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

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) has published Special Notice DARPA-SN-26-48 to announce the forthcoming Organoid Cytomorphic Intelligence Resulting from Convergent Understanding and Information Transfer (O-CIRCUIT) program. This Special Notice serves as public notification of additional research areas of interest to DARPA related to the development of advanced biological computing systems. The announcement was posted on March 3, 2026, and interested parties should monitor sam.gov for the full solicitation release. The program falls under the Research and Development in Biotechnology category and is classified as Basic Research under the National Defense R&D Services sector. This initiative represents DARPA's effort to explore unconventional approaches to computational challenges facing defense operations.

The O-CIRCUIT program aims to develop biological processing units (BPUs) capable of performing edge learning and inference while consuming minimal power—measured in milliwatt-hours per day—comparable to natural neural systems such as fruit fly brains. The primary objective is to address the significant energy requirements associated with modern AI training and inference, which directly impact operational longevity, compute capacity, and data transfer latency for warfighter performance in field environments. The program envisions extending biological processing units beyond computational functions to include sensing physical stimuli and outputting control instructions, such as directing autonomous drone navigation. Contractors interested in participating must submit proposals by March 31, 2026, with the full solicitation to be released on sam.gov. While the Special Notice does not specify explicit eligibility restrictions, interested organizations should prepare to demonstrate technical expertise in biological systems, biotechnology, and advanced computing architectures.