PhD position in Eye-Tracking research within MSCA Doctoral Network Eyes for Information, Communication and Understanding (Eyes4ICU)

Eyes for Information, Communication, and Understanding (EYES4ICU)

Gaze is an important communication channel to be captured remotely which works even without language. It thus holds great potential for universal inclusive technologies. Eyes for information, communication, and understanding (Eyes4ICU) explores novel forms of gaze interaction that rely on current psychological theories and findings, computational modeling, as well as expertise in highly promising application domains. Its approach of developing inclusive technology by tracing gaze interaction back to its cognitive and affective foundations (a psychological challenge) results in better models to predict user behavior (a computational challenge). By integrating insights in application fields, gaze-based interaction can be employed in the wild. Accordingly, the proposed research is divided into three work packages, namely Understanding Users (WP1), Gaze Communication (WP2), and In The Wild (WP3). All three work packages are pursued from three different perspectives: a psychological empirical perspective, a computational modeling perspective, and an application perspective, ensuring a unified and aligned progress and concept. Along these lines, training is also divided into three packages of Empirical Research Methods (WP4), Computational Modeling (WP5), and Transferable Skills (WP6). Consequently, the consortium is composed of groups working in psychological, computing, and application fields. All Beneficiaries are experts in using eye tracking in their respective areas ensuring best practices and optimal facilities for research and training. A variety of Associated Partners from the whole chain of eye tracking services ensures for applicability, practical relevance, and career opportunities by contributing to supervision, training, and research. This will advance communication by eye tracking as a field and result in European standards for gaze-based communication in a variety of domains disseminated through research and application.

You want to explore novel forms of gaze interaction working in an European international, interdisciplinary project?

PhD Employments

The positions receive funding by the Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network within the Horizon 2021 Program of the European Commission. The project started on 1st of September.

• Employment of 12 full positions for Doctoral Candidates (DC)
• MSc degree in psychology/behavioral sciences or engineering/computer sciences
• Interest and knowledge in one or more of the following fields: eye tracking, human factors, cognitive psychology, ergonomics, human-machine interfaces, cognitive modelling, artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics, software engineering, ...
• Candidates within 4 years after obtaining their Master's qualification
• Supporting trans-national mobility (i.e. candidate must have stayed less than 12 months during the last 3 years in host country)

Position available

DC 10: Computational Modelling of Eye-Head-Body Coordination

Field: Engineering / Computer Science

Host Institution: University of Stuttgart, Germany

Contact: Andreas Bulling

Position is open - Details for Application

Objectives: Human behaviour, e.g. while performing everyday activities or during social or navigational tasks, is the result of a complex interplay between eye, head, and body movements. These movements are not only closely coordinated with each other but also geared to the task at hand and are performed adaptively and pro-actively. While a large body of work has developed computational models for individual body parts, or dual combinations, holistic computational modelling of human behaviour remains under-explored. The goal of this project is pioneer computational models of human behaviour that, for the first time, tightly integrate information on eye, head, and body movements. The successful candidate will develop computer vision and machine learning methods to sense and learn models of human behaviour and will evaluate them for different behaviour-related tasks, such as activity recognition or forecasting, as well as during social encounters.

Gross salary: approx. 3200 EUR (including living + mobility allowance; family allowance is added if applicable)