PhD position in Stretchable Optical Skin (O-Skin)

The Robotic Materials group is looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate for the topic of soft optical sensory skin. 

The Robotic Materials group headed by Prof. Hedan Bai at Department of Materials was established in October 2023. We are an international and interdisciplinary team of material scientists, roboticists and chemists with a passion for futuristic robotics. We take a bottom-​up approach to robotics and develop soft materials and devices that would enable unusual form and unconventional functions for broader robotic applications.

The introduction of fiber optics in the 1970s has revolutionized the telecommunications industry upon the replacement of copper wires and played a major role in the advent of the Information Age - One high bandwidth fiber optic cable can replace thousands of electrical links to transmit the same amount of information. As parallels to the thriving field of stretchable electronics, soft optics is emerging as a new platform that uses the modulation of light in soft matter to encode multifunctionalities in the optical path. The goal of this project is to develop novel optical sensing scheme in soft materials and demonstrate the multifunctionality in complex real-​world environment.

• Design, micro-fabrication, and characterization of soft optical structures for multimodal sensing
• Develop theoretical understanding with multiphysics simulation
• Develope multimodal decoupling algorithms 
• Scalable O-skin fabrication and system integration onto robots and as wearables
• Realtime sensory mapping in complex environments
• Supervise master/bachelor students 
• Teaching assistant for the robotic materials class

This is a full-time position that starts as soon as possible. Applications are evaluated on a rolling base until the position is filled.

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science or related field from a top notch university
• A Maker, an Engineer, and a Scientist. We are looking for candidates with strong hands-on skills in building complex engineering systems, ambundant scientific curiosity to explore the unknowns, and unwavering efforts to overcome obstacles
• Proficiency in oral and written English, circuit design, and a programming language.
• Experience with multimodal data processing, microfabrication, and strethcable E-skins are highly favored but not musts
• Team player. Enjoy working in an open, diverse, and interdisciplinary team

• Competitive salary according to ETH standards for doctoral students (fully funded, full-time, fixed term position)
• Training and guidance from the PI on a regular basis
• An interdisciplinary, international, and diverse team of talents and a stimulating, vibrant work environment