[Eeglablist] Post-Doc on BSS/ICA for real-time EEG/MEG

[Marco Congedo]

Please diffude this post-doc offer to whom it may concern.
Thank you very much.


TITLE:
Real-Time EEG/MEG de-noising for Brain-Computer Interface in Virtual Reality.

RESEARCH UNIT:
INRIA (National Institute for Research In Informatics and Control),

LOCATION:
Rennes (Bretagne), France.

LABORATORY:
SIAMES (Image Synthesis, Animation, Modelization and Simulation )

DURATION AND SALARY:
The duration of the post-doc is 12 months starting autumn 2005 and the
salary is about 1700 Euros net per month.

BACKGROUND:
Typical computer-user interfaces include a keyboard and a mouse. Research
in Human-Computer Interface (BCI) has always tried to improve and to
simplify the control of electronic devices. Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)
aims to use a new communication channel offered by the activity of the
brain. The goal is to achieve the so called “think and make it happen
without physical effort” paradigm. A typical BCI system consists of a
brain signal acquisition device (typically using Electroencephalography
(EEG)) and a signal processing device. The latter outputs device-control
commands. During a training phase, the participant tries repeatedly to
accomplish a specific mental task. After a sufficient number of trials,
given that the brain activity can be extracted in the form of a
consistent, valid, and specific feature, a classification algorithm is
able to translate it into a unique command. At this point participants are
able to issue simple commands (usually binary) to an electronic device.
Published study could demonstrate a transfer rate up to around 20 bits per
minute, that is, around 20 “1” or “0” commands per
minute.

The post-doc is part of an ongoing research effort for the integration of
Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) in Virtual Environments (VE). The SIAMES
project aims at using this new mean of interaction for manipulating
virtual object or navigating and exploring virtual worlds. In this
framework SIAMES is developing a software platform for the acquisition,
processing and classification of EEG activity. Every BCI system faces the
problem of EEG artefacts (e.g., eye and head movements, muscle tension,
etc) and noise (intra-cranial and extra-cranial). Artifacts are usually
sparse, but can be persistent as well (e.g., muscle tension). Noise
sources are typically persistent. All these nuisances make the
classification task a difficult one and jeopardize the performance of
classification algorithms. The problem of real-time EEG denoising is
currently attracting much attention.


DESCRIPTION OF THE POST_DOC ACTIVITY:
Aim of the post-doc will be the integration of real-time signal/noise
separation and signal blind identification techniques, such as Blind
Source Separation (BSS)/Independent Component Analysis (ICA) algorithms.
Such an algorithm have to be efficient so to work in real-time and be able
to both separate and identify the signal of interest so to feed
classification algorithms with signal as pure as possible without
introducing important delay.

The successful candidate will study and compare several BSS/ICA/others
algorithm in order to evaluate them with respect to their efficiency and
efficacy when applied to EEG data in real-time. The candidate will work in
a multi-disciplinary environment in collaborations with other members of
the team and other team in France working on complementary subjects.


PROFILE OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The candidate should have a PhD in Electronic Engineering, Physics,
Mathematics, Computer Science or Statistics with a strong vocation for
digital signal processing and excellent communication skills. Knowledge
and expertise with the BSS/ICA problem is the main requirement.
Familiarity with computer programming (in C++) is also an important
prerequisite. Specific experience with EEG and Virtual Reality is not
required, but would represent an important advantage over other
candidates. Applications will be first evaluated internally by the SIAMES
team. The chosen candidate and this post-doc proposal will be evaluated
independently by an external committee nominated by INRIA. The funding of
the post-doc is competitive. For this reason, the candidate should have an
excellent record of publications, an outstanding curriculum studiorum and
authoritative recommendations. High priority will be given to those
candidate who have acquired a PhD degree outside France. Good knowledge of
spoken and written English is necessary, whether knowledge of French would
facilitate the communication within the working environment.

APPLICATION SCHEDULE:
Applications must be completed by the 12th of April 2005. Internal
selection will be accomplished by the end of April. At that time
candidates will be notified. The final decision of the INRIA’s
committee will be known by May the 20th 2005.

CONTACT:
Please send applications to
Anatole Lécuyer, PhD
Email : anatole.lecuyer at irisa.fr
Tel. : +33 (0)2 99 84 74 83



-- 
Marco Congedo, PhD
SIAMES Project, IRISA
Campus de BeauLieu
35042 Rennes France
Home Page:
http://www.irisa.fr/siames/GENS/mcongedo/MC_Home.html