Sony has extended a private invitation to The University of Akron to participate in the 2019 Sony Research Award Program. This Program is intended to foster partnership with university faculty and researchers. It will support university research and innovation in the U.S. and Canada with awards of up to $150,000 USD per year for each accepted proposal.

For more program details please visit the Sony Research Award Program webpage.

Application window: July 15, 2019 to September 15, 2019

Faculty Innovation Award

Up to $100,000 in funds to conduct cutting-edge research in Sony’s general areas of interest.

Areas of interest include:

• Information and Technology
  • Visual/Visualization 
  • Computer Vision
  • Audio
  • Speech and Natural Language Processing
  • Machine Learning
  • Human Computer Interaction
  • Robotics
  • Mobility
  • Communications and Networking
  • RF Sensing
  • System Software 
  • LSI and Hardware
• Devices and Materials
  • Biosignals
  • Display Devices and Materials
  • Materials-Devices for Neural Networks
  • Material Analysis
  • Device Thermal Management and Simulation
• Biomedical and Life Science
  • Life Science
  • Medical Sensing
  • Healthcare

Focused Research Award

Up to $150,000 in funds to conduct research in the areas of Sony’s immediate interest

Areas of candidate research topics include:

• Advanced Image Processing Enabled by AI
• Robust Mesh Tracking for Volumetric Capture
• Deep Learning based Video Editing for Content Creating
• Neural Architecture Search with Distributed Deep Learning
• Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence for Wireless Communications
• 5G-based Wireless Communications Technologies for Robotics Applications
• Novel Actuator
• Counterfactual Machine Learning
• Fault-tolerant Sensor Fusion Technology for Autonomous Mobility
• Organic Materials and Photonic-Devices using Singlet Fission
• Metasurface Flat Optics
• Intelligent Sensing Technologies for Surgical Robotics
• Intelligent Sensing Technologies for Digital Health

Submission guidelines and can be found here.

NineSights is a secure and collaborative community connecting innovators with problems of all sizes. We invite you to explore our Grand Challenges, RFPs, Needs, and other publications or post on the Community Help forums with your questions and comments!

Technology Search

Technology Searches are requests from companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations that have specific research and development requests or problems that require solutions. They are seeking experts, technologies, or partners to help them improve their capabilities, solve technical problems, or launch new products. Browse the Technology Searches and see if any of these projects are a match for your capabilities.

Some Technology Search Opportunities Include:

• Cost-Effective Installation of Small Sensors on Insulated Pipes (due date 8/16/19)
• Overspeed Protection for Turbochargers (due date 9/27/19)

Innovation Galleries

Managed Innovation Galleries on NineSights are branded online marketplaces for companies, associations and government groups to post their technology needs and showcase technology offers. Each Gallery is designed to showcase a company’s innovation program and, in some cases, augment an existing innovation portal on their corporate website.

This is a new funding opportunity to gather information on civic literacy within K-12 education, offered through an interagency partnership between NEH and the Department of Education.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is partnering with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to offer a special funding opportunity to bring together educators, national leaders, researchers, and other practitioners to assess how American history, civics, and government are taught in K-12 education.

“As the United States looks toward our 250th anniversary as a nation in 2026, it is critical that all Americans have a full understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the democratic principles on which the country was founded,” said NEH Chairman Jon Parrish Peede. “The National Endowment for the Humanities is pleased to partner with the Department of Education to support this effort to gauge national levels of civic literacy and identify ways to improve the teaching and learning of American history and government.”

The two federal agencies have issued a joint request for proposals for a fifteen-month $650,000 cooperative agreement to plan, develop, and implement a series of two national convenings focused on the assessment of the state of civics education and knowledge of American history in K-12 education, publish a report on the findings, and engage in a robust national publicity campaign, including a national forum to be held in Washington, D.C. to launch the report.

The goal of the project would be to highlight innovative approaches, learning strategies, and professional development practices in K-12 civics education, with an emphasis on activities and programs that benefit low-income and underserved populations.

This funding opportunity is offered by the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Division of Education Programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s American History and Civics Education—National Activities program.

Application information, materials, and guidelines are available at the NEH website. Cooperative agreement proposals must be received by August 12, 2019. Questions about the program should be directed to education@neh.gov.

CDMRP recently released two Requests for Information (RFIs) pertaining to psychological and behavioral health. These RFIs are relevant to the Joint Program Committee-5/Military Operational Medicine Research Program.

RFI for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Sec 702 Military Sexual Trauma Treatment Pilot. Defense Health Agency (DHA) is exploring options to establish a military-civilian partnership to conduct a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using intensive outpatient programs (IOP) to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological health conditions associated with sexual trauma. For additional information and to submit a response, please visit: https://www.fbo.gov/index.php?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f6562d66fdf78aabd8ade82e5cfedf03&tab=core&_cview=0

To advance the President’s vision of a National Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End Suicide, The White House Office of Science Technology and Policy and the VA are developing a National Research Strategy. This RFI solicits input that will ultimately be used to inform the strategy supporting the recent Executive Order on Veteran Suicide Prevention.

Information and responses can be submitted online at https://www.research.va.gov/PREVENTS/

Questions, comments, or RFI submissions should include “RFI Response: National Research Strategy for the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End the National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS)” in the subject line. Please designate the question(s) you are answering by providing the letter and number of the specific question.

For further information, please contact Traci Lattimore (202-456-4444, RFIresearchresponse@va.gov).