Future Program: Organoid Cytomorphic Intelligence Resulting from Convergent Understanding and Information Transfer (O-CIRCUIT)

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is announcing a new program called Organoid Cytomorphic Intelligence Resulting from Convergent Understanding and Information Transfer (O-CIRCUIT). The goal of this program is to develop unconventional biological processing units (BPUs) for edge learning and inference with minimal power draw. The program will focus on two task areas: Task Area 1 (TA1) will focus on building a BPU with enhanced learning capabilities, while Task Area 2 (TA2) will focus on building and testing a biological olfactory sensor system integrated into a BPU. The program is a 42-month effort with two optional phases. • The program aims to develop BPUs that can provide sophisticated inference and drone guidance via neural olfactory sensing. • The program will require proposed approaches to address one of the two task areas, but addressing both task areas is also permissible. • The program will have capability demonstrations to evaluate BPU development progress at the end of each phase. • The final capability demonstration will assess fully integrated BPUs incorporated into a drone platform that can spatially navigate through complex chemical environments.