UK: Research Assistant in Informatics

Deadline: 11th Nov. 2012

Robotics

King's College London -Department of Informatics

Summary

The Centre for Robotics Research is seeking applications to undertake research on the design and development of a control architecture of reconfigurable/variable stiffness joints/members of innovative and safety modules and of a control system for the novel metamorphic multifingered robotic hand.

Applicants should have a proven research record in mechatronics, reconfigurable/variable mechanisms, trajectory planning and control of mechanical and robotic systems, e.g. in controlling metamorphic mechanisms and multifingered hands. Particular knowledge of the hardware interface between computers and motors and driven mechanisms is essential, and kinematics and mechanisms analysis and synthesis is favourable. Applicants should possess a PhD in robotics and control or a related discipline. This post is fixed-term for 18-months.

Details

Applicants for the position must have a PhD, good experience in reconfigurable mechanism design and mechatronic system control with a good publication record.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Conceptual design of the mechatronic reconfigurable/variable stiffness joints/members.
• Setting up the hardware interface of a control system for multifingered hands and for variable stiffness joints/modules
• Setting up the experiment rig and develop a control system for the hand to follow the trajectories and for the variable stiffness modules to respond to any impact.
• Develop control system for the mechatronic variable stiffness joints/members and investigate the active frame and active impact safety modules for the innovative electric vehicles.
• Simulation and analysis of the control system.
• Extracting data including velocities, accelerations and forces during the experiment and carrying out the analysis.
• Writing papers and reports.

Essential Elements of the Person Specification

• Must have good experience in controlling a robot and multifingered hands, and in trajectory planning.
• Must maintain a systematic record of scientific outcomes.
• Must plan own research schedule and workload to ensure that the overall project milestones and objectives are met.
• Must plan and prepare patents, journal publications and conference presentations.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 11 November 2012
Interviews will be held: date to be confirmed.

Salary

The appointment will be made, dependent on relevant qualifications and experience on Grade 5 - £26,004 per annum plus £2,323 London Allowance, per annum. Benefits include an annual season ticket loan scheme.

Post duration Fixed term for 18 months

Contact For an informal discussion of the post please contact Professor Jian S Dai by email atjian.dai@kcl.ac.uk.

Further details and application packs are available on the College's website at www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs. All correspondence should clearly state the job title and reference number R5/CAY/1028/12/JM. If you have any queries please contact your Recruitment Co-ordinator at recruitmentteam3@kcl.ac.uk