biomechanics | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans

PhD Position at LIRMM-INRIA, Montpellier, France: Whole body control framework for lower limb stability in computational rehabilitation

INRIA is the French national institute for research in computer science and control. DEMAR project’s research interests are centered on the human sensory motor modeling, including muscles, sensory feedbacks, and neural motor networks.

research direction:
Identification of biomechanical dynamics and muscle dynamics for neurologically damaged patient is already challenging as the system
response can drastically vary depending on the degree of the patient deficiencies. In FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation), movement
synthesis and control are still a challenging task due to the complexity of whole body dynamics computation and the nonlinearity of
stimulated muscle dynamics. One of the challenge concerns the feedback (torque, EMG, joint angle) that can be used to control joint angle,
torque or stiffness. Moreover, control strategies have to be designed in order to be performed on portable architecture and tuned through
advanced modeling and simulation.
In this context, the goal of this PhD work is to study the optimization-based motion synthesis and real-time control framework
which can generate stimulation patterns from the pre-computed motion synthesis database. Motion capture system together with the estimation of the Center of Mass would be used to assess the strategies. This work aims at the development of automatic method to establish deficient limb stability in computer-aided rehabilitation.
This PhD work is performed under the collaborative project named @walk (artificial walking) between INRIA DEMAR project and AI lab of
Stanford University.

Research background:
-Master in control engineering, computer science, biomechanics, robotics or related disciplines.
– good knowledge of C/C++ programming and matlab.

Scholarship Application Deadline: Contact Employer

Further Scholarship Information and Application

2011 Phd Positions in Biomedical Sciences at K.U.Leuven University, Netherlands

The division Anatomy is responsible for the human anatomy courses in the Bachelor degree Medicine at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Campus Kortrijk (Kulak). Lectures are complemented by practical sessions which offer an interactive way of acquiring knowledge and insight in the functional anatomy of the human body. In addition to the teaching duties, the division Anatomy also conducts research with focus on the functional anatomy and biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system, in collaboration with other research groups and clinicians.

Your profile:
– You have a Master degree in the domain of Biomedical Sciences (e.g., Master in Biomedical Sciences, Master in Movement Sciences, Master in Kinesiology, Master in Rehabilitation Sciences, Master in Biology, Master in Engineering: biomedical technology, Master in Medicine) or equivalent. You should have obtained your Master degree prior to appointment (last year students can also apply for this position);
– You have a good knowledge and strong interest in Anatomy and Biomechanics;
– You have experience in dissections, or you are willing to acquire these skills;
– You are creative, like to take initiative and able to work independently;
– You have good educational and communicative skills and necessary sense for responsibility.

A full-time appointment as research assistant (AAP) for a period of two years, renewable, at the division Anatomy, subfaculty Medicine, Kulak (Kortrijk, Belgium).

Scholarship Application Deadline:2011-04-18

Further Scholarship Information and Application

PhD Position at LIRMM-INRIA, Montpellier, France: Whole body control framework for lower limb stability in computational rehabilitation

INRIA is the French national institute for research in computer science and control. DEMAR project’s research interests are centered on the human sensory motor modeling, including muscles, sensory feedbacks, and neural motor networks.

research direction:
Identification of biomechanical dynamics and muscle dynamics for neurologically damaged patient is already challenging as the system
response can drastically vary depending on the degree of the patient deficiencies. In FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation), movement
synthesis and control are still a challenging task due to the complexity of whole body dynamics computation and the nonlinearity of
stimulated muscle dynamics. One of the challenge concerns the feedback (torque, EMG, joint angle) that can be used to control joint angle,
torque or stiffness. Moreover, control strategies have to be designed in order to be performed on portable architecture and tuned through
advanced modeling and simulation.
In this context, the goal of this PhD work is to study the optimization-based motion synthesis and real-time control framework
which can generate stimulation patterns from the pre-computed motion synthesis database. Motion capture system together with the estimation of the Center of Mass would be used to assess the strategies. This work aims at the development of automatic method to establish deficient limb stability in computer-aided rehabilitation.
This PhD work is performed under the collaborative project named @walk (artificial walking) between INRIA DEMAR project and AI lab of
Stanford University.

Research background:
-Master in control engineering, computer science, biomechanics, robotics or related disciplines.
– good knowledge of C/C++ programming and matlab.

Scholarship Application Deadline: Contact Employer

Further Scholarship Information and Application