PHD Position Touch Grasping
PhD candidate to develop neuromorphic touch sensors and control for adaptive robotic grasping.
Requires a Master's in a relevant engineering discipline and competence in sensors or neuromorphic areas.
Work within CogniGron's demonstrator programme on low-power neuromorphic systems with industry partners.
Omschrijving
PhD position on Sensors for Neuromorphic Touch in Adaptive Robotic Grasping. You will work at CogniGron within the Faculty of Science and Engineering on the demonstrator topic "Low-power neuromorphic systems for mobility and monitoring". The demonstrator programme aims to develop prototypes and proofs of concept that showcase the potential of neuromorphic technologies for real-world applications, in collaboration with industry partners to improve accuracy, speed and cost-efficiency for neuromorphic touch on robotic grippers.
Functie eisen
- Master's degree (completed or near completion) in Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
- Motivation to perform high-quality science that translates into real-world applications.
- Demonstrable competence in one or more relevant areas, for example flexible and wearable electronics, MEMS, printed electronics and sensors, soft robotics, event-based sensors, electronic materials, or neuromorphic engineering.
- Solid foundation in MEMS, sensors and actuators, electronic materials, and/or advanced functional materials.
- Good analytical and problem-solving abilities and a critical mindset.
- Very good written and spoken English suitable for scientific communication.
- Evidence of well-executed past research projects (e.g., Master thesis, publications, research assistant positions).
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an international research environment.
Taken
- Develop a sensorized, touch-based control system for a robotic gripper.
- Design and integrate flexible electronic tactile sensors to enable robust manipulation of objects with diverse shapes, sizes, compliances, and weight distributions.
- Implement fast data processing and adaptive control so the gripper adjusts its approach to objects in real time.
- Address constraints of real-time operation, high data efficiency, low power consumption, and low cost.
- Collaborate with industry partners and work within the interdisciplinary CogniGron research environment.
Werkomstandigheden
Temporary full-time employment for a period of four years, starting with an initial one-year contract and extension for the remaining three years after a positive Results and Development Interview.
- 232 vacation hours per year based on a 38-hour workweek, with the option to work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours (for example, a 40-hour workweek saves 96 extra free hours; a 36-hour workweek reduces free hours by 96).
- End-of-year bonus and holiday allowance.
- Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
- Employment in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities.
Beschrijving van de organisatie
The University of Groningen is an open academic community conducting interdisciplinary research and education across many fields, collaborating with business, government, and societal organizations.
The Faculty of Science and Engineering provides teaching and research from physics and biology to artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy, and works closely with partners from industry, healthcare, and society on urgent challenges such as energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology.
CogniGron is an internationally recognized research centre within the Faculty of Science and Engineering that conducts fundamental and applied research on self-learning materials and systems for next-generation computing. Inspired by the human brain, CogniGron develops energy-efficient neuromorphic chips and aims to create blueprints for future-proof computing by demonstrating real-world solutions that address energy consumption, autonomy, latency, and privacy. CogniGron offers a vibrant, multidisciplinary research environment with experts in AI, computer science, materials science, mathematics, electrical engineering, and robotics.