Research Associate, Collaborative Robotics for Healthcare

General Details

Position Code: Research Associate: 8800560
Position Type: Project Based (Fixed Term)
Position Duration: 16/01/2023  to 31/12/2023
Position Title: Research Associate
Project Title: Collaborative Robotics for Healthcare
Project Supervisor: Dr Yahya Zweiri
Academic Department: Aerospace Engineering
Relevant Research Center: Advanced Research & Innovation Center (ARIC)
Technical Keywords: Industrial Revolution, Robotics, Neuromorphic Vision, Tactile Sensing, Automation, Autonomous Systems

About Khalifa University

Khalifa University is ranked 181st in the QS World University Rankings 2023, and the top University in the UAE, with a range of research and academic programs designed to address the entire range of strategic, scientific and industrial challenges facing our rapidly evolving world.

Its world-class faculty and state-of-the-art research facilities provide an unparalleled learning experience to students from the UAE and around the world. Our research and academic activities cover a broad range of disciplines in engineering, science and medicine through our three colleges.

Khalifa University’s research relates to key focus sectors of relevance to the UAE’s strategic economic growth and the technology platforms that serve as foundations for these sectors. The University’s research priorities are addressed in two categories  “verticals” and “horizontals”  which jointly cover specific industry and sector needs, technical platforms and expertise.

KU’s focus sectors are Clean and Renewable Energy, Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production, Water and Environment, Healthcare, Aerospace, and Supply Chain and Logistics. Research in these sectors is enhanced by our research platforms of Robotics, AI and Data Science, Information and Communication Technologies, and Advanced Materials and Manufacturing as well as Fundamental Sciences.

Position Overview

KU is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to work in the “Collaborative Robotics for Healthcare” at the Advanced Research and Innovation Center in collaboration with Mubadala. The aim of this project is to investigate the application of our novel vision-based tactile sensing (VBTS) technology in medical settings. The medical field has recently witnessed revolutionary advancements in robotic platforms for various medical applications including surgical and palpation tasks. In such tasks, medical robots must imitate the human sense of touch to grant them the required awareness for safe human-robot interaction.  The present project focuses on developing a bio-inspired tactile sensor that could trigger a paradigm shift in the medical robotics field and be a key enabler for a wide range of medical applications. As part of the project, the candidate would work on developing customized VBTS sensors for different medical robots, including both the mechanical design of the sensor, and the formulation of new algorithms for the VBTS sensor.  

As part of the project, the researcher will have access to state-of-the-art research equipment and facilities at the Advanced Research and Innovation Center (https://www.aric.ae/ ) and will get an opportunity to work alongside researchers and graduate students from various backgrounds as part of a wider team.

Qualifications

Position Requirements

• Customize VBTS sensors for different medical robot applications.
• Develop Computer Vision and Deep Learning algorithms for the VTBS sensor.
• Optimize the design and material of the VBTS sensor for enhanced precision.
• Publish the research findings in reputable conferences and journals.
• Support graduate and undergraduate students conducting relevant research projects.
• Adhere to the University's information security and confidentiality policies and procedures, and report breaches or other security risks accordingly
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Line Manager

Candidate Profile

Essential Criteria

• Masters from a reputable university in Biomedical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Science or related discipline
• Experience in developing and deploying fully autonomous robotics systems.
• Experience in programming with: Python, and C/C++.
• Experience in Computer Vision and robotic manipulation.
• Experience of undertaking assigned research tasks and starting to manage own workload
• Contributing to scientific papers and academic journal articles where possible acting as lead/ corresponding author
• A willingness to contribute to a collaborative and supportive team culture
• Excellent English language communication skills (verbal and written)
• Ability to function as part of a team working on multiple tasks with competing demands and deadlines
• Well-developed reasoning and problem-solving skills

Desired Criteria

• Masters gained from and/or experience working in a top 200 QS or THE ranked University
• At least 2 year of increasingly accountable relevant experience as a researcher in academia or in industry
• At least 1 lead author publication in a Q1 journal in the relevant field
• Experience contributing to high impact publications in top 10% journals in the relevant field

Should you require further assistance or if you face any issue with the online application, please feel to contact the Recruitment Team ([email protected] ).

Primary Location: Khalifa University - Abu Dhabi, UAE
Job: Research Associate
Schedule: Regular
Shift: Standard
Job Type: Full-time