[Eeglablist] 2 positions in the framework of the Open-ViBE Project

[Marco Congedo]

Dear Colleagues,

  please diffuse the following two posts
to those who could be interested.

Thank you very much,


Marco Congedo, PhD
France Telecom, R&D
http://www.novatecheeg.com/Congedo/MC_Home.html

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POST 1


Title : Open-Vibe : an open-source software for Brain-Computer Interfaces
(BCI)
Type of position : 	Software and Signal Processing Engineer
Duration : 	2 years, open now (June 2006)
Salary : 	minimum about 2000 Euros (gross) per month
Project : 	Real-Time EEG/MEG analysis
Location :	Lyon, France
	INSERM - Unit 280 – Mental Processes and Brain Activation Lab.
			Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier
	95 Boulevard Pinel
	69500 BRON

Description of the research laboratory:
INSERM Unit 280 (French National Institute for Health and Medical
Research, Mental Processes and Brain Activation Laboratory) has been
undertaking, since more than 20 years, Cognitive Neuroscience research
projects using advanced electrophysiology and functional neuroimaging in
Humans. This research focuses more particularly on understanding sensory
(perception, multisensory integration) and cognitive (attention, memory,
social cognition) processes by means of high resolution scalp
electroencephalography (EEG), intracranial EEG in epileptic patients, and
magnetoencephalography (MEG) correlated with precise behavioural measures.

Description of the project:
The present project aims at developing a new field of use of
electrophysiological techniques (MEG, scalp and intracranial EEG) based on
real-time analysis of brain signals. The general goals of this approach
are the following:
- to develop paradigms and methods for brain-computer interfaces (BCI) to
improve communication ability of disabled persons or persons with reduced
mobility,
- to allow real-time correlation between brain signals, mental processes
and behavioural performances of the subjects,
- to develop rehabilitation procedures using biofeedback strategies based
on the self-regulation of certain brain activities measured by specific
electrophysiological markers (neurofeedback: applications to attention
disorders, acoustic tinnitus, 
).
This is a fast-growing field of research at the international level still
in its infancy in France. It relies on a crucial technological and
methodological phase to adapt signal processing methods (de-noising,
spectral and time-frequency analysis, independent component analysis) and
source localization methods (distributed dipole source modelling, spatial
filtering by beamforming) to the context of real-time analysis. More
precisely, it consists in developing an open-source software platform for
real-time EEG/MEG analysis and in evaluating this interface in the context
of BCI and Neurofeedback.
This project (“Open-Vibe”) is financially supported by a grant from the
2006-2009 RNTL program of the ANR (French National Research Agency). It is
a joint project between INRIA-IRISA (Rennes, France), France Telecom R&D
(Grenoble, France) and INSERM U280 (Lyon, France).

Background and general objectives:
The general objectives of the « Open-Vibe » project (« Open-Platform for
Virtual Brain Environment ») is to develop an integrated open-source
software environment proposing new techniques for improving BCIs. At the
end of the project:
- we wish to open new lines of research for both designing and applying
BCIs (on-line manipulations of experiments, test of new
electrophysiological markers of certain mental states, development of
BCI-based applications, evaluation of the virtual reality approaches),
- we wish to answer to the need for common and open tools usable by
different categories of persons (Cognitive Brain Research laboratories,
brain-computer interface designers, rehabilitation therapists, patient
associations, video-game designers, etc 
),
- the effectiveness of our approaches and their software implementation
will be illustrated by demonstrators, more precisely in the BCI domain :
handicap and games.
This project is clearly multi-disciplinary and involves: neurophysiology,
functional neuroimaging, signal processing, modelling, display design,
real-time computing, and software engineering.

Descrition of the activity:
The goal of this position is:
- to participate in the formalization and the coding of a software
architecture which should be modular and evolutive for real-time EEG/MEG.
- to design, implement, test and document acquisition and real-time brain
signal analysis modules (spectral and time-frequency analysis,
multichannel coherence, brain sources localization) designed jointly with
the other partners (INRIA and France Telecom R&D).
- to interact with other researchers and engineers of the laboratory
involved in the experimental evaluation of the system (with scalp and
intracranial EEG, and MEG).
This project requires at the same time to optimize the performances of the
algorithms adapted to the context of real-time analysis, and to propose an
open and flexible toolbox to facilitate the evolutions guided by the
users’s feedback and by the development of new experimental fields of
applications.
The candidate will be part of the “Real-time EEG/MEG” team in Lyon
consisting in 3 permanent researchers (1 being full-time on the project),
2 post-docs, and 1 post-doc engineer (full-time on the project). This
project will be performed in tight collaboration with a software engineer
working at INRIA-IRISA in Rennes managing the integration of the whole
“Open-Vibe” Platform.

Profile of the ideal candidate:
The candidate should have an Engineer or a Master diploma with a solid
background in computer science, and good skills in object-oriented
language (C++) and multi-task programming (Linux and Wiindows operating
systems). Additional expertise in signal processing and applied
mathematics will be appreciated. Specific experience with
electrophysiology (EEG, MEG) is not required. Candidates should have an
excellent aptitude for team work and a strong capacity for
self-organization of the work. Knowledge of French is not necessary but
would facilitate the communication within the working environment.

The position is open now.

Contact :
Candidates should send their curriculum and recommendations to:

Olivier Bertrand, INSERM U280 :
mail : 					bertrand at lyon.inserm.fr
phone direct : 		+33 (0)4 72 13 89 10
phone secretary : 	+33 (0)4 72 13 89 00
lab web site :		http://www.lyon.inserm.fr/280/

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POST 2

Post-doctoral position at INRIA (Rennes, France)

TITLE: “Interactive and immersive visualisation of cerebral activity”

TYPE OF POSITION : 	Post-DOC in Visualisation, Computer Graphics, and/or
Virtual Reality

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

LOCATION: Rennes (Bretagne), France
DURATION: 12 to 24 months
SALARY: minimum about 2000 Euros (gross) per month

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

BACKGROUND:
Typical computer-user interfaces include a keyboard and a mouse. Research
in Human Computer Interface (CHI) 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 connection and
integration of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI ) in Virtual Environments
(VE) and with Virtual Reality set-ups (VR). The SIAMES team, through the
Open-ViBE 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 visualization of EEG activity in virtual
reality. The visualisation engine is considered as an essential component
of the overall system, since every BCI system faces the problem of
learning.

DESCRIPTION OF THE POST-DOC ACTIVITY:
Aim of the post-doc will be the development of an efficient 3D
visualisation tool for the interactive exploration of cerebral activity.
Such a tool has to be efficient so to work in real-time and on-line, i.e.
when the user is connected to an EEG acquisition machine.
The successful candidate will propose and compare several representations
for the mental activity including, for instance, a realistic and holistic
3D model of the brain, with symbolic and schematic display of electrical
and band power activities inside the volume of the virtual brain model.
He/she will propose interactive tools to explore, interact and navigate in
this virtual brain model. The system will be used together with an
immersive “Reality Center” (large cylindrical visualisation screen), in
stereoscopic mode.
The candidate will work in a multi-disciplinary environment in
collaborations with other members of the team and other teams in France
working on complementary subjects.

PROFILE OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The candidate should have a PhD in Visualisation, Computer Graphics,
and/or Virtual Reality. Knowledge and expertise with visualization,
virtual reality and interactive techniques is thus the main requirement.
Strong skill in computer programming (in C++) is also an important
prerequisite. Specific experience with EEG, Neuroscience and Cognitive
Sciences is not required, but would represent an important advantage over
other candidates.

OPEN-VIBE PROJECT:
C. Arrouet, M. Congedo, J.E. Marvie, F. Lamarche, A. Lécuyer, and B.
Arnaldi, "Open-ViBE: a 3D Platform for Real-Time Neuroscience", Journal of
Neurotherapy, Vol. 9, Num. 1, 2005
http://www.irisa.fr/siames/GENS/alecuyer/Open-ViBE.pdf

CONTACT
Dr. Anatole Lécuyer
IRISA - SIAMES Project
anatole.lecuyer at irisa.fr



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