High-Speed Manipulation Using Compliant and Flexible Robots

INRIA and LIRMM (France) invite applications for a fully funded PhD position on high-speed manipulation using compliant and flexible robots. The detailed call is available at:

https://seafile.lirmm.fr/f/1c0c32f5c6e9460d98dc/

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Context
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Working with deformable and soft materials is expected to become a highly valuable skill for robotics researchers and engineers in the coming years. The advantages of non-rigid robots, such as compliance and inherent safe interaction, are still largely under-exploited. In particular, high-speed manipulation represents an area that has seen virtually no exploration in this domain. This creates an exciting and promising avenue for innovative research.

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Goals
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- Development of computationally efficient dynamic models suitable for control.
- Formulation and implementation of optimal control algorithms.
- Experimental validation in a waste sorting scenario.
- Optional involvement in mechanical and mechatronic design decisions affecting dynamic performance.

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Qualifications and Skills
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The required qualifications are:
- MSc degree in robotics or closely related field.
- Solid background in state-space modeling and control theory.
- Strong programming skills in C++, Python and/or MATLAB.
- Taste for both theoretical development and experimental validation.
- Proficiency in written and spoken English.

Strong assets include experience in:
- Optimal control and/or Model Predictive Control.
- Modeling of deformable parts.
- Real-time numerical optimization.

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Practical Information
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The PhD candidate will benefit from a rich scientific environment offered through the collaboration between INRIA (Lille) and LIRMM (Montpellier), two French research groups with worldwide recognition in compliant robotics and high-speed manipulation. The thesis will be co-supervised by researchers from both institutes, with the candidate spending substantial time at each site to leverage their complementary experimental platforms and expertise.

Location - Lille and Montpellier, France.

Timeline - The starting date is flexible and will be arranged with the selected candidate. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected.

The PhD candidate will benefit from a rich scientific environment offered through the collaboration between INRIA (Lille) and LIRMM (Montpellier), two French research groups with worldwide recognition in compliant robotics and high-speed manipulation. The thesis will be co-supervised by researchers from both institutes, with the candidate spending substantial time at each site to leverage their complementary experimental platforms and expertise.

The required qualifications are:
- MSc degree in robotics or closely related field.
- Solid background in state-space modeling and control theory.
- Strong programming skills in C++, Python and/or MATLAB.
- Taste for both theoretical development and experimental validation.
- Proficiency in written and spoken English.

Strong assets include experience in:
- Optimal control and/or Model Predictive Control.
- Modeling of deformable parts.
- Real-time numerical optimization.