PHD & Bionic Limbs
Description
PhD position at CogniGron to research neuromorphic sensing and control for bionic lower limbs. The project is part of the demonstrator program on Health monitoring & diagnostics and aims to develop AI-based control algorithms for prosthetic legs that use piezoelectric sensors to predict gait and enable fast, real-time adaptation. You will work in an interdisciplinary environment within the Faculty of Science and Engineering and collaborate with biomedical researchers and external stakeholders to develop prototypes and proofs of concept that demonstrate neuromorphic technologies in biomedical applications.
Job requirements
- Master's degree (completed or near completion) in (Applied) Physics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
- Demonstrable competence in at least one relevant area, for example flexible electronics, MEMS/NEMS, sensor design and implementation, analog signal processing, SSN-based learning, or neuromorphic engineering.
- Evidence of well-executed past research projects (eg, master thesis, publications, or research assistant position).
- Very well written and spoken English suitable for scientific communication.
- Good analytical and problem-solving abilities and a critical mindset.
- Motivation to translate high-quality science into real-world applications and the ability to work independently and collaboratively in an international, multidisciplinary research environment.
Tasks
- Conduct doctoral research on neuromorphic sensing and control for bionic lower limbs.
- Design AI-based control algorithms for a prosthetic leg.
- Develop and integrate piezoelectric sensors that track contact points across space and time to predict gait and enable fast adaptation.
- Implement on-device processing and ultra-low-power wearable solutions suitable for real-time adaptation.
- Collaborate with biomedical researchers, industry partners, and other stakeholders to develop prototypes and demonstrators.
- Contribute to the demonstrator program by producing prototypes and proofs of concept that showcase neuromorphic technologies.
Working conditions
- Four-year PhD appointment structured as 1 year plus 3 years.
- End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
- Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
- Flexible working arrangements, with options to adjust working hours and leave in consultation with the department.
- Employment in accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities.
Description of the organization
The University of Groningen is a European top university with interdisciplinary research and teaching across many fields. The Faculty of Science and Engineering covers disciplines from physics and biology to artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy, and works closely with industry, healthcare, and societal partners to address challenges such as energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology.
CogniGron is an internationally recognized research center within the Faculty of Science and Engineering that conducts fundamental and applied research on self-learning materials and systems for next-generation computer chips. Inspired by the human brain, CogniGron develops highly energy-efficient neuromorphic chips and aims to create demonstrators that address energy consumption, autonomy, latency, and privacy challenges in real-world application domains.