In May 2026, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), through its Biological Technologies Office (BTO), released a new program solicitation titled Organoid Cytomorphic Intelligence Resulting from Convergent Understanding and Information Transfer (O-Circuit). This initiative reflects DARPA’s continued investment in next-generation computing paradigms, specifically those that move beyond traditional silicon-based systems. At a high level, O-Circuit seeks to harness the inherent efficiency of biological systems to develop low-power, adaptive computing architectures capable of operating in resource-constrained environments, an area of growing importance for defense and national security applications.
Benefits of Biological Systems
The O-Circuit program centers on the development of Biological Processing Units (BPUs), engineered biological systems capable of performing computational tasks through neural structures such as organoids. Unlike conventional computing, which struggles with power demands in edge environments, biological systems offer the potential for highly efficient, parallel processing. DARPA’s vision is to integrate these BPUs into a Sense–Compute–Action framework, enabling systems that can detect environmental stimuli such as chemical odorants, process that information biologically, and autonomously respond through actuation mechanisms such as drone navigation.
Task Areas (TAs)
To achieve this, the program is structured around two primary Task Areas (TAs).
Task Area 1 (TA1, Architecture)
Task Area 1 (TA1, Architecture) focuses on developing BPUs with advanced learning and memory capabilities, pushing beyond current state-of-the-art neural culture systems. These systems will be evaluated in simulated environments such as video game-based testing to quantify their ability to learn, generalize, and retain information over time.
Task Area 2 (TA2, Action)
Task Area 2 (TA2, Action) builds on this foundation by integrating BPUs with biological odorant sensing arrays and drone navigation platforms, creating a fully functional Sense–Compute–Action system. These integrated systems are expected to detect and discriminate among dozens of chemical signatures and autonomously navigate toward target sources in real-world environments.
O-Circuit follows a phased development approach, with Phase 1 (18 months) dedicated to initial architecture development and testing, and Phase 2 (14 months) focused on performance refinement and scaling. A notional Phase 3 (10 months) may be introduced later to integrate the most successful TA1 and TA2 solutions into a unified system. Importantly, DARPA is currently soliciting proposals only for Phases 1 and 2, using a streamlined acquisition process that begins with written abstracts and progresses to an Oral Proposal Package (OPP) for selected teams.
Key Dates to Note:
- Solicitation Posting Date: May 1, 2026
- Questions Due: May 7, 2026, by 5:00 PM ET
- Abstract Submission Deadline: May 20, 2026, by 5:00 PM ET
- Oral Proposal Package (if invited): Approximately 24 days after selection notification
Redefining How Computing Systems Are Designed and Deployed
From a funding perspective, DARPA anticipates awarding approximately 5 to 7 contracts, with a total program value of $36 million across Phases 1 and 2. Awards will be issued as Other Transactions (OTs) for Prototype agreements, a flexible contracting mechanism that enables rapid innovation and collaboration with both traditional and nontraditional defense contractors. The expected period of performance is 32 months, covering both Phase 1 and Phase 2 activities.
Ultimately, the O-Circuit program represents a bold step toward redefining how computing systems are designed and deployed. By leveraging biological substrates for computation, DARPA aims to unlock new capabilities in energy-efficient processing, adaptive learning, and autonomous decision-making. These technologies have implications beyond defense, including environmental monitoring, healthcare diagnostics, and biohybrid robotics. The ability to detect chemical signatures and respond intelligently in real time has clear relevance to human health, particularly in early detection of hazardous substances and improved response to environmental threats.
A defining feature of the O-Circuit program is its emphasis on measurable biological learning and performance. DARPA will evaluate Biological Processing Units (BPUs) using standardized environments, including video game-based benchmarks, to quantify learning, generalization, and memory retention. In parallel, integrated systems must demonstrate the ability to detect up to 100 chemical odorants and autonomously navigate toward their source in real-world environments under strict energy constraints. These requirements underscore the program’s focus on not just biological inspiration, but fully functional, closed-loop biological computing systems.
If your company has considered applying for federal funding, your federal funding journey starts here. EverGlade is a national firm that helps organizations win and manage federal awards. We offer services ranging from Pursuit, Proposal and Post-Award support to comply with federal regulations at agencies including BARDA, ARPA-H, NIH, DTRA, JPEO, DOD, DIU, DOE, and DARPA.
