Unconventional Processing of Signals for Intelligent Data Exploitation (UPSIDE)

The Unconventional Processing of Signals for Intelligent Data Exploitation (UPSIDE) program, issued by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under solicitation DARPA-BAA-12-53, focuses on developing innovative research into unconventional computation and data representations. The initiative aims to utilize emerging device technologies to enhance power efficiency for compute-intensive data analysis, with a specific emphasis on image sensor data. The program is structured around three primary tasks: the creation of computational models, mixed-signal CMOS implementation, and the exploration of emerging nanoscale devices. As part of this effort, Analog Devices has proposed a computational model for Task 1 that maps a Bayesian inference model directly to the abstraction layers of a traditional computing stack. The procurement process involves rigorous compliance and evaluation standards, including the use of a proposer checklist for cost volume development and preaward surveys of contractor accounting systems to ensure GAAP compliance and proper cost segregation. Managed by the Department of Defense in Arlington, Virginia, the program allows for various funding instruments, including procurement contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements.