PhD Stipend in Audio Only VR Game with Personalized 3D Sound for Blind Gamers

PhD Stipend in Audio Only VR Game with Personalized 3D Sound for Blind Gamers

At the Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Department of Electronic Systems, a PhD stipend in Audio Only VR Game with Personalized 3D Sound for Blind Gamers is available within the general study programme Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The stipend is open for appointment from September 1, 2024, or soon as possible thereafter. In electronic engineering, Aalborg University is known worldwide for its high academic quality and societal impact. The Department of Electronic Systems employs more than 200 people, of which about 90 are PhD students, and about 40 % of all employees are internationals. In total, it has more than 600 students in its BSc and MSc programs, which are based on AAU's problem-based learning model. The department leverages its unique research infrastructure and lab facilities to conduct world-leading fundamental and applied research within sound and acoustics, AI, communication, networks, control systems, cyber security, and robotics. The department plays an active role in transferring inventions and results into applications in close collaboration with industrial partners worldwide. You can read more about the department at www.es.aau.dk

Jobbeskrivelse
The project is part of the DFF(Independent Research Fund Denmark) granted research project"Audio Only VR for Blind Gamers". The research project investigate audio only Virtual Reality for blind gamers including the development of a game for implementation on an existing VR platform with personalized audio, and utilizing haptics as provided in the standard game controls.

The main tasks within this PhD project are:

• Develop strategy for individualized earphone-based sound, which includes adequate representation of the physical environment(the acoustics of the listener's ear and the room in the virtual world).
• Implement solution for personalized 3D audio(including scanning of ear for mesh and computation, if favorable) for the participating blind gamers.
• Transfer solution to gaming platform(Unity-based).
• Develop game desing utilizing the key affordances of both audio and haptics(based on inter-mediate results from the parallel PhD project).
• Implement game in experimental version for testing in with the participating blind gamers.
• Evaluate results qualitatively and quantitatively with respect to authenticity, perceived immersion and flow.

The research questions, methodology, and project plan for the PhD project will be developed through supervision by Professor Dorte Hammershøi(main supervisor, and DFF project leader), Head of Acoustics and Hearing, Section for AI and Sound at Department of Electronic Systems, and by Professor Stefania Serafin, Head of Multisensory Experience Laboratory, Dept of Architecture, Design and Media Technology(Copenhagen campus). The PhD project is in very close collaboration with another PhD candidate in the DFF project, with main responsibilities for studying the user needs of the case population, and assessing user satisfaction and technology acceptance of the experimental solution.

Qualification Requirements:

• It is preferable if applicants are able to speak and understand Danish, as most users are recruited within a community and center of Danish vision-impaired people.
• Applicants must have training in signal processing and acoustics
• It is preferable if applicants have familiarity with VR technology platforms, or technology platforms with similar affordances(human-computer interaction through sound and haptics, and with dynamic monitoration of user movements and actions)
• Good written and spoken English language skills are mandatory for publication purposes.

The PhD project will be conducted under the auspices of the Acoustics and Hearing research group at Department of Electronic Systems(first part of study), and under the auspice of the Multisensory Experience Laboratory, Dept of Architecture, Design and Media Technology(second part of study).

You may obtain further information from Prof. Dorte Hammershøi, Department of Electronic Systems, email: [email protected], concerning the scientific aspects of the stipend.

PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1039 of August 27, 2013 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time.

Shortlisting will be applied. This means that subsequent to the deadline for applications the head of department supported by the chair of the assessment committee will select candidates for assessment. All applicants will be informed whether they will be assessed or not.

For further information about stipends and salary as well as practical issues concerning the application procedure contact Ms. Lisbeth Diinhoff, The Doctoral School at The Technical Faculty of IT and Design, email:[email protected], phone:+45 9940 9589.

For more information of The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design:www.phd.tech.aau.dk

The application is only to be submitted online by using the"Apply online" button below.

AAU wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background or belief.

Løn og ansættelsesvilkår
Appointment and salary as a PhD fellow are according to the Ministry of Finance Circular of 15 December 2021 on the Collective Agreement for Academics in Denmark, Appendix 5, regarding PhD fellows, and with the current Circular of 11 December 2019 on the employment structure at Danish universities.

Ansøgningsfrist
2024-06-23

Ref. nummer
8-24033

Afdeling
Department of Electronic Systems