Re-announcement - One or more PhD stipends in Cloud-Connected Bionic Limb

At the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health Science and Technology one or more PhD stipends are available within the doctoral program Biomedical Science and Engineering. The stipends are open for appointment from 1 April 2023 or soon thereafter.

Department of Health Science and Technology carries out multidisciplinary research, teaching, and dissemination within biomedical engineering, sports science, and medicine. The department has more than 250 employees and is responsible for more than 1700 students. More than 100 PhD students are enrolled in the doctoral school affiliated with the department. The researchers are organized in a number of research groups and centers, and the department has at its disposal laboratory and clean room facilities for cell growth, molecular biology, brain analysis, 3D movement analysis, respiratory and circulatory examinations, sensory and motor functions analysis, human- machine interfacing, bionic limbs, etc. All study programs at Aalborg University involve problem-based learning, organized around cases and projects. For more, see: www. hst.aau.dk.

As the Faculty of Medicine wishes PhD positions to enable careers both within and outside the university, the vacant positions are created in such a way that the competencies achieved in the position will qualify for both a research career and a career in the commercial and/or public sector. At least a year before the position expires, you will be offered an interview to clarify your future career.

Recent advances in wireless connectivity and cloud/edge computing pave the way for the next generation of assistive robotic systems, like bionic limbs and exoskeletons, which will be constantly connected to the Cloud. Such systems, equipped with advanced sensors, will become truly intelligent, capable to decrease the cognitive burden of control or even perform some of the tasks autonomously. This will lead to an increased acceptance and active use of assistive robotic systems, reducing the currently high rejection rates and improving the overall quality of patients' lives. The proposed concept of the cloud-connected bionic limbs is radically novel, posing many open problems that concern the interplay between connectivity, cloud functionality, and user behavior. The goal of this Ph.D. project is to investigate how we can use Cloud resources to revolutionize the capabilities of a bionic limb. This involves developing and testing the approaches for the semi-autonomous control of hand prostheses that rely on advanced computer vision and machine learning algorithms (e.g., depth sensing, point cloud analysis, deep learning) that exploit the Cloud-based resources (e.g., Good Vision API). The developed methods will be tested in a functional context to investigate the improvement in performance and impact on the user experience. An important aspect to address is how to share the control between the automatic controller (Cloud) and the user and how will the user react and adapt to communication disturbances that might impair the connection to the Cloud.

Prospective applicants for this PhD proposal should have the following qualifications; • M.Sc. degree in biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or similar, • Experience in programming, at least in Matlab, while the knowledge of C++ and/or Python is an advantage • The knowledge of machine learning, computer vision, human-machine interfacing, and the design of experiments is an advantage. • A creative mindset and curiosity to research and develop new solutions in an international environment with highly skilled colleagues. • Good communication and excellent organizational skills.

The study project will be conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Telenor, and Otto Bock.

Further information on the academic content of the position can be obtained by contacting Associate Professor Strahinja Dosen, Department of Health Science and Technology, email: [email protected]

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.

Shortlisting will be applied. This means that subsequent to the deadline for applications the head of department supported by the chair of the assessment committee will select candidates for assessment. All applicants will be informed whether they will be assessed or not.

For further information about stipends and salary as well as practical issues concerning the application procedure contact Ms ruth Klitte The Doctoral School at The Faculty of Medicine, email: [email protected]

For more information of the The Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology: https: // www. phd.aau.dk/medicine-biomedical-science- and-technology

The application is only to be submitted online by using the "Apply online" button below.

AAU wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background or belief.

Appointment and salary as a PhD fellow are according to the Ministry of Finance Circular of 28 June 2019 on the Collective Agreement for Academics in Denmark, Appendix 5, regarding PhD fellows, and with the current Circular of 11 December 2019 on the employment structure at Danish universities.

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Thu Mar 09 00:00:00 CET 2023