NASA Challenge: Bio-Inspired Advanced Exercise Concepts

This Challenge seeks bio-inspired approaches for compact and efficient Advanced Exercise Concepts (AECs). These concepts are needed to counteract muscular atrophy and improve the overall wellness of astronauts living in zero-gravity during a 21day mission.

NASA Bio-Inspired Advanced Exercise Device: Information Webinar.  Register here

On Thursday 29 October from 11:00 - 11:45 am EDT, the NASA Challenge Owner will hold a webinar to share:

• Why an exercise device
• The current state of exercise devices
• The vision for a Bio-Inspired Advanced Exercise Device
• Objectives behind the challenge

Attendees at this event will have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions through a chat box (no intellectual property is to be shared). Join us for the live webinar, you must register to attend. For those that cannot attend, the recording link will be made available several days later.  All submissions for this Challenge must be made through the InnoCentive website prior to the deadline.

There are many exercise devices that exist today. Many use servomotors pneumatics, flywheels and elastic bands which are all available today off the shelf. The Seeker would like to find new concepts that are inspired by biology. This type of biomimicry has shown to be efficient and durable in many cases. Solvers are asked to come up with bio-inspired exercise mechanism that will be the basis for resistive and aerobic exercises for astronauts. 

This is a Theoretical Challenge that requires only a written proposal to be submitted. The Challenge award will be contingent upon theoretical evaluation of the proposal by the Seeker. Awards will be paid out to the top submissions that meet or exceed the technical requirements and criteria. Awards will be paid out in increments of $5,000 (minimum) up to a potential total award pool of $15,000. The awards are not guaranteed. However, the Seeker expects to pay out 1-3 awards in total assuming the submissions meet the criteria. 

To receive an award, the Solvers will not have to transfer their exclusive intellectual property (IP) rights to the Seeker.  Instead, they will grant to the Seeker non-exclusive license to practice their solutions.