Bioinspired flight perception

Informal enquiries: Dr Tareq Assaf ([Email Address Removed])

Perception is key for biological systems to survive and perform actions.

Developing tactile sensing for artificial platform presents many challenges. Only in the last decades the advancements in technologies and materials allow miniaturization and solutions once impossible.

Flight and drones are two areas on which the scientific and industrial communities are focusing with great interest for many reasons including logistic and entertainment.

Unmanned air vehicles, micro air vehicles and bio-inspired air vehicles (UAVs, MAVs and BAVs) are growing fields in robotics. The dimensions of these vehicles make them more susceptible to environment perturbances (e.g. wind).

This project focuses on the development of novel strategies to enhance performances of small UAVs systems and small/medium autonomous flying systems and focuses on surrounding air condition sensing.

Works on these topics can be found in literature such as multi-modal locomotion, foldable wings and micro/small UAVs. However the field is still growing and further development due to the intrinsic complexity and technical challenges is sought.

This project exploits elements of several disciplines that include but it is not limited to: robotics, control and autonomous systems, materials science, electronics, mechanics and biology. The PhD student will focus on investigating and developing bioinspired solutions capable to overcome some existing limitations in these areas.

The work will focus on several core tasks and skills:

• Biology inspired design
• Design and development
• Electronic design and programming
• Experiment design
• Data acquisition and processing

This project provides scope and opportunity for building up a wide breadth of knowledge for students coming from any core discipline background.

CANDIDATE:
Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, an undergraduate Masters first class degree or MSc distinction (or non-UK equivalent). English language entry requirements must be met at the time of application to be considered for funding, see http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/english-language/index.html

APPLICATIONS:
Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Electronic & Electrical Engineering. Please ensure that you state the full project title and lead supervisor name on the application form.

https://samis.bath.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_app&code1=RDUEE-FP01&code2=0014

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found here:

http://www.bath.ac.uk/guides/how-to-apply-for-doctoral-study/


This project is eligible for inclusion in three funding rounds, subject to funding availability. Application deadlines: Wednesday 27 November 2019, Wednesday 29 January 2020 & Wednesday 25 March 2020. Early submission is advised. A full application must have been submitted before inclusion in a funding round.

Anticipated start date: 28 September 2020