Project Grant 2549979
- The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University $395,099 on September 1, 2026, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to investigate remote actuation of liquid crystal elastomers using focused ultrasound. The research establishes a predictive framework for ultrasound-driven actuation of liquid crystal elastomers—soft polymers that undergo large, reversible shape changes when their...
- The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded the University of South Carolina $200,000 on August 1, 2026, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to develop scalable nanofabrication methods for nano-architected mechanical metamaterials using liquid crystal disclination as a design template. The research pursues a bottom-up manufacturing strategy that exploits spontaneously forming 3D defect networks in chiral blue phase liquid crystals...
- This three-year, $398,903 National Science Foundation project grant will fund research at the University of California San Diego to develop new microactuation materials through understanding the influence of shear-dependent viscosities on acoustic field-driven assembly of particles in polymer composites. The goal is to enable the precise spatial patterning of nanoparticles within stimuli-responsive polymer matrices using surface acoustic waves, allowing programmable shape reconfiguration and...
- The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded the University of Texas at Austin $747,979 on July 1, 2026, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to develop computational methods for modeling the coupled mechanical, chemical, and electrical behavior of soft polymer materials including hydrogels, elastomers, and polyelectrolyte gels. The research establishes a thermodynamically consistent multiphysics framework integrating...
- The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded $150,000 to the University of California, Davis on March 1, 2026, through the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to establish a predictive, cell-level safety framework for ultrasound-induced bioprinting. The project, titled "SAFE Direct Sound Printing: De-risking Thermo-Acoustic Phenomena in Non-Invasive Deep Tissue Bioprinting," addresses the critical barrier of ensuring cell safety when...
- The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded a $399,662 Project Grant to The Regents of the University of Colorado, doing business as the University of Colorado Office of Contracts and Grants Division, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041). The grant will fund research to enable the adaptive steering of acoustic waves through engineered or biological structures, with applications including the control of structure-borne noise,...
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded a $503,167 Project Grant to the University of Southern California (USC) for the project titled "CAREER: EFFECTIVE CONTINUUM MODELING OF MECHANISM-BASED METAMATERIALS". Under this 5-year award, effective from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2028, USC will conduct fundamental research to develop modeling tools for predicting the mechanical behavior of morphing metamaterials. Metamaterials...
- The National Science Foundation Division of Computing and Communication Foundations awarded the University of Southern California $525,000 on October 1, 2026, under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering program (CFDA 47.070) to develop highly accurate digital twins of soft materials used in medical devices, robotics, manufactured products, and virtual reality. The project will measure how real elastic materials deform internally using an industrial computed tomography scanner...
- Federal Project Grant Award Summary The University of Southern California received a $400,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2028. This collaborative research initiative develops bio-inspired robotic systems capable of traversing challenging water-land transition zones such as wetlands, mudflats, and tidal zones where...
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) awarded a $134,514 Project Grant to the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, operating as the University of Nebraska, to conduct research on "Collaborative Research: Ultrasound Driven Microbubble Clusters for Biomedical Applications" beginning May 1, 2024. The project aims to investigate the relationship between acoustically generated force fields, deformable vessel wall mechanics, and bubble oscillation...
The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded the University of Southern California $394,901 on September 1, 2026, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) for collaborative research on focused ultrasound actuation of liquid crystal elastomers. The project investigates remote control of soft polymers using focused ultrasound to trigger large, reversible shape changes in liquid crystal elastomers without direct heating, light, or embedded components. The research establishes a predictive framework for ultrasound-driven actuation across molecular, material, and structural scales. Results are expected to advance four-dimensional printing, soft robotic devices, adaptive structures, and biomedical technologies in support of national priorities in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology. The award funds collaborative research between Virginia Tech and the University of Southern California. The project includes graduate and undergraduate student training through interdisciplinary work integrating materials science and acoustics, classroom modules, cross-institutional student exchange, and outreach through science festivals and K–12 robotics events introducing students to smart materials and ultrasound science. Performance occurs in Los Angeles, California through August 31, 2029.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $394.9k | 7/29/26 |