2535365
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
I-CORPS: Translation potential of an advanced cognitive-robotics technology
This I-CORPS project investigates the commercial potential of an advanced cognitive-robotics technology designed to transform general-purpose robots into trusted human teammates.
The robots are to be used as members of human-robotic teams.
To facilitate efficient communication, explainability and mutual trust within a team, the robots will have the ability to understand the meaning of what people communicate to them, and the ability to learn through language combined with interpreted visual perceptions.
This technology has the potential to benefit society by enabling robots to take on hazardous or fatigue-inducing jobs while keeping humans “in the loop” of decision-making processes.
This I-CORPS project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of the technology.
This solution is based on the development of a dual-layer framework featuring a high-level strategic cognitive layer and a low-level tactical control layer.
This framework combines complex reasoning and natural language understanding with real-time sensorimotor functionality.
The cognitive-robotic integration enables long-horizon planning and broadens the robot’s reasoning scope, adding metacognitive awareness and social intelligence that together support human-level explanations, essential for robots to serve as trusted teammates, not just tools, in human-robot teams.
These distinctive capabilities of demonstrated explainable artificial intelligence (AI) behavior, adaptive learning, and long-horizon planning grounded in cognitively inspired decision models, hold promise for wider adoption of cognitive-robots, especially in high-risk settings where human-robot trust is critical.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are not planned for this award.
This I-CORPS project investigates the commercial potential of an advanced cognitive-robotics technology designed to transform general-purpose robots into trusted human teammates.
The robots are to be used as members of human-robotic teams.
To facilitate efficient communication, explainability and mutual trust within a team, the robots will have the ability to understand the meaning of what people communicate to them, and the ability to learn through language combined with interpreted visual perceptions.
This technology has the potential to benefit society by enabling robots to take on hazardous or fatigue-inducing jobs while keeping humans “in the loop” of decision-making processes.
This I-CORPS project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of the technology.
This solution is based on the development of a dual-layer framework featuring a high-level strategic cognitive layer and a low-level tactical control layer.
This framework combines complex reasoning and natural language understanding with real-time sensorimotor functionality.
The cognitive-robotic integration enables long-horizon planning and broadens the robot’s reasoning scope, adding metacognitive awareness and social intelligence that together support human-level explanations, essential for robots to serve as trusted teammates, not just tools, in human-robot teams.
These distinctive capabilities of demonstrated explainable artificial intelligence (AI) behavior, adaptive learning, and long-horizon planning grounded in cognitively inspired decision models, hold promise for wider adoption of cognitive-robots, especially in high-risk settings where human-robot trust is critical.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are not planned for this award.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "INNOVATION CORPS - NATIONAL INNOVATION NETWORK TEAMS PROGRAM (I-CORPSTM TEAMS)", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF21552
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Troy,
New York
12180-3590
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was awarded
Project Grant 2535365
worth $50,000
from National Science Foundation in September 2025 with work to be completed primarily in Troy New York United States.
The grant
has a duration of 1 year and
was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Innovation Corps Teams (I-CorpsTM* Teams) Program.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/21/25
Period of Performance
9/15/25
Start Date
8/31/26
End Date
Funding Split
$50.0K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$50.0K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2535365
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Private Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
U5WBFKEBLMX3
Awardee CAGE
3A707
Performance District
NY-20
Senators
Kirsten Gillibrand
Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Modified: 8/21/25