- Vacancy Reference Number
- 1677141
- Closing Date
- 9 Jan 2025
- Salary
- Scholarship will cover tuition fees, a maintenance allowance of £19,237 per annum for 3 years, and a Research Training Support Grant of £900 per annum.
- Address
- Intelligent Systems Research Centre,
School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems,
Ulster University,
Magee campus,
Derry~Londonderry
- Duration
- 3 years
Real-Time, Personalised Passive Brain-Computer Interface for Enhanced Cognition and Neurorehabilitation
This project is funded by Department for the Economy (DfE) and only for applicants from the UK or Ireland.
Summary: A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) decodes brain activity patterns and transforms them into actionable commands, with applications ranging from enhancing brain functions to treating neurological dysfunctions. This PhD project delves into the promising field of passive BCI which can monitor more nuanced and real-life mental states, such as mental workload, fatigue, attention, mood, and arousal.
The project’s goal is to develop an innovative, real-time, and adaptive monitoring system that integrates seamlessly with using magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) based BCI frameworks. This personalised system will monitor cognitive and emotional states alongside physiological and behavioural metrics, enhancing outcomes for cognitive tasks like decision-making and motor rehabilitation.
The proposed system addresses a critical gap in BCI technology adoption by focusing on passive, user-adaptive systems that are intuitive and responsive to individual needs. By integrating physiological, affective, and behavioural signals, the project will create a trust-enhancing, user-centric BCI framework, boosting both effectiveness and user experience.
The project will leverage the pioneering Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurotechnology team's expertise, encompassing BCI, neuroimaging, neuroscience, neurorehabilitation, machine learning, and cognitive computational modelling. It will involve collecting a rich set of physiological and behavioural data. Cutting-edge machine learning and computational modelling will be employed to handle the complex data, identify critical measures, enhance model interpretability, and reduce user training time while ensuring comfort and engagement. Neural functional connectivity will improve detection of brain state changes, offering enhanced explainability, and personalised support. By recognising when mental fatigue or emotional states impact cognitive or motor function, the system will dynamically adjust task pacing and intensity, optimising user performance.
The successful PhD candidate will work at the forefront of neurotechnology, developing skills in neural and physiological signal processing, machine learning, cognitive computational modelling, and high-performance computing. This project will prepare impactful careers in data science, artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, biotechnology, and beyond.
The research team involved in the PhD project:
* https://www.ulster.ac.uk/research/topic/computer-science/intelligent-systems-research-centre/teams/neural-systems-and-neuro-technology
Our School and its Intelligent Systems Research Centre (https://www.ulster.ac.uk/research/topic/computer-science/intelligent-systems-research-centre) have neuroscience and AI related research communities and facilities in:
* NeuroAI and computational neuroscience
* Brain-computer interfaces/non-invasive neurotech
* MEG and EEG brain imaging
* Neuromorphic computing
* Cognitive robotics
* High-performance computing
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In 2021, Ulster University was, in the UK:
* ranked 2nd for Ph.D. researcher satisfaction
* 6th largest Computer Science and Informatics unit
* 7th for world-leading or internationally excellent research and impact with respect to staff number.
Derry~Londonderry is a vibrant, friendly and affordable city with ~100K people with high quality of life, close to stunning coastline and outdoor activities in the north and north-west of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.
Ulster University has recently been awarded by Times Higher Education as the 'University of the Year 2024', the top higher education institution in the UK and Ireland.
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Further Information
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/11b-intelligent-systems/1677141
Contact Details
Dr. Saugat Bhattacharyya (s.bhattacharyya@ulster.ac.uk)
