British Telecommunication (BT) Sponsored PhD scholarship - Development of Robotic Solutions with High Manoeuvrability in Confined and Congested Spaces

The robotic team at Machining and Condition Monitoring group at the University of Nottingham in partnership with BT.

Applicants are invited to undertake a 3 ½ - year PhD program in partnership with industry to address key challenges in robotic design and control. The successful candidate will be a member of the robotic team at the University of Nottingham.

 The team is developing the next generation of robots and its control and sensing solutions to perform tasks in challenging working environments. You can find more on our webpage: www.nottingham.ac.uk/utc/research/robotics-for-in-situ-repair/robotics-for-in-situ-repair.aspx.

This project is related to the design, development and implementation of robotics components, systems and solutions that address the civil engineering use-cases and challenges around surveying, maintaining and deploying telecommunications network infrastructure with the following objectives:

• Develop the principles and theories for governing the scalability principles for building robots that are able to access geometrically complex and congested workspaces under positional restrictions.
• Develop smart control algorithms that will allow the robot to communicate with the central control system and coordinate tasks with the human operator.
• Develop smart sensing systems to support feedback robot control which allows the robot to perform the positioning tasks of the tools/workpiece accurately in the confined space. 

We are seeking talented candidates with:

• First or upper second-class degree in robotics/mechanical/cybernetics/mechatronics /computer science or related scientific discipline
• First rate analytical and numerical skills, with a well-rounded academic background.
• Demonstrated ability to develop precision robotics system and algorithm
• Ability to develop kinematic and/or dynamic analysis of robotic systems
• Ability to implement control and kinematics with hardware-in-the–loop
• Background with relevant packages, (MATLAB, SolidWorks/Creo, ROS/OpenCV/python/C++, LabVIEW languages)
• A driven, professional and self-dependent work attitude is essential
• Experience of working within industry will be an advantage
• The ability to produce high quality presentations and written reports

This is an excellent opportunity to work on a novel robotics system with strong links to industrial applications and key skills and knowledge in preparation for a high-impact, high-technology research or industrial career.

Funding Notes

The scholarship on offer (to eligible students) comprises a tax-free stipend of £15,609.00 a year; tuition fees paid and a generous study package.

Eligibility: Only UK Higher Education “Home Fee” status applicants and EU residents satisfying the three-year residency requirement are eligible. 

Please contact Dr Abdelkhalick Mohammad or Prof Dragos Axinte, for further information.

Email: abd.mohammad1@nottingham.ac.uk or dragos.axinte@nottingham.ac.uk

Tel: 011595 14117 or 07428242696

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