Connectionists: Fully funded PhD positions: Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences

[Giulio Sandini]

We are seeking candidates for eight fully funded PhD positions at the Italian Institute of Technology's Robotics Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department (RBCS - www.iit.it/rbcs<http://www.iit.it/rbcs> ) directed by Giulio Sandini. The fellowships give access to the PhD course "Bioengineering and Robotics" offered by the University of Genova and specifically to the "Cognitive Robotics, Interaction and Rehabilitation Technologies" Curriculum.
Deadline for Applications is June 10, 2016 at noon, Italian Time.
The objective of the PhD program is to form scientists and research technologists capable of working in multidisciplinary teams on projects where human factors play a crucial role in technological development and design.  Robotics and neuroscience researchers in RBCS share, as a fundamental scientific objective, the study of physical and social interaction in humans and machines (www.iit.it/rbcs<http://www.iit.it/rbcs> ).
More specifically the themes supported by PhD fellowships<https://www.iit.it/110-phd-program-in-biorob-cognitive-robotics-2016> in this Curriculum are part of RBCS studies on human sensorimotor, cognitive and social interaction abilities, their implementation in the humanoid robot iCub, and on the design and assessment of assistive technologies and robotic rehabilitation devices for persons with disabilities.
Among the topics offered one is left open to applicant's bright ideas (see the BYO theme in the list).
 RBCS research facilities<http://www.iit.it/rbcs> supports our student's research activities including the realization of ad-hoc experimental set-ups and mechatronic devices. The experimental facilities include, besides the humanoid platform iCub, a fully equipped motion capture room with simultaneous electromyography recording and force-platforms, a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Lab, an Electrophysiology Lab for EEG recording, haptic devices for ergonomic measures of individual and dyadic interaction, robot rehabilitation devices for the upper limbs including the wrist;
The ideal candidates are students with a higher level university degree willing to invest extra time and effort in blending into a multidisciplinary team composed of neuroscientists, engineers, psychologists, physicists working together to investigate brain functions and realize intelligent machines, rehabilitation protocols and advanced prosthesis.
The list of the themes offered by the curriculum Cognitive Robotics, Interaction and Rehabilitation Technologies can be downloaded here: https://www.iit.it/110-phd-program-in-biorob-cognitive-robotics-2016 [PDF]
Applicants are strongly encouraged to get in touch with the tutors of the specific themes before completing the submission or with Giulio Sandini.
International applications are encouraged and will receive logistic support with visa issues, relocation, etc.
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How to apply
Application deadline: 10 June 2016, Noon,  Italian time
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Please note that the positions are available through the PhD course of Bioengineering and Robotics, curriculum on Cognitive Robotics, Interaction and Rehabilitation Technologies, offered jointly by IIT and the University of Genoa.
The official calls are available here: https://www.iit.it/phd-school under the section "Research themes for the call for application to PhD Courses established in agreement with the Università degli Studi di Genova, XXXII cycle". Please have a look at the "tips and tricks" section of this page which contains detailed instructions on how to apply and a list of documents to be presented.


The link to the on-line application page is: http://www.studenti.unige.it/postlaurea/dottorati/XXXII/
In case of problems or questions related to the application procedure, please contact: anastasia.bruzzone at iit.it<mailto:anastasia.bruzzone at iit.it>
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LIST OF THEMES OFFERED
(tutors within brackets)
Detailed descriptions are here:
https://www.iit.it/110-phd-program-in-biorob-cognitive-robotics-2016 [PDF]
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1.      INTERACTION AND GRASP FORCE IN HANDWRITING AND DEXTEROUS ACTION (Gabriel Baud-Bovy)

2.      UNTANGLING FORCES PERCEPTUALLY IN HUMAN-HUMAN PHYSICAL INTERACTION (Gabriel Baud-Bovy)

3.      VISUO-HAPTIC EXPLORATION STRATEGIES FOR OBJECT RECOGNITION (Alessandra Sciutti, Francesco Rea, Giulio Sandini)

4.      MAKE HUMANOIDS UNDERSTAND HUMAN ACTIONS (Alessandra Sciutti, Francesco Rea, Giulio Sandini)

5.      MULTISENSORY HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION (Alessandra Sciutti, Francesco Rea, Giulio Sandini)

6.      ROBOT TECHNOLOGIES FOR EVALUATION OF SENSORIMOTOR IMPAIRMENT AND NEUROMOTOR REHABILITATION (Jacopo Zenzeri, Prof. Pietro Morasso)

7.      MOTOR SKILL LEARNING IN DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENTS (Jacopo Zenzeri, Prof. Pietro Morasso)

8.      FROM SCIENCE TO TECHNOLOGY FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN (Monica Gori)

9.      CORTICAL MECHANISMS OF MULTISENSORY INTEGRATION IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT VISUAL DISABILITY (Monica Gori, Giulio Sandini)

10.   SPATIAL AWARENESS THROUGH EGOCENTRIC ON-BODY TACTILE STIMULATION (Luca Brayda, Fabrizio Leo)

11.   IMPROVING ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SKILLS IN VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS BY MEANS OF PROGRAMMABLE TACTILE DISPLAYS (Luca Brayda, Fabrizio Leo)

12.   BYO: BRING YOUR OWN (PROJECT) (Giulio Sandini)



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