PhD Studentship: SuS-Tex Research Cluster: Power Management and Communication Strategies for Super-Smart Textiles

Background:

Access to healthcare is an ever-increasing global issue. Over 15% of current global population require rehabilitation care, but majority of them do not receive healthcare access.

Remote monitoring of human movements and physiological parameters is critical for future healthcare, since this can enable pivotal solutions like telerehabilitation and telemedicine that can significantly increase healthcare access. Further, such technologies can facilitate remote training and performance enhancement for athletes.

Developing accurate, low-cost, comfortable technologies for monitoring of body movements and physiological parameters is extremely challenging. Existing technologies are often bulky, expensive, need recharging, contain limited range and uncomfortable to wear.

The SuS-Tex Research Cluster will develop pioneering wearable technologies for accurate, unobtrusive, comfortable, self-powered and low-cost monitoring of body movements and physiological parameters. This brings together world-class expertise in textiles, materials, soft robotics, sports, healthcare, machine learning and AI, with globally leading industrial and academic partners.

Your Project

Super-smart textiles contain the unique capability of acting as self-powered sensors and energy harvesters. Managing the energy that they produce is critical for their autonomous operation, but such strategies need to contain flexibility and wearability compatible with textiles. This project develops optimum power management, storage and wireless communication techniques for super-smart textiles.

Your Group

This project is part of the prestigious Loughborough University Vice Chancellor’s PhD Cluster – Super-Smart Textiles (SuS-Tex) for Healthcare and Sports. The Doctoral Researcher will join a cohort of 5 Researchers belonging to the SuS-Tex cluster working on highly transdisciplinary topics in this area, and the wider wearable technologies research community at Loughborough University and beyond. The successful candidates will benefit from the world-class expertise and supervision, customised training programs, networking, outreach and career development opportunities, in addition to the standard training and development opportunities of the university.

You will benefit from newly established state-of-the-art Smart Textiles lab facilities and work alongside a team of senior academics and doctoral researchers. Through our Doctoral College, postgraduate courses, group activities, and continuing professional development programmes, there are continual opportunities for building important research skills and networks among your peers and research academics.

Primary supervisor: Ishara Dharmasena
Secondary supervisors: Will Whittow, Varuna De Silva

Entry requirements:

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in engineering (e.g.: mechanical, electrical, electronic, chemical, materials, mechatronics), physics or a related subject.

English language requirements:

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website.

Funding information:

The studentship is for 3-years and provides a tax-free stipend of £19,237 per annum for the duration of the studentship plus university tuition fees.

How to Apply:

Apply online via the above ‘Apply’ button. Under ‘programme name’, select ‘Electronic, Electrical & Systems Engineering’ and quote the reference number ‘WS-SuS-Tex3-ID25’ in your application.

To avoid delays in processing your application, please ensure that you submit the minimum supporting documents including a CV, a personal statement, a research proposal and any examples of your written work. Incomplete applications after the advert closing date may not be considered.

The following selection criteria will be used by academic schools to help them make a decision on your application.

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