[alife] Post-doc position in Human-Swarm Interaction Games at IDSIA/EPFL, Switzerland

[Gianni Di Caro]

****************** POST-DOC Position @ IDSIA / EPFL 
***********************

- Post-doc position in:

Human-Swarm Games: Interaction and cooperation between human players 
and
robot swarms in game scenarios

- Start date and duration: June 2013, 1 year

- Location: "Dalle Molle" Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IDSIA),
Lugano, Switzerland (http://ww.idsia.ch) and
LSRO1 Lab, EPLF, Lausanne, Switzerland (http://lsro1.epfl.ch/)


Mission:
----------------

The main objective of the research is the study of strategies and 
modalities to let humans and
heterogeneous multi-robot systems (hereafter referred to as swarms) 
interacting and teaming
up. Physical gaming (i.e., games played by humans and robots 
together) will be used as a context of
application and testing. Gaming has an important role in people’s 
life, providing tools for
entertainment, social interactions, and also contributing shaping 
cognitive and sensory-motor
abilities. From a scientific/engineering point of view, it is well 
understood that game scenarios are
particularly suitable to study robot(s)-robot(s) and human-robot(s) 
interaction in both cooperative
and adversarial settings. The use of a gaming context has the 
advantage of letting the designer
define limits for time, place, and rules.

By exploiting these properties, the researcher will develop general 
strategies for mutual
interaction and cooperation between humans and robots, with a 
particular focus on the issues of
mutual trust, mutual learning, and two-ways, multi-modal 
communication for sharing information and
providing commands and hints. The researcher will identify and 
implement various schemes for
heterogeneous teaming and playing, in opposition and in cooperation, 
and always with humans in the
loop. Particular attention will be focused on how a swarm can give 
guidance and hints to humans to
optimize team’s utility.

Considered the importance of gaming in children’s life, the research 
will mainly focus on children
as human players, addressing educational, developmental, and 
entertainment issues. One of the
central, practical aims of the research is to design and implement 
one or more interactive game
scenarios, based on the integration of multiple and heterogeneous 
robotic resources, sensory data
(visual, speech, motion), and children players.


Candidate Profile:
----------------------

The candidate must hold a Ph.D. and possibly have, at least, 1-year 
experience as a post-doc. She/he
must have excellent scientific records, be highly motivated, and 
have a strong background and research
expertise in the following domains:

* Robotics (practical experience with robotic systems is mandatory!)
* Multi-robot/swarm systems
* Design and implementation of game scenarios and systems
* Acquisition and processing of multi-modal data based on visual, 
speech, and other forms of input.

Scientific experience in social robotics and/or in children 
psychology will be an important
advantage, as well as a good familiarity with machine learning 
techniques and distributed
algorithms. She/he is expected to have outstanding mathematical and 
programming skills (in C/C++,
and preferably in Linux environments), and to have a positive 
attitude toward interdisciplinary
research and teamwork.


Time frame and additional information
----------------------------------------------

* Deadline for submission of applications: April 14, 2013

* Duration of the fellowship: 1 year, possibly starting from June 2013

* English is the official language at IDSIA and EPFL

* The candidate will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Gianni 
Di Caro, Prof. Luca
Gambardella, and Prof. Francesco Mondada

* Attractive salary, aligned with Swiss standards

* Additional information can be found in the official document of 
the call (see below), and/or can asked to
Gianni A. Di Caro (gianni at idsia.ch)


How to Apply:
-------------------

Please refer to the procedure described in the official call for the 
position, as published on
on the website of SUPSI (applications received after the deadline 
will not be considered!):

http://www.supsi.ch/home/supsi/lavora-con-noi/2013-04-14.html