Trains require checking to identify whether items have been left unattended in carriages, especially while the train is in use, so that staff can be alerted quickly. Screening is a difficult process due to the complexity of the areas within trains that would need to be checked.
Scope
In order to make the process more efficient, DASA would like to augment or automate this process. There is a need for a device that is able to scan train carriages and determine if any foreign objects have been left behind. Screening needs to be carried out rapidly, whilst the train is in use and with passengers present.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
In train stations, staff regularly check the public areas such as platforms, concourse and shops to detect threats to the public. This includes any unusual activity and items. Unusual activity is something that a normal train passenger or station user would not be doing, such as trying to avoid staff, staying at a station too long or collecting information about the station.
Scope
DASA are seeking innovative solutions to work in combination with existing railway security measures to detect unusual behaviour. This could also be used to help identify and assist passengers who appear to be lost, those who are vulnerable or possibly considering self-harm. Assistance could be provided by a member of staff equipped with technology, a piece of technology itself, or a member of staff trained in a new procedure.
Project size
£50 – £350k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
Aviation cargo screening can be a laborious process that takes a significant amount of time. Cargo can be either distributed on pallets or in large containers. Currently, aviation cargo is screened for threat items by a variety of methods including x-ray systems
Scope
DASA are seeking novel, innovative ideas that would help increase the speed, accuracy and volume at which cargo is screened to improve the throughput of cargo as well as enhance security. They are interested in screening methods screen dark, dense regions within consignments (such as dense materials or densely packed items), aiding the detection of explosives and hidden weapons.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
Once a metal detector or security scanner alarm is activated on a passenger, the passenger is subjected to a further search in order to resolve the alarm and determine whether the alarm is genuine
Scope
DASA are interested in receiving proposals for the development of hand-held solutions that will help detect both metallic and non-metallic threats on the body while reducing the need for person-person contact, particularly in harder-to-search areas of the body. Any solutions must be safe to use on people and should complement, rather than duplicate, existing screening processes, such as metal and explosive detection.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
DASA has identified concerns understanding how the systemic response to severe traumatic injury affects later regenerative capacity, principally focusing on extremity soft tissue.
Scope
The burden of tissue damage associated with severe traumatic injury can lead to a dysregulation of a variety of systems including immune, metabolic and haemostatic responses. Projects should provide a better understanding of this context and what happens to, for example, the viability, production, differentiation and migration of cells involved in repair and regeneration after severe trauma.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
MOD relies on radar capabilities to provide situational awareness and intelligence, to find and identify its adversaries and target the delivery of its own effects to gain operational advantage
Scope
Seeking to fund initial feasibility studies (TRL1/2) of new and novel concepts and technologies that will transform the UK’s radar sensing capability (Land, Sea and Air domains) to meet the needs of a modern complex battlespace in the next 10-15 years.
Primary areas of interest include wideband arrays, passive and multi-static sensing, cognitive radar and next generation imaging techniques for complex radar applications.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
Everyday household products serve a number of purposes, from cleaning and cooking to DIY and cosmetics, however while these products may be used for legitimate applications, a number of these common products are at significant risk of misuse by terrorist organisations
Scope
We could do more to prevent successful terrorist attacks by modifying the formulations of common household products to make them much harder to misuse. DASA are seeking novel ideas to replace or reduce the potential harm of chemical and explosives precursors in household products.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
Everyday commercially available products are at risk of misuse or exploitation for illegitimate purposes, for example, to conduct an explosive attack. Banning such products is typically undesirable due to anticipated impacts on prosperity, consumer freedoms and lack of alternatives for legitimate use.
Scope
To successfully introduce any alternative products to market we must ensure a level playing field for business is secured while supporting the freedom of consumer choice. One method to achieve the former is through regulation. However, we need to understand how the public would react should we make regulatory changes that require reformulation of their favourite consumer products and how to create a positive customer demand for safer alternatives to current at risk products.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
Less-lethal weapons are used by the Police, security services and other law enforcement professionals to deflect the escalation of conflict in potentially hostile situations.
Scope
DASA is seeking proposals that demonstrate ideas or concepts that could be developed into prototypes for viability assessment as less-lethal weapons. Less-lethal weapons are vital in situations where the use of lethal force is prohibited or undesirable or where the rules of engagement require minimum casualties, or where policy restricts the use of conventional force.
Project size
£50 – £350 k
This is an open call, with the next assessment being the 2 Dec 2019
More information can be found here
Electro-Optic and Infrared (EOIR) sensors are a key military capability used for surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, threat warning, target detection and more.
Applications are sought for the development of novel and resilient technologies that can function in contested/congested environments, that will extend the range, lower the cost and size, and expand the range of targets that can be addressed by EOIR sensors.
Scope
All sensors and technologies must operate from the Ultra Violet (UV) to the Far Infrared (IR) range
Challenge areas:
- Novel optics and materials
- Novel sensors
- Embedded/Edge Processing applied to EOIR sensing
Project size
Up to £150k
More information can be found here
Seeking projects to transform food production systems, improve productivity and sustainability, and help the industry move towards net zero emissions by 2040
Scope
Projects must create integrated, data-driven solutions to drive agricultural productivity as well as target net zero emissions. Projects funded under this competition must address one of the following:
- the development of new, resource efficient, low emission food production systems
- the technological and other bottlenecks that prevent existing state-of-the-art systems from supplying mainstream consumer markets
Project size
£1 - £10 m
More information can be found here
In January 2019 the UK government published the ambitious Maritime 2050 strategy, setting out a long-term vision for the future of the UK maritime sector. The maritime sector is likely to undergo significant changes as technology revolutionises the way it operates and environmental concerns create new and more stringent requirements for the maritime industry.
This is an expression of interest competition with two stages
Scope
Projects are in scope if they:
Examples of ways in which maritime operations could be supported include:
The funding can be used either to develop an initial prototype, a proof of concept or a feasibility study that demonstrates the project's potential application to maritime operations and/or services.
Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal (Stage 2).
Project size
Up to £170k
More information can be found here
DASA is scoping the potential for an innovation challenge, seeking capability for remotely handling and manipulating highly sensitive liquid and solid explosives
Scope
The hazards of highly sensitive explosives and the associated health and safety concerns mean that manual handling of significant masses is undesirable.
A remote handling and manipulation capability is essential for the UK to allow the required work with sensitive explosives to be safely undertaken. DASA are engaging the market in order to gain an understanding of whether this capability can be realised by:
- adapting technologies from other market sectors
- adapting capabilities already in development
- using one system or a system of systems
- developing novel innovations
Project size
TBC
More information can be found here
This competition aims to solve the fundamental problem of exchanging digital energy information between energy organisations and with other stakeholders by supporting the development of products or services which can later be commercialised and employed to solve similar problems elsewhere
Scope
Projects must accelerate the development of tools and processes to modernise data services for the energy sector. Successful applicants will have access to advice, industry experts and representative datasets.
Project size
£100k - £160k
More information can be found here
Project size
£25,000 – £500,000 (6 –18 months)
£25,000 – £2,000,000 (19 –36 months)
Your proposal must demonstrate:
Projects should take customer and user needs into account to deliver more desirable and useful solutions.
More information about eligibility here
The aim of this competition is to bring businesses from different foundation industries (cement, paper, glass, ceramics, metals and bulk chemicals) to work on common resource and energy efficiency opportunities
Scope
Will fund cross-sector and collaborative research and development projects aimed at improving the productivity and competitiveness of the sectors’ companies and supply chains. The technical scope of the competition is broad, encompassing any resource or energy efficiency activity for the foundation industries. Projects can focus on any part of the manufacturing process, including: feedstock inputs, production and material product development.
Project size
£50k – £500k
More information can be found here
Supporting collaborators to plan their route to cluster decarbonisation
Phase 2 (follow on) projects must set out how a cluster could be decarbonised to net-zero levels
Scope
Phase 1 proposal must demonstrate how you will:
Project size
£40k –120k
More information can be found here
Supporting collaborators to plan their route to cluster decarbonisation.
Projects must deliver, or support delivery of, significant emissions reductions in a UK industrial cluster by 2030.
Scope
Phase 1 projects must develop a plan setting out the proposed approach to phase 2
Phase 2 projects to include a mix of:
Project size
£60k –£200k (phase 1)
More information can be found here
