[U.S. National Science Foundation](https://www.nsf.gov/)

Proposals accepted anytime

No specified minimum or maximum; typical NSF award durations are 1–5 years; budgets should be appropriate to project scope.

Supports fundamental research on safe, productive, and adaptive bidirectional interaction between intelligent engineered systems and humans in physics-based environments.

--- ## Description The Mind, Machine, and Motor Nexus (M3X) program funds fundamental research to advance the science and engineering of bidirectional interactions between humans and intelligent engineered systems—whether physical, virtual, or hybrid—operating in physics-based environments. The program seeks projects that deepen understanding of how humans and machines interact, adapt, and collaborate to enhance safety, productivity, and well-being in complex, dynamic settings such as elder care, disaster response, and dynamic workplaces. Projects must focus on significant contributions to at least one of the following areas: - **Conceptual Frameworks and Theoretical Modeling:** Developing new conceptual, mathematical, or computational frameworks for analyzing human-system interactions, including cognition, perception, and behavior. - **Dynamic Interaction Analysis and Simulation:** Investigating dynamic, bidirectional human-system interactions in physical, virtual, or hybrid environments, including phenomena such as learning, co-adaptation, cooperation, and competition. - **Innovative Technologies for Enhanced Interaction:** Creating new methods, tools, or technologies to enable novel or improved forms of bidirectional interaction, including new interfaces, measurement methods, and real-time integration of sensorimotor data. Researchers are encouraged to submit a one-page Project Summary to [m3x@nsf.gov](mailto:m3x@nsf.gov) for feedback prior to full proposal submission. --- ## Due Dates - Proposals accepted anytime --- ## Funding Amount - No minimum or maximum budget specified. - Award durations are typically 1–5 years; budgets must be appropriate for the project scope. - No cost sharing or matching required. --- ## Eligibility - Unrestricted: Open to universities, colleges, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and other entities. - Principal Investigators should ensure their organization is eligible to submit proposals to NSF. --- ## Application Process - Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements in the [NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg). - It is strongly recommended to email a one-page Project Summary to [m3x@nsf.gov](mailto:m3x@nsf.gov) for program alignment feedback before submitting a full proposal. - Submit proposals via [NSF FastLane](https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/), [Research.gov](https://www.research.gov/), or [Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/). - Carefully address how the proposed work advances knowledge of bidirectional human-system interaction in a physics-based environment. --- ## Additional Information - Projects should focus on foundational research; applied or development-only projects are less likely to be competitive. - Proposals may address physical, virtual, or hybrid environments but must emphasize physics-based interaction phenomena. - For updates, webinar materials, and resources, visit the [NSF M3X program page](https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/m3x-mind-machine-motor-nexus). --- ## External Links - [NSF Program Page: Mind, Machine and Motor Nexus (M3X)](https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/m3x-mind-machine-motor-nexus) - [NSF PAPPG (Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide)](https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg) - [Browse funded M3X projects](https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/advancedSearchResult?ProgEleCode=058Y00&BooleanElement=Any&BooleanRef=Any&ActiveAwards=true#results) - [Grants.gov Opportunity Listing](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/358682) --- ## Contact Information | Name | Email | Phone | Organization | |------------------------|------------------------------|---------------|---------------| | Alexander Leonessa | [m3x@nsf.gov](mailto:m3x@nsf.gov) | 703-292-2633 | ENG/CMMI | | Alexandra Medina-Borja | [m3x@nsf.gov](mailto:m3x@nsf.gov) | 703-292-7557 | ENG/CMMI | | NSF Grants.gov Support | [grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov](mailto:grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov) | — | NSF |

Mind, Machine and Motor Nexus

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