PhD Position in Affective Communication in Human-Robot Interaction at Italian Institute of Technology
The Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) is offering a PhD position in the field of affective communication in human-robot interaction. The project will focus on the kinematic features of different human actions performed with various forms, such as gentle, enthusiastic, annoyed, or rude. The successful candidate will work on enabling the iCub humanoid robot to express these forms and detect them from visual observation of human actions. Real Time functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) will be used to quantitatively evaluate the impact on humans from a behavioral and neural perspective.
The PhD program is interdisciplinary and provides training at the interface between technology and life-sciences. The research will be carried out in collaboration with the University of Parma, which is equipped with an advanced 3 Tesla MR scanner endowed with Real Time fMRI technology. The candidate will develop skills in signal processing, computational modelling, and C++ programming, and will potentially improve the existing software module available on the iCub robot.
Requirements for the position include a degree in Bioengineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or related disciplines, attitude for problem solving, and excellent analytical skills (MATLAB). Applicants are encouraged to contact the prospective tutors before submitting their application. The application deadline for the 2024 Doctorate First Call is July 9th 2024 at 12 noon (CET).