BIOTACT.org

BIOTACT JOB AND PHD OPPORTUNITIES

Research Associate (Postdoctoral - Image Processing/Computer Vision)

The Active Touch Laboratory (http://www.shef.ac.uk/psychology/research/groups/atlas) at the University of Sheffield is pleased to offer a postdoctoral research associate position in image processing and scientific programming to develop software tools for the analysis of high-speed video recordings of vibrissal (whisker) movement in freely moving animals such as rats and mice.  This tracking problem is challenging because the vibrissae of these animals are large in number (60+), small in diameter (<.1mm), move very quickly (up to 1m/s), and often occlude one another. Overcoming this challenge will therefore require the application of model-based techniques for predictive tracking that are at the forefront of research in image processing. The vibrissal system is widely studied in neurobiology in neurobiology, therefore an effective solution to this problem is urgently needed. The appointee would also have the opportunity to contribute to data analysis to further the scientific understanding of vibrissal tactile behaviour.

The successful candidate will co-ordinate a small international team working on whisker tracking tools that is part of a consortium funded by the European Union to work on vibrissal tactile sensing in animals and autonomous robots. Applicants should have relevant academic qualifications (PhD preferred) in a computational or mathematical field and have knowledge of image processing/computer vision techniques; experience in developing, documenting, and optimising scientific software tools is also desirable. Knowledge of the Matlab image processing toolbox, and of C or C++ programming would also be useful. The post is available immediately. The initial appointment will be for a period of two years though this may be extended.

For furthers details and an application pack please see
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/research.html

Posted by Prof. Tony Prescott

Research topic: Mechanisms of active sensing in behaving rodents

A 3 year postdoctoral position is available in Prof. Ehud Ahissar's laboratory at The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel from August 1, 2008 to study mechanisms of active sensing in behaving rodents. We are using high-resolution, high-speed video-based measurements of head and whisker motion during performance of behavioral tasks and recording of neuronal activity in order to understand the principles by which the vibrissal system explores objects in the environment. We strive to mimic natural conditions as much as possible. Experiments will involve the above aspects and development of new paradigms. The postdoctoral fellow will be part of an international, multi-institutional research consortium (the BIOTACT project, http://www.biotact.org/), which involves frequent interactions with scientists with a broad range of expertise in rodent neuroscience, robotics, and computational neuroscience. He/She will also interact with other groups at the Weizmann Institute, which is a world renown, multi-disciplinary research institute.