Precision Inertial Navigation & Positioning On an Integrated Tesseract (PINPOINT)
DARPA seeks proposals to develop radically new inertial sensors and control systems for advanced navigation in tactical and unmanned missions, moving beyond current MEMS IMU technology.
Funder: DARPA - Defense Sciences Office
Due Dates: August 27, 2026 (Proposal Abstract) | October 2, 2026 (Full Proposal)
Funding Amounts: Multiple awards anticipated; Phase I awards are for 24 months. No specific ceiling or floor stated; funding commensurate with proposed work and available budget.
Summary: Supports innovative R&D on next-generation inertial measurement units (IMUs) for tactical and unmanned missions, emphasizing revolutionary sensor architectures and advanced nonlinear control.
Key Information: Abstract submission is mandatory before full proposal; open to U.S. and non-U.S. organizations.
Description
DARPA's Defense Sciences Office seeks proposals for groundbreaking research in the physics and nonlinear control of inertial measurement units (IMUs) under the Precision Inertial Navigation & Positioning On an Integrated Tesseract (PINPOINT) program. The initiative aims to overcome the performance plateau of MEMS-based IMUs by exploring revolutionary sensor architectures operating in highly nonlinear regimes, such as electromagnetically levitated proof masses, nonlinear resonators, and high-velocity tethered microsystems. A central focus is the tight integration of novel physical sensor packages with advanced, real-time adaptive control systems. Proposals should target transformative advances in science, devices, or systems and must not be limited to incremental improvements over the current state of practice.
The program's objective is to develop proof-of-concept six-degree-of-freedom IMUs suitable for Department of Defense-relevant missions, with a strong emphasis on low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) without sacrificing high performance. Deliverables include validated physical simulation models, design rules, and prototype design kits (PDKs) to support future technology transition and scalability. Both defense-focused and alternative use cases (e.g., space, hypersonics, radiation-hard environments) are within scope if performance metrics are as challenging as those outlined in the solicitation.
