[Comp-neuro] PhD position on "Bidirectional and multimodal feedback in robotic rehabilitation for brain injured patients" at IIT

Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) together with the University of Genova has opened the call for the Doctoral Course on Life and Humanoid Technologies.

http://www.iit.it/en/openings/phd-calls/1595-phd-school-in-life-and-humanoid-technologies.html

Ph.D. positions are available at the Robotics Brain and Cognitive sciences department <http://www.iit.it/en/research/departments/robotics-brain-and-cognitive-sciences.html>

where neuroscience and robotics research is being merged to seek answers towards some of the long standing open problems in both fields. The research team at RBCS is composed of neuroscientists, engineers, psychologists, physicists working together to investigate brain functions, realize intelligent machines and advanced prosthesis.

In the robotic rehabilitation field, we invite applications/enquiries from PhD candidates interested in investigating how to enhance/augment the feedback for both human patient and the robotic system aiding rehabilitation of the patient.

Using a robotic haptic device and an augmented feedback instrumentation (such as a vibration system), the candidate will explore how to provide human patients with extra sources of sensory feedback that is synchronized with the motor intention in such a way as to promote the building of a sensory re-afference. Moreover the candidate will investigate if using subject’s electromyography (EMG) signal as biofeedback provided to the robot, can lead to an increase in the patient-robot interaction and hence can accelerate human motor learning. Merging the two aforementioned techniques, the candidate will also evaluate the combined effects of additional feedback and robot assistance based on biosignals, on restoration of upper limb functions.

 

Experiments will take place at IIT at Motor Learning and Rehabilitation Laboratory (Professor Pietro Morasso), Gaslini Hospital, the laboratory in INAIL of Volterra and the Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory of the University of Minnesota (Professor Juergen Konczak).

 

Considering the interdisciplinary nature of the problem, the proposal is open for candidates from different disciplines computer science, control engineering and basic neuroscience. Programming skills such as Matlab/Simulink are required.

 

For further details concerning this research project, please contact:

Dr. Marianna Semprini (marianna.semprini@iit.it) and Dr. Valentina Squeri (valentina.squeri@iit.it)

 

For more information on administrative issues, please contact:

Ms. Anastasia Bruzzone (anastasia.bruzzone@iit.it) Tel. +39 010 71781472

 

To apply, follow the instructions indicated in the links, in short: a detailed CV, a research proposal, reference letters, and any other formal document concerning the degrees earned. Note that these documents are mandatory in order to consider valid the application.

DEADLINE is September 21, 2012 at noon (Italian time zone, strict deadline, no extension).

ONLINE APPLICATIONS only: http://servizionline.unige.it/studenti/post-laurea/dottorato