Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 107
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offered this funding opportunity, titled "Development of Socially-Assistive Robots (SARs) to Engage Persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD), and their Caregivers (R41/R42)," to support the creation and early-stage advancement of socially-assistive robotics and related technologies aimed at improving the lives of older adults living with AD, ADRD, and common coexisting health conditions. Structured as a Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) program announcement (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-17-107), it is designed specifically to push innovation out of the lab and toward practical, testable solutions by requiring collaboration between an eligible small business and a research partner institution. The overall focus is on technology that can meaningfully enhance health, reduce illness, and limit disability in affected older adults by providing assistance, engagement, or supportive interactions that align with the realities of dementia care.
A central theme of the opportunity is the development of socially-assistive robots (SARs), meaning robotic systems that are not just functional devices but are intended to interact with people in socially aware ways. In the context of AD and ADRD, this can include technologies that help maintain daily functioning, support routines, encourage physical activity or cognitive engagement, reduce agitation or isolation, facilitate communication, or provide structured prompts and companionship-like engagement that is safe and appropriate for individuals with cognitive impairment. The FOA also explicitly extends its interest beyond the person with dementia to include the caregiver, encouraging innovations that address caregiver needs and conditions. This reflects the practical understanding that caregiver burden, stress, fatigue, and mental health strain are major drivers of poor outcomes in dementia care, and that tools which reduce workload, improve monitoring, support respite, or help caregivers manage difficult behaviors can indirectly improve patient outcomes as well.
The funding mechanism is the NIH STTR phased model, using R41 and R42 grant activity codes. In typical STTR terms, Phase I (R41) supports feasibility, proof-of-concept work, and early prototyping or initial testing to show that the technology can work and is worth further development. Phase II (R42) generally supports a more advanced stage of research and development, such as refining the technology, testing it in more realistic settings, improving usability, and generating stronger evidence needed for eventual commercialization or broader deployment. The intent is not purely academic research; it is translational, product-oriented development meant to lead to real-world tools and services that can be used in homes, community settings, assisted living environments, memory care units, or clinical contexts that serve people with dementia and their caregivers.
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with STTR requirements, and applicants must be able to carry out the collaborative small business-research institution partnership that defines the STTR program. The FOA also makes clear that non-U.S. entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, it notes that "foreign components," as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed in some cases, which typically means discrete parts of the project could potentially be conducted abroad if they meet NIH policy requirements and receive approval, but the applicant organization itself must be eligible and primarily U.S.-based under NIH rules.
From the published source details, this opportunity falls under the NIH health funding category and is associated with CFDA number 93.866. The instrument type is a grant, and it is a discretionary opportunity. The announcement was created on January 9, 2017, and the original closing date listed is July 5, 2020. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the source fields provided, which usually means applicants would need to refer to the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for allowable costs, phase budget limits, project periods, and any institute-specific considerations.
In practical terms, this FOA is best understood as a targeted push to bring dementia-focused assistive robotics from concept to early validation and toward commercialization, with a strong emphasis on real human needs: supporting engagement and functioning for people living with AD/ADRD, and reducing the strain and unmet needs of the caregivers who make day-to-day dementia care possible.Apply for PAR 17 107
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of Socially-Assistive Robots (SARs) to Engage Persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD), and their Caregivers (R41/R42)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-01-09.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-07-05. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Development of Socially-Assistive Robots (SARs) to Engage Persons with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD), and their Caregivers (R41/R42)."
Which agency is offering this grant?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering this funding opportunity.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-17-107.
What kind of program is this (STTR vs. SBIR, etc.)?
This is a Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) program announcement that requires collaboration between an eligible small business and a research partner institution.
What are the grant activity codes used in this opportunity?
The opportunity uses the NIH STTR phased model with R41 (Phase I) and R42 (Phase II) activity codes.
What is the main purpose or focus of this FOA?
The main focus is to support the creation and early-stage advancement of socially-assistive robots (SARs) and related technologies intended to improve the lives of older adults living with Alzheimer's disease (AD), AD-related dementias (ADRD), and common coexisting health conditions.
What are "socially-assistive robots" (SARs) in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, socially-assistive robots are robotic systems designed to interact with people in socially aware ways, not just perform mechanical tasks. The goal is to provide assistance, engagement, and supportive interactions that fit the realities of dementia care.
Who is the technology intended to help?
The technology is intended to help older adults living with AD and ADRD, and it also explicitly includes their caregivers as a target group for innovation and support.
What kinds of outcomes or benefits is NIH looking for?
The FOA emphasizes technology that can meaningfully enhance health, reduce illness, and limit disability in affected older adults by providing assistance, engagement, or supportive interactions aligned with real-world dementia care needs.
What are examples of functions a SAR might support for people with AD/ADRD?
Examples described in the opportunity include helping maintain daily functioning, supporting routines, encouraging physical activity or cognitive engagement, reducing agitation or isolation, facilitating communication, and providing structured prompts and safe companionship-like engagement appropriate for people with cognitive impairment.
Does the FOA include caregiver-focused technologies or benefits?
Yes. The FOA extends its interest beyond the person with dementia to include caregiver needs and conditions, reflecting the importance of caregiver burden, stress, fatigue, and mental health strain in dementia care outcomes.
What types of caregiver needs does this FOA suggest could be addressed?
The FOA highlights tools that may reduce caregiver workload, improve monitoring, support respite, or help caregivers manage difficult behaviors, with the idea that supporting caregivers can indirectly improve patient outcomes.
Is this opportunity more research-focused or product-focused?
It is translational and product-oriented. The intent is to push innovation out of the lab toward practical, testable solutions that can lead to real-world tools and services rather than purely academic research.
What is supported under Phase I (R41)?
Phase I (R41) supports feasibility and proof-of-concept work, such as early prototyping or initial testing to show the technology can work and is worth further development.
What is supported under Phase II (R42)?
Phase II (R42) supports more advanced research and development, such as refining the technology, testing in more realistic settings, improving usability, and generating stronger evidence needed for eventual commercialization or broader deployment.
Where are the resulting technologies expected to be usable?
The FOA indicates real-world use across settings that serve people with dementia and caregivers, including homes, community settings, assisted living environments, memory care units, or clinical contexts.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with STTR requirements, and applicants must be able to carry out the required small business-research institution partnership.
Is collaboration required to apply?
Yes. As an STTR program announcement, the FOA requires collaboration between an eligible small business and a research partner institution.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) institutions eligible to apply?
No. The FOA states that non-U.S. entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. The FOA states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
Does the FOA allow any foreign involvement at all?
It notes that "foreign components," as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed in some cases. This typically means discrete parts of the project could potentially be conducted abroad if they meet NIH policy requirements and receive approval, while the applicant organization itself must remain eligible under NIH rules.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.866.
What is the instrument type for this funding?
The instrument type is a grant.
Is this a discretionary grant opportunity?
Yes. The listing indicates it is a discretionary opportunity.
When was this opportunity created?
The announcement was created on January 9, 2017.
What is the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is July 5, 2020.
Does the listing provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards?
No. The source fields provided do not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
Does this summary include budget limits or project period details?
No. The provided listing does not include specific phase budget limits, allowable costs, or project period details, and notes that applicants would typically need the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for those specifics.
What is the broader goal of NIH in offering this FOA?
The FOA is positioned as a targeted push to bring dementia-focused assistive robotics from concept to early validation and toward commercialization, emphasizing real human needs for engagement and functioning for people living with AD/ADRD and reduced strain for caregivers.
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| Improving Outcomes for Disorders of Human Communication (R01) Apply for PA 17 139 Funding Number: PA 17 139 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Improving Outcomes for Disorders of Human Communication (R21) Apply for PA 17 140 Funding Number: PA 17 140 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
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| NINDS Postdoctoral Mentored Career Development Award (K01) Apply for PAR 17 145 Funding Number: PAR 17 145 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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