PostDoc Pos. at GMD Japan Research Lab. (Robotics)

[Uwe R. Zimmer]

PosDoc-Pos-Announcement


     --------------------------------------------------------    
             Post-Doctoral Research Positions in

           Autonomous Robotics in Open Environments
   --------------------------------------------------------



Two new post-doctoral positions are open at GMD Japan Research 
Laboratory, Kitakyushu, Japan and will be filled at the earliest 
convenience. The new laboratory (starting officially at first of 
November with a team of 8 scientists and 3 support staff, where 
these first 8 positions should be filled completely until March 
'99) is based on long term cooperations with the Japanese research
community and focuses on the robotics and the telecommunications research fields.

Investigated questions (in the area of robotics) are:

   - How to localize and move in many DoF without global 
     correlation? 
   - Interpretation / integration / abstraction / compression of 
     complex sensor signals? 
   - How to build models of previously unknown environments? 
   - Direct sensor-actuator prediction 
   - How to coordinate multiple loosely coupled robots?

Underwater robotics is regarded as one of the most promising
experimental and application environment in this context. Real six
degrees of freedom, real dynamic environments and real autonomy 
(which is required in most setups here), settle these questions in
a fruitful area. The overall goal is of course not 'just' 
implementing prototype systems, but to get a better understanding 
of autonomy, and situatedness. Modeling, adaptation, clustering, 
prediction, communication, or - from the perspective of robotics -
spatial and behavioral modeling, localization, navigation, and 
exploration are cross-topics addressed in most questions.

Although we are an independent research group, there are of course
close connections to the robotics activities in the institute of 
Thomas Christaller at GMD (German National Research Center for 
Information Technology) in Sankt Augustin, Germany.

Techniques employed and developed up to now include dynamical 
systems, connectionist approaches, behavior-based techniques, rule
based systems, and systems theory. Experiments are based on 
physical robots (not yet underwater!). Thus the discussion of 
experimental setups and particularly the meaning of embodiment 
became topics in itself.

If the above challenges rose your interest, please proceed to our 
expectations regarding the ideal candidate:

   - Ph.D. / doctoral degree in computer sciences, electrical 
     engineering, physics, mathematics, biology, or related 
     disciplines. 
   - Experiences in experimenting with autonomous systems 
   - Theoretical foundations in mathematics, control, 
     connectionism, dynamical systems, or systems theory 
   - Interest in joining an international team of motivated 
     researchers

Furthermore it is expected that the candidate evolves/introduces 
her/his own perspective on the topic, and pushes the goals of the 
whole group at the same time.

Salary starts at 8 Mill. Yen per year depending on experience.

For any further information, and applications (including addresses
of referees, two recent publications, and a letter of interest!) 
please contact:

Uwe R. Zimmer (address below)

link to related activities: http://www.gmd.de/AutoSys/

___________________________________________ 
                                     ____________________________|
    Dr. Uwe R. Zimmer  -  GMD                                 ___|
                    Schloss Birlinghoven                         |
                    53754 St. Augustin, Germany                  |
  _______________________________________________________________.
          Voice: +49 2241 14 2373 - Fax: +49 2241 14 2384        |
             http://www.gmd.de/People/Uwe.Zimmer/                |