Minimal invasive Image-guided Interventions (MII) is emerging as a new discipline in medicine. To date, no single specialist area has the necessary competencies to deliver MII. These interventions are combined with sophisticated imaging technologies, primarily to perform minimally invasive surgery. MII can be characterized by the following key steps: target location, target verification (lesion volume), target destruction, treatment monitoring and verification. Smart Mechatronic Devices can be developed to improve surgeon manipulation skills. It includes dexterous instrument, co-manipulated tool holder. These systems require new intuitive control mode that uses image guidance, haptic feedback to fit into the clinical workflow. Dedicated man-machine interfaces will allow the user selecting the appropriate assistance.

This project is part of European consortium that includes industrial, clinical and academic partners from the Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey and Belgium.

About the position:
For image guided percutaneous procedures, demonstrating the potential of automatic needle placements, a 3rd party robotic system will be integrated in a state-of-the-art Philips X-ray system, equipped with optical tracking functionality.

Motion compensation model: The most common cause of inaccurate placements of interventional instruments is respiratory motion. This can be addressed by the development and integration of robotic-image-guided control and AI-based algorithms for motion compensation. Such motion compensation models can give a real-time estimation of the target location during patient motion and update the robotic system position or give real time guidance to the user about the patient motion.

• You are a very enthusiastic, positive and hardworking researcher and highly motivated about this project;
• You have, or will shortly acquire, a Master degree in Robotics, Control, Mechatronics, Bio-mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering or in a closely related field;
• You have excellent skills and practical experience in one or more of the following research areas: mathematical optimization, mechatronics, machine and deep learning or image processing and experience with programming. Experience at the intersection of one or more of these areas is desirable.
• You are proficient in English;
• You are able to work independently yet able to function in this multi-disciplinary project and have experimental skills;
• You have excellent communication and teamworking skills.

The terms of employment are in accordance with the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO) and include:

• A fulltime PhD position for four years, with a qualifier in the first year.
• Full status as an employee at the UT, including pension and health care benefits.
• The salary will range from € 2.434,- (1st year) to € 3.111,- (4th year) per month, plus a holiday allowance of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• A solid pension scheme;
• We provide a stimulating, modern research environment with world-class research facilities, including access to top supercomputers.
• A personal development program within the Twente Graduate School, combined with excellent mentorship.

The Robotics and Mechatronics (RaM) group is active on both fundamental and application-driven topics in the field of robotics. (Physical) modelling, dynamical systems, control, sensors, actuators, real-time (embedded) software, computer vision, and systems design are the research topics. We develop novel fundamental paradigms and physically based methodologies, which we then translate in the Lab into demonstrators and prototypes. Area of robot application is mostly in healthcare, and inspection and maintenance. The research is embedded in the TechMed and DSI Institutes.

One unique and characterizing feature of our research philosophy is the use of the port-based approach in modeling and analysis of systems, i.e. bond graphs, port-Hamiltonian descriptions, process-orientation using CSP process algebra.

Robot application areas we investigate are: inspection robotics (UAVs, UGVs, UUVs); medical robotics (assistance to surgeons, diagnostics); service robotics (street cleaning, service to people). The science and engineering topics we work on are: modeling and simulation of physical systems; intelligent control; robotic actuators; computer vision and medical imaging; embedded control systems.

For further information, [click here.](https://www.ram.eemcs.utwente.nl/)