About the project
Are you keen on conducting research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, deep learning and robot perception? This project will enable machines to imagine, control and leverage the auditory consequences of physical interactions with the environment.
We are recruiting a fully-funded (UK fees) PhD student who will work amongst a team of researchers on an exciting, EPSRC-funded research programme on “Active Audition for Robots (ActivATOR)”.
About ActivATOR
Life in sound occurs in motion. As human listeners, audition - the ability to listen - is shaped by physical interactions between our bodies and the environment. We integrate motion with auditory perception, for example to hear better (by approaching sound sources of interest), or to identify objects (by touching objects and listening to the resulting sound).
This project will enable machines to imagine, control and leverage the auditory consequences of physical interactions with the environment. By transforming the ways in which machines make sense of life in sound, the research outcomes will be pivotal for new, emerging markets that enable robots to augment, rather than rival, humans to surpass the limitations of the human body. Therefore, the proposed research has the potential to transform and disrupt a whole host of industries involving machine listening, ranging from smart prosthetics and assistive listening technologies to maritime exploration, environmental monitoring, and autonomous vehicles.
The PhD opportunity
ActivATOR will bring together a highly interdisciplinary team of researchers, industry partners, and external academic collaborators. Building on our network of collaborators, this PhD project will be supervised by the University's Dr Christine Evers and Professor Daniel Clark and National Oceanography Centre's Dr Mohammad Belal.
As part of your PhD project, you will:
- conduct fundamental, underpinning research in the area of generative deep learning
- publish your findings at top-tier venues
- collaborate with external academic partners to broaden the scope of your research
- liaise with our industry partners to ensure commercial impact of your research
- participate in engagement activities with the public, policy makers and key stakeholders to ensure societal benefit of your research.
