A Post-Doctoral
or Research Associate Position in Haptic / Cross-Modal Perception and Interface
Design is available
in the Sensory Perception & Interaction (SPIN) Research Group of Prof. Karon
MacLean at the University of British Columbia.
The successful candidate will conduct an original research program based on the creation of novel embedded interfaces for applications utilizing the sense of touch; and leveraging the advances in multimodal perception being simultaneously explored in our group. Other responsibilities include helping with research group management and student supervision, as well as expanding and extending the collaborative relationships already in place with individuals in UBC?s Departments of Psychology, Engineering, Medicine and Music.
Applicants
should have a recent doctoral degree and research experience in tangible interface
design, as well as programming competence. (While haptics will be a principle
design modality in the position, explicit haptic experience can be learned
on-the-job more easily than creative design experience). Desirable skills
and talents include one or more of: mechatronics, interaction design, user
experimentation, mathematics, management. Candidates with training in music,
arts or videography are particularly encouraged to apply. Compensation will
be commensurate with qualifications.
To apply, please e-mail or fax a cover letter with a statement of interests, a curriculum vita, and the names of three individuals who can be contacted as references to:
Prof. Karon MacLean
email: maclean@cs.ubc.ca
fax: 604-822-5485
The position is available immediately.
Sensory Perception & Interaction (SPIN)
Research Group
The SPIN research group, resident in UBC?s Computer Science Department, is a multidisciplinary
group of students, postdocs and research associates who unite backgrounds
in computer science, engineering, psychology and the arts. Our group?s focus
is on embedded and mobile interactions, and we collaborate closely both with
practicing musicians and artists in search of expressive tools, and with industry
partners providing commercial applications and sophisticated testbeds. Our
lab is equipped with both conventional haptic technology (Phantoms and a 2-gripper
laparoscopic simulator) and many custom devices, as well as a substantial
body of developed application environments. A ?physical sketching? conceptual
prototyping facility is currently under construction.
UBC's Human-Computer
Interaction group is a rapidly growing, informally affiliated community of
UBC researchers, students and industry partners with active collaborations
spanning several faculties and many departments, in particular Computer Science,
Psychology and Engineering. Our connections occur primarily through our research
and interests, rather than formal institutions, and this cooperation has resulted
in a wide and ever-growing variety of courses and research opportunities for
students, including close interaction with researchers and students from other
departments.
The CS department?s
HCI subgroup is equipped with state-of-the-art research environments and tools
including a room-sized, 120-degree projected display, an eLumens front projected
hemispherical display, a plasma SmartBoard, Diamond Touch, Polhemus, a video
editing suite, eye trackers, a soundproofed and video-monitored experimentation
suite and a number of new acquisitions anticipated this year.
UBC is located
in the Canadian city of Vancouver, B.C., which happens to be a very nice place
to live