NSF Selects 15 Organizations for First Phase of Bio-inspired Design Innovation Program

The National Science Foundation has awarded grants to 15 multidisciplinary teams under Phase 1 of the Convergence Accelerator’s Track M: Bio-inspired Design Innovations.

Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for technology, innovation and partnerships, said that bio-inspired design research has shown potential to help in solving complex challenges. He added that through the investment, NSF aims to accelerate the development of new concepts and solutions that will create a positive impact on a variety of areas, including human health.

Teams selected for the program’s first phase will be turning their ideas into a proof of concept over the course of nine months. After the initial phase, the teams will pitch to demonstrate the viability of their solution, NSF .gov reported.

Organizations under Phase 1 include the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s new biomanufacturing processes for precipitated calcum carbonate, Benanova’s scalable colloidal materials for improving crop productivity and the University of Alabama’s tensegrity-based assistive and rehabilitation exosuits designed to complement human biomechanics.

Besides its significant investment in bio-inspired research, NIST has also provided funding for seven teams engaged in advancing agricultural technologies as part of the second phase of the Convergence Accelerator’s Track J: Food and Nutrition Security program.