We are inviting applications for a fully-funded PhD studentships at the University of Sussex for the EPSRC project entitled ‘A Nuclear Decommissioning Manipulator with Novel Variable Impedance Actuator'.
Overview:
The overarching goal of this project is to develop and control a novel robotic manipulator to aid in the decommissioning and dismantling operations at nuclear power plants. This project will tackle various research challenges in different steps to achieve this goal, including mechatronic system design, control system development and high-level human-robot interaction control design.
An excellent applicant is expected to have: ability to communicate and write proficiently in English; analytical/mathematical skills; programming skills; and background in one or more of the following: mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, control engineering and robotics.
We advise early application as the position will be filled as soon as a suitable applicant can be found. Interviews will be organized as soon as the applications are received. You may only hear from us if your application is shortlisted for interview.
Project description:
It is known that robots provide safety benefits, as they can perform tasks that are highly dangerous, inaccessible, or too complex for humans. For instance, robots can work in presence of radiation, or extreme temperatures and pressure, and thanks to innovative designs, even explore areas that are difficult to access.
This project is devoted to developing a robotic manipulator utilizing a novel, mechanical variable impedance actuator and employ artificial intelligence techniques for efficient exploration and decommissioning in nuclear environments. The mechanical variable impedance actuator enables a collision-safe manipulator that can work and interact safely in cluttered environments without adding sensor feedback. It is expected that this manipulator will solve the challenges associated with limited sensor availability due to radiation hazards, safety interacting with sensitive materials, and resilience in events of communication and sensor failure or during misoperation in teleoperation protocols, thereby benefitting the cleanup and decommissioning tasks at nuclear power plants.
The objectives of this project are to: i) develop a collision-safe robotic manipulator and force-sensitive gripper, ii) develop a control algorithm for the robotic manipulator, and iii) test and evaluate the proposed system and algorithms for nuclear decommissioning.
The project has very clear objectives targeting the specific industrial field of nuclear decommissioning, but its success will benefit wider academic communities, including robotics in unknown environments and embodied intelligence. The student will develop knowledge in these areas, by working closely with two supervisors, a postdoctoral researcher and the project partner from the University of Tokyo.
An EPSRC grant on UK Japan Civil Nuclear Research will cover the costs of equipment, consumables, travels and subsistence incurred in this project, while this Scholarship covers the student’s stipend and fee waiver as detailed in Standard Funding Notes.
How to apply
Apply online for a full time PhD in Engineering using our step by step guide (http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/apply). Here you will also find details of our entry requirements.
Please clearly state on your application form that you are applying for the Mechatronics and Control for Nuclear Decommissioning Manipulators Scholarship, and your supervisors will be Dr Yanan Li and Dr Hareesh Godaba.
Timeline
Application Deadline: 3 December 2021
Interview Date: 7 December 2021
Notification Date: 8 December 2021