Two funded PhD student positions

November 30, 2007

Two funded PhD student positions in the Biologically Inspired Robotics Group
The Biologically Inspired Robotics Group (BIRG, http://birg.epfl.ch/) in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences at EPFL has two open funded PhD student (research assistant) positions as part of a new European project to be started on the 1st of February 2008.
Background
The two positions are part of a new European project called Lampetra that aims at building lamprey-like and salamander-like robots to test hypotheses concerning vertebrate locomotion control. The project will be carried out in collaboration with the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Pisa, Italy), Karolinksa Institute (Stockholm, Sweden), Royal Institute of Technology (KTH, Stockholm, Sweden), Centre de recherche INSERM U862 (Bordeaux, France), and EPFL (Lausanne Switzerland).
Position A: Software for the lamprey and salamander robots
The goal of this position is to design the software that will control the robots. This involves both the high-level software for implementing the mathematical models of the spinal cord of the lamprey and the salamander, and the low-level software for interfacing with sensors, actuators, and monitoring PCs (together with the student for position B below). A large part of the project will be to design mathematical models of central pattern generators (as recurrent neural networks or systems of coupled nonlinear oscillators), and requires good knowledge of dynamical systems.
The ideal candidate for this position should have good programming skills combined with a strong mathematical background (e.g., computer science, physics or mathematics), experience in programming robots, and be interested in using robots as tools to understand biology.
Position B: Electronic hardware for the lamprey and salamander robots
The goal of this position is to participate to the design of the electronic hardware that will be on board of the robots. The responsibility of the PhD student will be to explore different design options in order to identify the best mix of microprocessors, microcontrollers, and analog electronics. Different implementations will be tested, but the most likely solution will be a distributed system of microcontrollers (e.g., ARM) interconnected through one or several CAN buses. The student should then implement and test the hardware on the real robots.
Candidates need to have a Master degree. The ideal candidate for this position should have a strong engineering background (e.g. computer engineering, electrical engineering and/or robotics), good programming skills, and be interested in using robots as tools to understand biology.
How to apply:
Step 1: The positions are only open to applicants who have been accepted for the EPFL doctoral school (see http://phd.epfl.ch/). The first step is therefore to fill the applications for one of the doctoral programs, the most relevant being “Computer, communication and information sciences” and “Manufacturing systems and robotics”.
Step 2: Once accepted by one of the doctoral programs (please specify which doctoral program and the date of acceptance), the application to the positions should consist of a motivation letter (explaining to which of the two positions you would like to apply, and why you feel qualified for that project), a CV, and a list of grades. Two (or more) letters of reference should be sent directly by the referees (e.g. professors who have supervised a research project) to Prof. Auke Ijspeert (emails are preferred).
Informal inquiries about the relevance of an application can be sent to
auke.ijspeert@epfl.ch (e.g. before submitting an application to the doctoral school), but responses can be slow because of a heavy schedule and a filled mail box.
Deadline and starting date:
Applications are invited from today (21st November 2007), and will be considered continuously until the positions are filled. The starting date is the 1st of February 2008 (or as soon as possible after that date).
Contact:
Information concerning the type of research carried out by the group can be found at http://birg.epfl.ch/. You should send your application and any inquiry by email to: Prof. Auke Jan Ijspeert,
auke.ijspeert@epfl.ch School of Computer and Communication SciencesEPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of TechnologyEPFL-IC-ISIM-GRIJINN 237Station 14CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland WWW: http://birg.epfl.ch/

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