Connectionists: Research Assistant Positions (PhD Studentships)

[Kenji Suzuki]

* We apologize if you receive multiple copies of this announcement.

Research Assistant Positions (PhD Studentships)
Cybernics Program, University of Tsukuba
Tsukuba, Japan
Ref: CYB05/R0811
http://www.cybernics.tsukuba.ac.jp/jobs/CYB05R0811.html

Applications are invited for a few research assistant positions
(fully-funded PhD studentships), which cover tuition fees and living
costs, who have (or expect to obtain) a Master's degree or equivalent
in a relevant subject. We offer a supportive environment for individuals
to work towards PhD, DEng or DMedSci qualifications. The successful
candidates should be keen on their assignments, attend to their
academic duties.

These studentships provide students with the opportunity to work
on a Cybernics research project as a research assistant. These
positions are available for duration of three years. The successful
candidates can be formally admitted to the PhD program, if s/he
meets the University admission requirements to study for a PhD.
Note that the PhD supervisor must be a faculty member related
to Cybernics Program, which is listed at the website.
(http://www.cybernics.tsukuba.ac.jp/members.html)

Students should have research interests in the field of Cybernics
Program, which is a new domain of interdisciplinary academic field
of human-assistive technology to enhance, strengthen, and support
human's cognitive and physical functions, which challenges to
integrate and harmonize humans and robots (RT: robotics technology)
with the basis of information technology (IT). This challenging program
will help you to develop practical and experimental skills in your chosen
field. The three primary research areas are: (i) Cybernoid: robot suits,
cybernic limb and hand, implanted cybernic system, subjective
cognition computing, virtual human-body kernel.  (ii) Next-generation
interface: brain-computer interface, somato-sensory media, humanoid,
medical interface, ubiquitous sensing interface, intelligent robots.
(iii) Management technology for next-generation advanced systems:
network security, new-generation risk management, cognitive engineering,
ethical, sociological, and conceptual readiness.

In particular, the topics including - but not limited to
- Robot suits (exoskeleton)
- Assistive and Rehabilitation robotics
- Humanoid robotics
- Physical and cognitive human-robot interaction
- Vital data sensing, Medical interface and Medical robotics
- Brain-machine interface
- Other fields in Cybernics (see the faculty members)

Please note that these studentships are available to all potential
applicants and not restricted to nationals. The successful candidate
must be able to start the PhD on the 1st April 2009. Interested
applicants are encouraged to apply. Please complete an application
form which can be downloaded from the following web site.
http://www.cybernics.tsukuba.ac.jp/jobs/CYB05R0811.html

Please return your application by email, preferably in PDF format,
to jobs.ra at cybernics.tsukuba.ac.jp. You should include the ref.
number you are applying for in the header of your e-mail, or
standard mail envelope. For informal inquiries please contact the
above address on email (jobs.ra at cybernics.tsukuba.ac.jp).
Otherwise, if you have already decided on a research lab, please try
making direct contact with the faculty member (by e-mail).

Tsukuba is a university and science city, located about 60 kilometers,
about 45 minutes by train, or 1 hour by car, northeast of central
Tokyo. Over 50 national and independently administered research
organizations are concentrated in the Tsukuba Science City district,
which is centered on the university.

*Important Dates
Application deadline: December 1st, 2008.

Yoshiyuki Sankai
Professor, Leader of Cybernics Program
University of Tsukuba


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Kenji Suzuki     kenji at ieee.org
University of Tsukuba, Japan
http://www.iit.tsukuba.ac.jp/~kenji/