CentreforAppliedAutonomousSensorSystems(AASS),Universityofrebro,Sweden

OpenPhDPositionattheAASSLearningSystemsLab
HybridAutomaticPlanningforaRobotUnloadingContainers

OpenPhDPosition AnewPhDpositionisimmediatelyavailableattheAASSLearningSystemsLab,Universityofrebro,Sweden.The3yearPhD positionisfullyfundedwithintheEUprojectRobLog(ProjectLeader:AchimJ.Lilienthal). TheAASSLearningSystemsLab TheCentreforAppliedAutonomousSensorSystems(AASS,http://aass.oru.se)carriesoutmulti disciplinary research at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, computervision,computerscience,andmeasurementtechnology.TheresearchandhumanenvironmentatAASSisyoung andenthusiastic.Researcherscomefromdifferentcountriesandhavedifferentscientificandculturalbackgrounds.AASSalso frequentlyhosts international researchers and is involvedin several international projects. This means that, particularly in theRobLogproject,theenrolledPhDcandidateswillhavetheopportunitytotravelandtocooperatewithpeopleinother countries. TheLearningSystemsLabisaresearchgroupwithinAASS.Ourresearchisrecognizedworldwidewithitsfocusgenerallyon the development of algorithms and robotic/sensor systems for realworld tasks. Major directions are 3D Perception, Robotic Map Learning, Professional Service Robots for Auton omous Transportation, Robot Vision, Mobile Robot Olfaction, and Tactile Exploration. Further informationcanbefoundathttp://www.aass.oru.se/Research/Learning.Currently,theLearningSystemsLabhasastaffof8 PhDstudents,9postdocsandoneassociateprofessor. TheRobLogProject ThecentralaimofthisprojectistodevelopcognitivecapabilitiesforaRobotforAutomationofLogisticProcesses(RobLog). RobLog addresses shortcomings of existing systems for automated unloading and aims to develop cognitive functions for generic unloading tasks. The RobLog system requires 3D perception in a challenging scenario (high variability of objects, dynamic scene, deformable objects). Grasping hypotheses, decisions and pathplans have to be generated and executed adaptivelywithrespecttoacontinuouslyupdated3Dmodeloftheworld. RobLogisa4yearprojectthatstartedonFeb1,2011.TheprojectWebpageiscurrentlyunder construction.TheRobLogconsortiumconsistsof7partnersfrom4Europeancountries(Germany, Italy,Denmark,andSweden),including5academicand2industrialpartners. PhDStudies Themajorpartoftheworkcanbededicatedtoresearchintheareaofhybridautomaticplanningforcontainerunloading. HybridAutomaticplanningseekstosolveproblemsthatinvolvesymbolic(i.e.,logical)andmetricconstraints(e.g.,weightof manipulatedobjects,etc.).InthecontextofRobLog,theemphasiswillbeonfastgenerationofsafeandreliablesequences ofactionstounloadobjectsofdifferenttypes,shapes,andweightsfromacontainerusingaspecializedroboticarm.Specific research questions may include (1) exploration of suitable representations for symbolic and subsymbolic constraints in a unifiedframework,(2)devisingplanningalgorithmsthatusetheaboverepresentationtoproducecorrectplansinatimely manner,and(3)reasoningaboutuncertaintyresultingfromlackofperceptualknowledgeabouttheobjectstomanipulate. PrerequisitesandApplicationProcess Inadditiontointerestinthetopic,astrongtheoreticalbackgroundandsolidprogrammingskills,applicantsshouldhavethe equivalentofaMastersdegreeinanappropriatefield(includingComputerScience,Robotics,ElectricalEngineering,Physics andAppliedMathematics).ExperienceinRobotics,AIPlanningand/orClassicalMechanicsisaplus.Itisnotnecessarytobe familiarwiththeSwedishlanguagebutproficiencyinwritten/spokenEnglishismandatory. To apply for the position, please send a motivation letter along with an updated CV (including at least two academic references) by email to Achim Lilienthal (achim.lilienthal@oru.se). Applications can be sent immediately and will be considereduntilthepositionisfixed. Wearelookingforwardtoyourapplication!

AASSLearningSystemsLab contact:achim.lilienthal@oru.se

CentreforAppliedAutonomousSensorSystems(AASS),Universityofrebro,Sweden PracticalInformationPhDStudiesinSweden PhD students in Sweden are University employees and they have all the social and financial rights of other employees. Amongthese:afixedmonthlysalaryadequatetothecostoflivinginSweden,inclusionintheSwedishsocialsecuritysystem, andatleast28daysofpaidvacationeachyear.Theseconditionsareguaranteedforthreeyearsaslongastherequirements forthePhDstudiesarefulfilled. PhD students in Sweden have to take advanced courses during their study program. These are typically technical courses relevanttotheirresearchproject,butmayalsobecoursesaboutotherrelateddisciplines,includingscientificmethodology and project management. Courses at AASS are meant to provide students with a unique educational background in autonomoussensorsystems. PhDcandidatesinSwedenmustdevoteupto20%oftheirtimetoinstitutionalwork.Thisworktypicallyconsistsinhelping withtheundergraduateeducation.Thepercentageoftimespentwithinstitutionalworkisaddedtothetotaldurationofthe PhDstudies. Insummary,thePhDstudentsatAASSwillbedoingfoursortsofthingsduringtheirPhD:workontheirresearchproject;take graduate courses; contribute to undergraduate education; and participate in the scientific life of AASS and of the internationalcommunity. MoreinformationaboutthePhDstudiesatAASScanbefoundunder http://www.aass.oru.se/Research/Learning/openphdposfaq.html. rebroUniversity The University of rebro (http://www.oru.se) is a young university currently enrolling more than 14000students.Itislocatedinrebro,acitywith100000inhabitants,whichissituatedincentral Sweden at 5916N 1513E. More information about rebro can be found, for example, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/rebro. AdditionalInformation ContactPerson: ContactPerson,Email: ContactPerson,WebPage: LearningSystemsLab: AASS: PhDstudiesatAASS: rebroUniversity: AchimJ.Lilienthal,PhD,Assoc.Professor achim.lilienthal@oru.se http://www.aass.oru.se/Research/Learning/amll.html http://www.aass.oru.se/Research/Learning/index.html http://www.aass.oru.se http://www.aass.oru.se/Research/Learning/openphdposfaq.html http://www.oru.se

AASSLearningSystemsLab contact:achim.lilienthal@oru.se