CLOSED: Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in Underwater Robotic Imaging

Note that this position is now closed.

The Robotic Imaging Lab at the University of Sydney, Australia has a fully funded PhD position open in underwater robotic imaging, in partnership with Hullbot.

Applicants with a strong background in Mechatronic Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Machine Learning, or similar programs are encouraged to apply.

This project aims to develop new visual sensing approaches to enable next-generation performance in deployed underwater systems. The work will focus on sensing for Hullbot’s cutting-edge nimble underwater drone, improving performance and allowing operation in previously prohibitive conditions.

The challenges:

• A fast-moving, tightly integrated 6-DOF underwater robotic platform that inspects, maps, and maintains infrastructure through mid-range and close-up operations
• Murky water, bubbles, debris, low light, motion blur, and low-texture surfaces
• A unique computing architecture and real-time throughput and latency requirements

Depending on interest and ability, candidates will investigate one or more of:

• New ways of designing and evaluating imaging payloads: information-driven, optimisation / learning, and/or simulation-based
• Adapting computational imaging techniques to make the most of existing and emerging sensing technologies, including multi-camera and multi-modal sensor payloads
• End-to-end approaches to multi-scale and multi-resolution robotic vision, taking imaging physics and adaptive imaging techniques into consideration
• Multi-modal and self-supervised machine learning approaches to the above

Embedded in the Australian Centre for Field Robotics, the Robotic Imaging Lab is focused on endowing robots with new ways of seeing their world. From photons to actions, we employ computational imaging techniques to jointly consider the optics, low-level vision, and high-level semantic understanding that ultimately drive autonomous decision making.

The ACFR offers specialised imaging labs and facilities, robotic platforms, test tanks and robotic field labs across on-campus and nearby off-campus sites. You will have access to mechanical and electronics workshops and a pool of technical staff to help realise your research ambitions. The University of Sydney offers a rich academic setting in a world-class city, and the ACFR has strong ties to a network of nearby and international academic and industrial collaborators.

In collaboration with Hullbot, you will also have access to facilities and an ongoing program of practical cutting-edge robotic deployments. Headquartered at the Sydney Superyacht Marina, Hullbot designs and develops the world's most sophisticated underwater drone. Their platforms inspect, clean and 3D map using an agile, small-form-factor robot. Facilities include a full mechanical and electrical workshop office space located on Sydney Harbour, indoor and outdoor test tank facilities, operational vessel access for field testing, and multiple field-deployed robotic platforms.

A fully funded 3.5-year PhD scholarship covering tuition fees and stipend.

About You

Successful candidates will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline
• Interest in imaging and robotics research with direct impact in an entrepreneurial, dynamic industry
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Creativity, curiosity, and passion
• Experience with one or more of imaging, image processing and/or computer vision
• Hands-on experience with robotic platforms, ROS, Python, C++, and/or deep learning frameworks would also be an asset

How to Apply

To apply, please email donald.dansereau@sydney.edu.au, with the subject line “PhD Application:” and your name. Include the following:

• CV
• Unofficial transcripts
• Cover letter

Please also include a Google Drive link to a 2 minute selfie video covering the following:

• Your strongest engineering skills
• What do you enjoy most about developing technology
• A description of a project that you're proud of, or plan to be when completed

International Applicants

Both domestic and international applicants are welcome. The Australian PhD is a 3.5-year program, generally with direct entry from an undergraduate degree with a final-year thesis project (see Admission Criteria below). Candidates complete a total of two graduate-level classes of their choice as part of the PhD program. There are no doctoral qualifying / candidacy exams. Candidates complete a viva / thesis defence at the completion of the program.

Admission Criteria

Successful candidates will need to enrol in the University of Sydney's Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) program. Enrolment requirements are listed on the University website here. Key requirements are:

• An Undergraduate or Master's degree with overall grade of at least 75% or equivalent GPA
• Some sort of research experience, either:
  • Completion of an Undegraduate degree with a final-year thesis/project, OR
  • Completion of a Master's by research degree, OR
  • Completion of a Master's by coursework degree with a substantial research project.

For Further Information

This Robotic Imaging Lab Website
Sydney Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems
Australian Centre for Field Robotics
Hullbot
For any questions please email donald.dansereau@sydney.edu.au.