Prof N Aouf
Applications accepted all year round
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Full Studentship including Industrial Placement
Duration: 3 years
With our esteemed partner, we are looking for a well-qualified and motivated PhD student to conduct the following fascinating research project:
Cranfield University and HR Wallingford have defined a program of research entitled "Autonomous ARC boat". The PhD has the ambition to tackle the fundamental problem of increasing the level of autonomy in terms of visual based navigation for the ARC boat system. The HR Wallingford ARC-Boat is a 2m long radio controlled survey boat that is used to collect river and estuarine data including flow, depth and suspended sediment concentrations.
Increasingly the ARC-Boat is required to carry out measurements in areas of restricted visibility. In such an environment Inertial Navigation System (INS) or GPS-aided INS system are unlikely to be able to provide the accuracy and stability required to carry out the required measurements. Therefore, investigating other alternative solutions, such as visual systems, has become a priority.
The work previously developed in Cranfield such as the visual
odometry solution for autonomous systems will be adapted and
innovatively extended to the ARC-Boat platform. The primary objective is to
allow the ARC-Boat to accurately record where it has been particularly in reference to local structures of interest.
The positioning system could then also be used to provide semi-autonomous guidance in the form of collision avoidance and pre-planned surveys. The resulting package would be a significant upgrade to the ARC-Boat’s capabilities for field data collection in close proximity to fixed structures.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must be UK/EU nationals. Applicants should hold at least a Bachelor Degree of either First Class or hold a Masters Degree (MSc/MRes) in Electrical/computer science/Applied Mathematics or any other relevant discipline of Engineering.
Candidates should have a good basis in mathematics with good scientific programming skills (Matlab). Experience in image processing, navigation systems and/or computer vision is an asset. Good interpersonal and communication (oral and written in English) skills are also required.
How to apply
A CV and the name and address of two referees should be sent to Prof Aouf at [Email Address Removed].
Funding Notes
Applicants are eligible for a bursary of up to £15,000-£16,000 p.a. for the duration of the award dependent upon qualifications and experience. This studentship will additionally cover the tuition fees for qualified UK/EU students.