vacancies

Current Vacancies at BRL;

Research Assistant: Soft Robotics and Artificial Muscles

Working jointly with the Department of Engineering Mathematics and the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, the successful candidate will work on the development of soft-smart materials and mechanisms for soft robotics and artificial muscles. This three-year postdoctoral post is part of a new EPSRC funded project entitled ?gMulti-link soft polymer micro-actuators and sensors?h. The project will develop and study soft ionic micro-actuators and micro-sensors that can articulate into complex shapes and can sense complex deformations. Application of these soft-smart materials to medical devices, soft robotics, and engineering will drive the research.  

The candidate should have a Ph.D. in a related field, including robotics, engineering mathematics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or electro-active polymer chemistry. Full details of the project and this position are below.

Further information:  The job:   13902fds.doc   or here

Grade:  Level a - Level b in Pathway 2 

Salary:  £28,290-£35,858

Contact for informal enquiries:  Dr J Rossiter jonathan.rossiter@bristol.ac.uk Tel. 0117 928 7753 or Ms EK Weeks e.weeks@bristol.ac.uk Tel. 0117 928 9734

Timescale of appointment : Fixed Term Contract 3 years

Closing date for applications:  9.00 am on 09 May 2008

Anticipated interview date: 13 June 2008 

Anticipated start date:   01 October 2008

Application process: You can apply online here

or you can download the application form here: application form

You should should ask your referees to send references directly to Emma Weeks (E.Weeks@bristol.ac.uk) by the closing date.

If successful, you may be appointed either on a fixed term or a permanent contract depending on the extent of your previous relevant research experience. Further information can be found at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/personnel/ftc/

PhD Fellowship in Robotic Rehabilitation for Restoration of Hand Motor Function

Summary

The Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) (a partnership between the University of Bristol and the University of West England (UWE)), is seeking to fill a 3 year doctoral fellowship in rehabilitation robotics.  The researcher will work in the area of biorobotics and adaptive control with the focus on rehabilitation of hand motor function after neurological damage.

Project Scope

Robotic devices designed to support the reacquisition of motor control for the upper extremities have received significant attention in recent years.  In their current state, however, existing devices tend to be too bulky to be used outside the Occupational or Physiotherapy department or clinic, cannot fully synergize muscle learning with powered assist, have trouble adjusting to changing patient capacity in real-time, and need to support neural rehabilitation as a part of activities of daily living.
The Bristol Robotics Laboratory, as a part of ongoing efforts aimed at surmounting these issues, is sponsoring a three-year doctoral research fellowship in upper limb rehabilitation robotics.  The project will explore issues related to robotic rehabilitation for hand motor (grasping) function in patients suffering from neurological disorders.  Topics to be explored include: biomechanical robot design, compliant (muscle-like) actuation for robotic rehabilitation mechanisms, adaptive control architectures to adjust to patient learning, and robot autonomy for use outside of controlled (hospital/therapist) environs. 

Applicant Requirements

The recipient of the fellowship will complete a doctorate within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol, with support from the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences in University of the West of England.  The ideal candidate will meet all entrance requirements for the doctoral program in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol and have a background in mechanical design and control systems (mechatronics).  The candidate should also have a strong interest in robotics and bioengineering.  Preference will be given to applicants with some experience or exposure to biologically inspired robotics and/or physiotherapy/neural rehabilitation.  Opportunities for continued postdoctoral research at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory also exist at the close of the appointment period. 

Position Terms

This is a fixed term post available for 3 years.  The position includes bursary of approximately £12,000 per annum plus all tuition fees.  The position start date is expected to be Oct 2008.  All research in the program will be carried out at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, located in the Frenchay Business Park, Bristol, UK. General information about the hosting laboratory can be found at: http://www.brl.ac.uk.

Enquiries and Application Details

For an informal discussion about the post please contact:
Dr. Ravi Vaidyanathan
Lecturer in Biodynamics
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Bristol
Phone: +44 (0) 117 331 8266
E-mail: R.Vaidyanathan@bristol.ac.uk

Ph.D. Fellowships in Human-Machine Interface for Rehabilitation Systems Based on Aural Flow Monitoring

Summary

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol, in conjunction with the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) and the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at University of Southampton announces three Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) doctoral fellowships for a new project in rehabilitation technology.  Support is offered for students pursuing doctoral studies in bioengineering centering on physiological signal processing and pattern recognition, with application to human-machine interface systems for control of assistive mechanisms. 

Project Scope

The vision of this investigation is to enable patients with quadriplegia, arthritis, limited movement due to stroke, or other conditions causing limited or painful hand/arm movement to interface with their environment and control all manner of equipment, ranging from mechanical or robotic assist devices, lights, television, prosthetic aids, and even computers.
To achieve this aim, we introduce an unobtrusive method for detecting tongue movement, and generating a control instruction corresponding to that movement in real-time. This method consists of detecting specific tongue motions by monitoring air pressure in the human outer ear, and subsequently providing control instructions corresponding to that tongue movement. Various movements within the oral cavity create unique, traceable pressure changes in the human ear, which can be measured with a simple sensor (e.g. a microphone) and analyzed to produce commands, which can in turn be used to control mechanical devices or other peripherals.  This system, the first of its kind, has the potential to outstrip many traditional mechanical-input devices.  Pilot research for this program has already received significant esteem, including articles in New Scientist (July 07) , The Engineer Magazine (Jan 2008), and IEEE’s Institute (Oct 2007).  The goal of this program is to complete research supporting the completion of a clinical-ready prototype within the next three years.

Applicant Requirements

Three doctoral fellowships are currently being offered as a part of this research project.  Two fellowship recipients will complete a doctorate within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol and one within the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at the University of Southampton.  The ideal candidates will meet all entrance requirements for the respective doctoral program of entry and have a strong background in signal processing, pattern recognition, and self-tuning systems.  The candidate should also have a firm interest in robotics and bioengineering and be comfortable in an environment involving close collaboration with clinical/rehabilitation sciences.  Preference will be given to applicants with some experience or exposure to electro-mechanical systems, rehabilitation, and physiological (acoustic) signal processing.  Research in the program will be carried out at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, The University of Bristol, and the University of Southampton.

Position Terms

This is a fixed term post available for 3 years.  The position includes bursary of approximately £12,000 per annum plus all tuition fees.  The position start date is expected to be Oct 2008. 

Institutions

The University of Bristol and the University of Southampton rank among the top 10 research-led universities in the UK and are committed to fostering innovative collaborative research. 
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol is recognized by academic peers, by students and by their employers, as one of the foremost centres of mechanical engineering education and research in the UK.  It has one of the most active and extensive research profiles in the University and is one of the top-ranking mechanical engineering departments in the UK, achieving a grade 5A in the last nationwide Research Assessment Exercise (RAE),
The Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) at the University of Southampton is unique amongst UK Engineering departments in that it provides clinical services that utilize biomedical signal processing every day within the Hearing and Balance Centre. Projects are carried out in collaboration with practitioners (engineers, scientists and clinicians) in various hospital centres and forms an important part of the research portfolio of ISVR, which has been awarded grade 5* in the latest Research Assessment Exercise.
The Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) is a newly established robotics research facility (currently the largest in the UK), created from a partnership between the University of Bristol  and the University of the West of England, Bristol.  BRL has brought together a wide spectrum of expertise making the new laboratory a leading centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research in the UK, including neuroscience, psychology, material science, microbiology as well as computer science and engineering. Currently, BRL consists of over 30 active researchers and 4 technicians but this is expected to grow significantly in the next year. The laboratory possesses electronic and fabrication workshops, and access to comprehensive CNC machining, and has 24 hour controlled access. 
Informal Enquiries
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact:
Dr. Ravi Vaidyanathan, Lecturer in Biodynamics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, R.Vaidyanathan@bristol.ac.uk
Dr Shouyan Wang, Research Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering, Hearing and Balance Center, University of Southampton, sy.wang@soton.ac.uk