There are currently significant barriers to using digital twins due to the need to build them from scratch or invest in integration services. Many of the users who would benefit most from robotic digital twins do not have the knowledge or capacity to develop them themselves. This in turn limits access to experiential robotics training, physical AI research, and robot adoption for logistics and manufacturing purposes. This NOFO seeks to increase accessibility to robotic digital twins across the Commonwealth by supporting small-to-midsized startups or research labs to productize or manufacture their robot design, as well as develop a publicly accessible digital twin of the robot. We are seeking proposals for novel robot designs and applications from entrepreneurs and research groups willing to contribute to the MA Robotic Digital Twin Library. Preference will be given to groups whose robotic application targets manufacturing, logistics, education, or physical AI research.
