CPS program scope?

Topics called out include control, data analytics, autonomy, design methodologies, information management, Internet of Things (IoT) integration, mixed-initiative systems (including human-in-the-loop and human-on-the-loop approaches), networking, privacy, real-time systems, safety, security, and verification.

9) Are tools, prototypes, and testbeds allowed or encouraged?

Yes. In addition to theory and core methods, the solicitation supports practical outputs such as tools, prototypes, testbeds, and hardware/software components that embody cross-cutting principles, along with clear validation under realistic conditions.

10) How important is validation and experimentation in this program?

Validation is a recurring theme. Proposals must include an Evaluation/Experimentation Plan describing how concepts will be validated and defining success metrics, reflecting NSF's emphasis on demonstrating that ideas work under realistic conditions.

11) What are the required components in the Project Description?

Within the Project Description, every submission must include: (1) a Research Description stating the CPS research problem and explaining how outcomes can translate to other application domains, including a clearly labeled "Intellectual Merit" subsection; (2) an Evaluation/Experimentation Plan with validation approach and success metrics; (3) a Project Management and Collaboration Plan; and (4) Broader Impacts describing dissemination beyond papers, including education/outreach and explicitly incorporating Broadening Participation in Computing.

12) What must be included in the Research Description section?

The Research Description must state the CPS research problem and explain how outcomes can translate to other application domains. It must also include a clearly labeled "Intellectual Merit" subsection.

13) What is expected in the Evaluation/Experimentation Plan?

The Evaluation/Experimentation Plan must explain how the concepts will be validated and define success metrics. The solicitation signals that convincing evidence and realistic validation conditions are important.

14) What is the purpose of the Project Management and Collaboration Plan?

This plan must make the case that the team is well matched to the goals and that collaboration will be effective. It reflects the program's expectation that many CPS projects require coordinated, multidisciplinary execution.

15) What are "Broader Impacts" expected to cover for this CPS program?

Broader Impacts must describe how results will be disseminated beyond traditional papers and should include education and outreach spanning multiple levels of engagement. The solicitation explicitly requires incorporating Broadening Participation in Computing.

16) What does the solicitation say about translation across domains?

Translation is emphasized throughout: the work should not be a one-off solution for a single niche system. Proposals should articulate principles and methods that can carry over to other CPS contexts and domains.

17) What does NSF mean by dependable or "provable" behavior in CPS?

The solicitation notes that many targeted CPS will require dependable, high-confidence, or even provable behavior. Projects that address correctness, robustness, verification, and assurance in real-world complexity align closely with this intent.

18) Are human-in-the-loop or mixed-initiative CPS topics within scope?

Yes. The scope explicitly includes mixed-initiative systems, including human-in-the-loop and human-on-the-loop approaches.

19) What agencies are mentioned as being engaged with this CPS program in FY 2018?

NSF notes multi-agency engagement in FY 2018, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate, the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration, several National Institutes of Health (NIH) components (including NIBIB, NCI, and NCATS), and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

20) What does the multi-agency engagement imply for proposal topics?

It reinforces that CPS research themes overlap with national priorities in areas like security, transportation, health, and agriculture, and that projects may intersect with operational needs and policy-sensitive constraints such as safety, privacy, and security.

21) What project size categories are available under this solicitation?

The solicitation offers three project sizes: Small, Medium, and Frontier. Each category has different budget and duration limits and is intended for different scopes and ambitions.

22) What are the funding limits and duration for Small projects?

Small projects can request up to $500,000 total for up to 3 years. They are positioned for new, emerging, high-risk/high-reward ideas.

23) What are the funding limits and duration for Medium projects?

Medium projects can request $500,001 to $1,000,000 total for up to 3 years. They are intended for multidisciplinary efforts with clear goals that require integrated expertise across fields.

24) What are the funding limits and duration for Frontier projects?

Frontier projects can request $1,000,001 to $7,000,000 total for 4 to 5 years. They are expected to address critical CPS challenges that cannot realistically be addressed by assembling smaller independent projects and should push CPS well beyond current capabilities.

25) What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?

The award ceiling listed is $7,000,000.

26) How many awards did NSF anticipate making?

NSF anticipated around 32 awards.

27) Who is the sponsoring agency and what is the award instrument?

The sponsoring agency is the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the instrument is a Grant.

28) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

29) What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA numbers listed include 10.310, 20.200, 47.041, 47.070, 93.286, 93.350, and 93.396.

30) What are the key dates provided for this opportunity?

The opportunity was created on February 10, 2018, and the original closing date was May 9, 2018.

31) What is listed for eligibility, and where should applicants confirm details?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with specifics deferred to the solicitation's additional eligibility information. Applicants are expected to confirm organizational and proposer requirements directly in the official NSF solicitation text.