ARIA: Standards and Benchmarks for Dexterous Robotics

Overview

ARIA's Robot Dexterity programme (backed by £88.5 million) is inviting proposals that remove a clearly defined barrier shared by many developers or users of dexterous robotic systems. It funds work on benchmarks, standards, interfaces and shared testing or adoption infrastructure, with standards for tactile sense data a particular priority. Teams can request up to £3 million in ARIA funding per project for up to 24 months, and ARIA expects to make up to four awards. Matched funding is not required. Clarification questions must reach ARIA by 1pm on 24 November 2026, and proposals close at 1pm UK time on 1 December 2026.