PhD position in Mixed-Signal IC Design for Battery-Free Wearables

Challenge: Design the next generation of battery-free wearable systems for continuous monitoring of feature-rich vitals.

Impact: Enable personalized health and self-sustainability. 

Precision health relies on technology and big data to provide personalized medicine with a focus on disease prevention and early detection. This technology-driven paradigm shift promises to reduce healthcare costs and increase patients' wellbeing. While most of these devices are still powered by batteries, they suffer from limited battery life, large form factor and have to be discarded when battery is exhausted. Therefore, key changes in medical technology on low power biosignal recording and sustainable power solutions are needed for enabling future personalized health. In this project, we want to move from heavily subsampled systems to Nyquist-rate medicine, and design highly-efficient fully-integrated energy harvesting systems for self-sustainability.

This PhD project will focus on a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system for cerebral hemodynamics monitoring, which is fully powered by multi-source energy harvesting strategies for autonomous operation. The PhD candidate will investigate innovative solutions in (1) the analogue front-end architecture for learning-based compressed sensing and (2) the power management unit for multi-source energy harvesting, to push the state-of-the-art in wearable systems for continuous monitoring of feature-rich vitals.

The candidate will be embedded in the research groups of Dr. Dante Muratore and Dr. Sijun Du and will have close collaborations with current PhD students in both groups.

We make our selection based on the following general requirements:

• You should have earned an MSc degree at a recognized institute for higher education in Electrical Engineering.
• You should have a strong background in analog and mixed-signal IC design. A background in signal processing is desirable.
• Your Grade-Point-Average should be above 8/10. Also your MSc thesis should have received a grade above 8/10.
• You should be able to communicate well in english (written and oral). It is expected to have a level of 7.0 or higher for IELTS-score, or 100 or higher for TOEFL-score. Provide TOEFL/IELTS scores if available.
• Your MSc thesis or later work (publications) should reflect some original ideas. Critical and independent thinking is very important.
• You should be able to work well in a team.

Your resume should contain contact information of prior advisors/supervisors who can provide feedback. 

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements .

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct ). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact! 

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three disciplines - electrical engineering, mathematics and computer science. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make future-proof. We are also working on a world in which humans and computers reinforce each other. We are mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. There is plenty of room here for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1,100 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dante Muratore or Sijun Du .

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before August 31, 2022 via the application button and upload your motivation and CV.

Candidates will be evaluated on an ongoing basis, and the position will be closed once a suitable candidate is found. We encourage you to apply early.

Your CV should contain contact information of prior advisors/supervisors who can provide feedback

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.

Challenge: Design the next generation of battery-free wearable systems for continuous monitoring of feature-rich vitals.

Impact: Enable personalized health and self-sustainability. 

Precision health relies on technology and big data to provide personalized medicine with a focus on disease prevention and early detection. This technology-driven paradigm shift promises to reduce healthcare costs and increase patients' wellbeing. While most of these devices are still powered by batteries, they suffer from limited battery life, large form factor and have to be discarded when battery is exhausted. Therefore, key changes in medical technology on low power biosignal recording and sustainable power solutions are needed for enabling future personalized health. In this project, we want to move from heavily subsampled systems to Nyquist-rate medicine, and design highly-efficient fully-integrated energy harvesting systems for self-sustainability.

This PhD project will focus on a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system for cerebral hemodynamics monitoring, which is fully powered by multi-source energy harvesting strategies for autonomous operation. The PhD candidate will investigate innovative solutions in (1) the analogue front-end architecture for learning-based compressed sensing and (2) the power management unit for multi-source energy harvesting, to push the state-of-the-art in wearable systems for continuous monitoring of feature-rich vitals.

The candidate will be embedded in the research groups of Dr. Dante Muratore and Dr. Sijun Du and will have close collaborations with current PhD students in both groups.

We make our selection based on the following general requirements:

• You should have earned an MSc degree at a recognized institute for higher education in Electrical Engineering.
• You should have a strong background in analog and mixed-signal IC design. A background in signal processing is desirable.
• Your Grade-Point-Average should be above 8/10. Also your MSc thesis should have received a grade above 8/10.
• You should be able to communicate well in english (written and oral). It is expected to have a level of 7.0 or higher for IELTS-score, or 100 or higher for TOEFL-score. Provide TOEFL/IELTS scores if available.
• Your MSc thesis or later work (publications) should reflect some original ideas. Critical and independent thinking is very important.
• You should be able to work well in a team.

Your resume should contain contact information of prior advisors/supervisors who can provide feedback. 

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements .

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct ). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact! 

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three disciplines - electrical engineering, mathematics and computer science. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make future-proof. We are also working on a world in which humans and computers reinforce each other. We are mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. There is plenty of room here for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1,100 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dante Muratore or Sijun Du .

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before August 31, 2022 via the application button and upload your motivation and CV.

Candidates will be evaluated on an ongoing basis, and the position will be closed once a suitable candidate is found. We encourage you to apply early.

Your CV should contain contact information of prior advisors/supervisors who can provide feedback

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.