biomechanics | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans - Part 2

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

Phd Position in Biomechanics and Engineering Design at K.U.Leuven, Netherlands

During minimally invasive (robotic) surgery (MIS), the surgeon cannot feel the forces he/she is exerting on the tissue, and is thus risking unwanted damage to the tissue. This PhD is part of an interdisciplinary project of which the ultimate goal is to impose safety margins on the surgical instruments to avoid tissue damage during robotic surgery. The focus lies on cardiovascular tissue.

This focus of this PhD will be to search for and/or design accurate models of cardiovascular tissue on the one hand, but fast models of this same tissue on the other hand. Accurate constitutive and finite element models are required to define the maximum allowable load a tissue can bear. On the other hand, fast models are required to estimate and apply these thresholds intraoperatively and thus in realtime during surgery. This research has computational as well as experimental aspects to it. There will be a close collaboration with cardiac surgeons, biotechnologists and the engineers of the division of production, machine design and automation.

Scholarship Application Deadline:
2011-08-01

Further Scholarship Information and Application

2011 Scholarship in Biorobotics, University of Bielefeld, Germany

The positions are remunerated 50% of E13 (according to TV-L West, German public service). The salary scale typically ranges between 19200 and 22400 Eur p.a., depending on work experience.The positions on offer are embedded into an excellent interdisciplinary environment with intensive contacts to various facilities and workgroups of Bielefeld University. In particular, this includes the Center of Excellence in Cognitive Interaction Technology, CITEC. The EU-project (www.emicab.eu) as a whole is formed by the Biomechatronics lab and the Neuroethology lab of Bielefeld University (coordinator), a Systems Engineering lab at the University of Catania, Italy, a Sensor Technology lab at the University of Southern Denmark in Sønderborg, and a Neurogenetics lab at the University of Mainz, Germany.
The position is in the area of Neuroethology/Biomechanics. The successful candidate should hold a master or diploma degree, preferably in biology or neuroscience. Advanced experimental and theoretical skills in Neurobiology (sensorimotor systems) and/or Biomechanics (whole-body kinematics, force measurements) are advantageous as well as sound experience in the analysis of multi-dimensional data. Candidates with a background in a related area within the computer sciences (e.g. bio-inspired robotics) are also encouraged to apply. Participation in administrative and organizational tasks of the EU-project is also expected. The position is suited to conduct a PhD-project.

Bielefeld University is an equal opportunity employer and therefore especially encourages women to apply. In the case of comparable competences and qualification, women will preferably be considered if there are no dominating reasons arising from the person of another applicant. Bielefeld University also encourages disabled people to apply. Part-time employment is possible.

Scholarship Application Deadline:
15, March 2011.

Further Scholarship Information and Application