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TU Delft invites applications for a fully funded Research Position to investigate human seat interaction in the context of automated driving. The candidate will employ 3D body motion capture in moving-base driving simulators and experimental vehicles, to develop full body 3D neuromuscular control models predicting body motion and comfort.
Automated driving holds great promise to provide safe and sustainable transport. Passenger cars will soon achieve safety levels allowing users to take their eyes off the road, freeing up time for other activities. This calls for new vehicle interiors and seating configurations facilitating non-driving tasks. Novel insights and models of human postural stabilization will be essential to effectively design such interiors and seating systems.
Approach
Vehicle experiments will be performed to investigate differences in postural dynamics between active drivers anticipating vehicle motion, and users of automated vehicles performing non-driving tasks with their eyes off the road. Experiments will focus on lateral and anterior-posterior body stabilization in relation to steering, acceleration and braking.
A moving base driving simulator will be used for further systematic assessment including other motion directions and a wider frequency range.
Seat geometry and compliance will be varied aiming for designs minimizing postural effort and minimizing body and head motion to enhance motion comfort.
Existing biomechanical human body models and models of postural stabilization will be integrated, validated and enhanced. These models will integrate visual, vestibular, and muscle spindle feedback building upon available models and data on the neck, the lumbar spine and the full body (see Publications below).
Experiments and seat design studies will be jointly performed with a major car maker. Modelling of sensory integration and comfort assessment will be supported by other researchers.
Offer 2 year full time position, starting between now and September 2019, with scope for tenure, where we expect an active contribution in grant proposal writing.
Requirements We are seeking a researcher with a strong interest in performing cutting-edge research in a very active and exciting research area.
Applicants shall have a MSc degree in Human Movement Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, or comparable studies.
Applicants preferably have (or will soon obtain) a relevant PhD or have comparable experience evidenced by a solid publication record.
In particular we value experience in:
Conditions of employment The TU Delft offers a customizable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. An International Children’s Centre offers childcare and an international primary school. Dual Career Services offers support to accompanying partners. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
Information and application Interviews are ongoing – rapid application is recommended.
For more information, contact Riender Happee, phone: +31 (0)15-2783213, e-mail: R.Happee@tudelft.nl.
To apply, please e-mail a detailed CV including your interest, experience, courses and grades at the Master and Bachelor level, publications, and references to be contacted.
Please e-mail your application to R.Happee@tudelft.nl referring to Vacancy Seating Biomechanics in the subject of your email.
Vacancy Issued 19 March 2019
Websites
http://intelligent-vehicles.org
Publications
Automated driving holds great promise to provide safe and sustainable transport. Passenger cars will soon achieve safety levels allowing users to take their eyes off the road, freeing up time for other activities. This calls for new vehicle interiors and seating configurations facilitating non-driving tasks. Novel insights and models of human postural stabilization will be essential to effectively design such interiors and seating systems.
Approach
Vehicle experiments will be performed to investigate differences in postural dynamics between active drivers anticipating vehicle motion, and users of automated vehicles performing non-driving tasks with their eyes off the road. Experiments will focus on lateral and anterior-posterior body stabilization in relation to steering, acceleration and braking.
A moving base driving simulator will be used for further systematic assessment including other motion directions and a wider frequency range.
Seat geometry and compliance will be varied aiming for designs minimizing postural effort and minimizing body and head motion to enhance motion comfort.
Existing biomechanical human body models and models of postural stabilization will be integrated, validated and enhanced. These models will integrate visual, vestibular, and muscle spindle feedback building upon available models and data on the neck, the lumbar spine and the full body (see Publications below).
Experiments and seat design studies will be jointly performed with a major car maker. Modelling of sensory integration and comfort assessment will be supported by other researchers.
Offer 2 year full time position, starting between now and September 2019, with scope for tenure, where we expect an active contribution in grant proposal writing.
Requirements We are seeking a researcher with a strong interest in performing cutting-edge research in a very active and exciting research area.
Applicants shall have a MSc degree in Human Movement Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, or comparable studies.
Applicants preferably have (or will soon obtain) a relevant PhD or have comparable experience evidenced by a solid publication record.
In particular we value experience in:
- Biomechanical testing (motion capture, EMG)
- Biomechanical modelling (multibody, FE, muscle modelling, MADYMO, LS-Dyna, OpenSim)
- Postural stabilization
- System identification
- Frequency domain analysis
- Comfort, Automotive, Human factors
Conditions of employment The TU Delft offers a customizable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. An International Children’s Centre offers childcare and an international primary school. Dual Career Services offers support to accompanying partners. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
Information and application Interviews are ongoing – rapid application is recommended.
For more information, contact Riender Happee, phone: +31 (0)15-2783213, e-mail: R.Happee@tudelft.nl.
To apply, please e-mail a detailed CV including your interest, experience, courses and grades at the Master and Bachelor level, publications, and references to be contacted.
Please e-mail your application to R.Happee@tudelft.nl referring to Vacancy Seating Biomechanics in the subject of your email.
Vacancy Issued 19 March 2019
Websites
http://intelligent-vehicles.org
Publications
- de Bruijn E, van der Helm FCT, Happee R. (2016). Analysis of isometric cervical strength with a nonlinear musculoskeletal model with 48 degrees of freedom. Multibody System Dynamics 36-4: 339-362.
- Forbes PA, Dakin CJ, Geers AM, Vlaar MP, Happee R, Siegmund GP, Schouten AC, Blouin JS. (2014). Electrical Vestibular Stimuli to Enhance Vestibulo-Motor Output and Improve Subject Comfort. PLoS ONE 9(1): e84385. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0084385.
- Forbes PA, Dakin CJ, Vardy A, Happee R, Siegmund GP, Schouten AC, Blouin JS. (2013). Frequency response of vestibular reflexes in neck, back and lower limb muscles, Journal of Neurophysiology, 110(8): 1869-1881.
- Forbes PA, de Bruijn E, Schouten AC, van der Helm FCT, Happee R. (2013). Dependency of human neck reflex responses on the bandwidth of pseudorandom anterior-posterior torso perturbations. Experimental Brain Research 226(1): 1-14.
- Forbes PA, Siegmund GP, Happee R, Schouten AC, Blouin JS. (2014). Vestibulocollic reflexes in the absence of head postural control. Journal of Neurophysiology, 112 (7), 1692-1702.
- Happee R, de Bruijn E, Forbes PA, van der Helm FCT. (2017). Dynamic head-neck stabilization and modulation with perturbation bandwidth investigated using a multisegment neuromuscular model. J. Biomechanics 58, 203-211.
- Happee R, de Bruijn E, Forbes PA, van Drunen P, van Dieën JH, van der Helm FCT. (2019). Neck postural stabilization, motion comfort and impact simulation. Chapter in DHM & Posturography, in press.
- Happee R, de Vlugt E, van Vliet B. (2015). Nonlinear 2D arm dynamics in response to continuous and pulse-shaped force perturbations. Experimental Brain Research 233:39-52.
- Happee R, Ridella S, Nayef A, Morsink P, de Lange R, Bours R, van Hoof J. (2000). Mathematical human body models representing a mid size male and a small female for frontal, lateral and rearward impact loading. International Conference on the Biomechanics of impact (IRCOBI), Sept 20-22, 2000: 18p.
- Meijer R, Broos J, Elrofai H, de Bruijn E, Forbes PA, Happee R. (2013). Modelling of Bracing in a Multi-Body Active Human Model. IRCOBI Conference 2013.
- Östh J, Eliasson E, Happee R, Brolin K. (2014). A Method to Model Anticipatory Postural Control in Driver Braking Events. Gait & Posture 40 (2014) 664-669.
- van Dieën JH, van Drunen P, Happee R. (2017). Sensory contributions to stabilization of trunk posture in the sagittal plane. Journal of Biomechanics.
- van Drunen P, Koumans Y, van der Helm FCT, van Dieën JH, Happee R. (2015). Modulation of intrinsic and reflexive contributions to low-back stabilization due to vision, task instruction and perturbation bandwidth. Experimental Brain Research 233(3): 735-749.
- van Drunen P, Maaswinkel E, van der Helm FCT, van Dieën JH, Happee R. (2013). Identifying intrinsic and reflexive contributions to low-back stabilization. J Biomechanics 46 (8) 1440-1446.
- van Drunen P, van der Helm FCT, van Dieën JH, Happee R. (2016). Trunk stabilization during sagittal pelvic tilt: From trunk-on-pelvis to trunk-in-space due to vestibular and visual feedback. Journal of Neurophysiology 115(3), 1381-1388.