Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomy for Improved Operations and Modernization of Navy Shipyards
ID: N233-118Type: BOTH
Overview

Topic

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomy for Improved Operations and Modernization of Navy Shipyards

Agency

Department of DefenseN/A

Program

Type: SBIRPhase: BOTHYear: 2023

Additional Information

https://www.defensesbirsttr.mil/
Timeline
    Description

    The Department of Defense (DoD) is seeking proposals for the topic of "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomy for Improved Operations and Modernization of Navy Shipyards". The objective is to modernize Navy Shipyard facilities through three lines of effort: Drydocks, Infrastructure, and Industrial Plant Equipment. The goal is to bring these century-old shipyards up to modern practices by incorporating digital technology such as digital twins, AI, and autonomy. The aim is to upgrade and modernize shipyard operations and processes to expedite the redeployment of Navy assets back in the field quickly and safely. The DoD is specifically looking for technologies that can improve materials handling workflow, enable autonomous 3D precision scanning, and perform autonomous non-destructive inspection. The project will be conducted in phases, with Phase I focusing on developing and demonstrating an initial functional prototype, Phase II on further development and demonstration of a functional prototype, and Phase III on dual-use applications and transitioning the technology to Navy use. The Navy sees potential dual-use applications in commercial logistics, inspection of facilities, and commercial ships. The project duration and funding specifics are not provided in the document. For more information, interested parties can visit the DoD SBIR 23.3 BAA solicitation page on grants.gov.

    Files
    No associated files provided.
    Similar Opportunities
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - Direct to Phase II: Next-generation Autonomy for Unmanned Maritime Vehicles (UMVs)
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the topic "Direct to Phase II: Next-generation Autonomy for Unmanned Maritime Vehicles (UMVs)" as part of the SBIR program. The Navy is specifically interested in developing next-generation autonomy that will increase the capability and scope of utility of UMVs while decreasing the level of remote human operator involvement. UMVs refer to both Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). The goal is to advance the state of the art in UMV autonomy by enabling UMVs to perform complex tasks with little to no human intervention, handle dynamic and harsh maritime environments, support diverse missions and tasks, and cooperate autonomously with other UMVs. The proposed autonomy should operate with low-bandwidth and intermittent communication and be robust to uncertain and inaccurate perception information. The project will consist of a Phase I-type effort to develop a workable prototype or design, followed by a Phase II effort to develop, demonstrate, and validate the next-generation autonomy software. The Phase II period of performance is anticipated to be four years. Successful completion of the project is expected to transition the Next-generation Autonomy software to the acquisition program for use within its Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (UMAA) in USV programs.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - A/I Enabled ARP, Select, and Monitor
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the topic "A/I Enabled ARP, Select, and Monitor" as part of its SBIR program. The objective of this solicitation is to develop and deliver an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled system to modernize and automate the Army's acquisition process, starting with the development of an Acquisition Requirements Package (ARP). The proposed system aims to alleviate current problems in the Army acquisition community, such as inconsistent results, lengthy and inefficient ARP development, and limited tools available to the workforce. The technology will use AI/ML to assist program managers in building ARP, conducting source selection activities, and monitoring contracts post-award. The Phase I of this project is only accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals with a cost of up to $2,000,000 for a 24-month period of performance. The Phase II effort is expected to deliver a basic AI capability to guide ARP development, with potential for expansion to other types of acquisitions. The Phase III dual-use applications include the use of Contract Management Software (CMS) technologies in various sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, retail, IT and telecom, transportation and logistics, government, and financial services. The deadline for proposal submission is March 31, 2025. For more information, visit the solicitation agency's website here.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - Autonomous Bridging Kit Open Topic
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for an Autonomous Bridging Kit as part of its SBIR program. The objective of this project is to develop a solution that allows the Army to autonomously maneuver and connect temporary, mobile bridging platforms for wet gap (water) crossing operations. The desired solution should enable autonomous movement and navigation of fully loaded wet gap bridging platforms and their bays from origin to destination while detecting and avoiding obstacles in the water. The goal is to reduce the assembly time of the bridging platforms and the number of Soldiers required to perform wet gap crossing operations. The project will be conducted in two phases. In Phase I, a preliminary autonomous kit design will be developed. In Phase II, the design will be refined and a prototype of the autonomous kit will be created. The total funding for Phase II awards is $1,900,000 for a 12-month period of performance. The ultimate goal of Phase III is to transition the technology to a US Army lab or a Program Executive Office for further development or potential acquisition pathways. The solicitation is open until March 31, 2025. For more information, visit the DOD SBIR website.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - Open Topic for Persistent Experimentation
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for an open topic on persistent experimentation. The U.S. Army, under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD (R&E)), is specifically interested in novel, disruptive concepts and technology solutions with dual-use capabilities. The goal is to address the Army's current needs and future concepts by experimenting, refining, and advancing technology solutions in operationally relevant environments. The Army encourages participation in its persistent experimentation events to mature and test the technology. Proposals should align with specific experimentation events and demonstrate potential for commercial applications. The phase I of the project will only accept Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals, which should provide documentation of scientific and technical merit, feasibility, and potential commercial applications. DP2 awardees are expected to produce a prototype solution ready for field demonstration and deliver a technology transition and commercialization plan. Phase III focuses on the maturation of the technology to TRL 6/7 and further development and commercialization. The keywords for this solicitation include Human-Machine Integration (HMI), autonomy, artificial intelligence (AI), logistics, ground systems, air systems, robotics, sensors, and electromagnetic warfare (EW). The solicitation is open until March 31, 2025. For more information, visit the solicitation link.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - xTechScalable AI 2
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the xTechScalable AI 2 topic. This solicitation focuses on two main areas: Scalable Tools for Automated AI Risk Management and Algorithmic Analysis: The Army is looking for automated tools to evaluate and mitigate risk against an AI Risk Management Framework (RMF) to ensure trusted and validated AI models. The tools should be able to evaluate multiple dimensions of AI risk, classify and quantify AI risk, and propose mitigation options. The Army is particularly interested in tools that can accept risk-related inputs from multiple data sources and modalities and have standardized evaluation methods and mitigation strategies. Scalable Techniques for Robust Testing and Evaluation (T&E) of AI Operations Pipelines: The Army needs a robust and automated T&E approach for AI Operations Pipelines. This includes evaluating data integrity, data labeling methodologies, and model training. The Army is interested in tools that can identify and evaluate data integrity, assess the quality and accuracy of labels applied to training datasets, and evaluate model performance in terms of resource consumption, robustness, scalability, and privacy and security. The Phase I proposals can receive up to $250,000 for a 6-month period, while Direct to Phase II proposals can receive up to $2,000,000 for an 18-month period. Phase II involves producing prototype solutions that will be evaluated by soldiers, and Phase III focuses on maturing the technology and producing prototypes for further development and commercialization. The xTechScalable AI 2 prize competition will be used to identify small businesses eligible to submit proposals under this topic. The full solicitation can be found at this link.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - xTech Search 8 SBIR Finalist Open Topic Competition
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the xTech Search 8 SBIR Finalist Open Topic Competition. The objective of this solicitation is to find novel and disruptive concepts and technology solutions with dual-use capabilities that can address the Army's current needs and apply to current Army concepts. The technology areas of interest include Electronics, Human Systems, and Sensors. The Army is particularly interested in technologies related to Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, Autonomy, Cyber, Human Performance, Immersive, Network Technologies, Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT), Power, Software Modernization, and Sensors. The Phase I of the project requires a feasibility study and concept plans, while Phase II involves producing prototype solutions for evaluation by soldiers. Phase III focuses on the maturation of the technology and commercialization. The solicitation is open until March 31, 2025. For more information, visit the solicitation agency website.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - xTech Search 8 SBIR Finalist Open Topic Competition
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the xTech Search 8 SBIR Finalist Open Topic Competition. The objective of this solicitation is to find novel and disruptive concepts and technology solutions with dual-use capabilities that can address the Army's current needs and apply to current Army concepts. The technology areas of interest include Electronics, Human Systems, and Sensors. The Army is particularly interested in technologies related to Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, Autonomy, Cyber, Human Performance, Immersive, Network Technologies, Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT), Power, Software Modernization, and Sensors. The Phase I of the project requires a feasibility study and concept plans, while Phase II involves producing prototype solutions that can be easily operated by soldiers. Phase III focuses on the maturation of the technology and its transition to TRL 6/7, as well as further development and commercialization. The solicitation is open until March 31, 2025. For more information, visit the solicitation agency website.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - Autonomous Optical Sensors
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the topic of "Autonomous Optical Sensors" as part of their SBIR program. The objective of this project is to develop a portable optical sensor that can capture high-quality real-time imagery data during missile tests. The sensor will be positioned near a missile launcher or target to analyze the terminal phase of the flight in remote locations where proper test infrastructure is unavailable. The Autonomous Optical Sensor (AOS) system will incorporate high-speed imaging cameras with advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. The sensor will operate autonomously for an extended period with either a battery or renewable energy source and wirelessly receive setup and calibration data from a centralized command center. In Phase I, the awardee will research and define an integrated AOS configuration that includes various types of optical sensors and develop an AI framework to manage the system. Phase II will involve creating a prototype of the AOS and refining the integrated system design for optimal performance. The potential impacts of this technology include collecting real-time imagery for air traffic management at airports or surveillance of sensitive areas. It can help track flights, assist in airspace coordination, and alert operators of potential safety or security concerns. The project duration is not specified, but the solicitation is open until March 31, 2025. For more information and to submit a proposal, visit the DOD SBIR website.
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - xTechScalable AI 2
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the xTechScalable AI 2 topic. This solicitation focuses on two main areas: Scalable Tools for Automated AI Risk Management and Algorithmic Analysis: The Army is looking for automated tools to evaluate and mitigate risk against an AI Risk Management Framework (RMF). The tools should be able to evaluate multiple dimensions of AI risk, classify and quantify AI risk, and propose mitigation options. The Army is particularly interested in tools that can accept risk-related inputs from multiple data sources and modalities and have standardized evaluation methods and mitigation strategies. Scalable Techniques for Robust Testing and Evaluation (T&E) of AI Operations Pipelines: The Army needs a robust and automated T&E approach for AI Operations Pipelines. This includes evaluating data integrity, data labeling, and model training. The Army is interested in tools that can identify and evaluate data integrity, assess the quality and accuracy of data labels, and evaluate model performance in terms of resource consumption, robustness, scalability, and privacy and security. The Phase I proposals can receive up to $250,000 for a 6-month period, while Direct to Phase II proposals can receive up to $2,000,000 for an 18-month period. Phase II involves producing prototype solutions that will be evaluated by soldiers, and Phase III focuses on maturing the technology and producing prototypes for further development and commercialization. The xTechScalable AI 2 prize competition will be used to identify small businesses eligible to submit proposals under this topic. The full solicitation can be found at the following link: [solicitationagencyurl].
    DOD SBIR 24.4 Annual - Autonomous Optical Sensors
    Active
    Department of Defense
    The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking proposals for the topic of "Autonomous Optical Sensors" as part of their SBIR program. The objective of this project is to develop a portable optical sensor that can capture high-quality real-time imagery data during missile tests. The sensor will be positioned near a missile launcher or target to analyze the terminal phase of the flight. The sensor will incorporate high-speed imaging cameras with advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, allowing it to calibrate and manage itself and operate autonomously for an extended period. The sensor will wirelessly receive setup and calibration data from a centralized command center. In Phase I, the awardee will research and define an integrated configuration of the Autonomous Optical Sensor (AOS) that includes various types of optical sensors and an AI framework. Phase II will involve creating a prototype of the AOS based on the Phase I analysis, refining the integrated system design, and conducting functional testing in an operational context. The potential applications of this technology include collecting real-time imagery for air traffic management at airports or surveillance of sensitive areas. It can help track flights, assist in airspace coordination, and alert operators of potential safety or security concerns. The project is currently open for proposals, with a closing date of March 31, 2025. More information can be found on the DOD SBIR website.