DARPA's PINPOINT program seeks innovative proposals to research and develop inertial measurement units (IMUs) for tactical and unmanned missions, focusing on physics and nonlinear control. The program aims to overcome the decade-long performance plateau of MEMS IMUs by exploring revolutionary sensor architectures that operate in highly nonlinear regimes. Proposed research should develop novel inertial sensors based on approaches such as electromagnetically levitated proof masses, nonlinear resonators, and high-velocity tethered microsystems. A central requirement is tight co-design of the physical sensor package with advanced, real-time adaptive control systems to stabilize and harness complex dynamics. Research that primarily yields evolutionary improvements to existing practice is explicitly excluded.

DARPA is seeking innovative proposals for research and development of novel inertial measurement unit (IMU) technologies suitable for tactical and unmanned missions. The program focuses on physics and nonlinear control approaches to overcome the performance plateau of MEMS IMUs through revolutionary sensor architectures. Proposed concepts include electromagnetically levitated proof masses, nonlinear resonators, and high-velocity tethered microsystems, with an emphasis on tight co-design of the sensor package with real-time adaptive control systems. Research that primarily yields evolutionary improvements to existing practice is explicitly excluded; proposals must enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems.

DARPA is soliciting proposals for the PINPOINT program, focused on physics and nonlinear control of inertial measurement units (IMUs) for tactical and unmanned missions. The program aims to overcome the decade-long performance plateau of MEMS IMUs by exploring revolutionary sensor architectures that operate in highly nonlinear regimes. Proposed research may include electromagnetically levitated proof masses, nonlinear resonators, and high-velocity tethered microsystems, with an emphasis on tight co-design of physical sensors with real-time adaptive control systems. Performers are expected to pursue revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Research that primarily yields evolutionary improvements to existing practice is explicitly excluded.