Job details

Place of work

INSITUTE OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY PAS Team 3/ International Centre for Translational Eye Research

Funding institution

Foundation for Polish Science

Project description

Project title, type and project number

Proof of Concept Call 1/2023; Proposal Number FENG FENG.02.07-IP.05-0233/23, 60/2024

Project leader

Dr Katarzyna Komar

Description

One of the main problems with augmented reality (AR: Augmented Reality) technologies is that achieving satisfactory clarity and quality simultaneously: the image of the outside world and the additional information displayed against it requires a compromise. 

Current solutions on the market are mainly based on fiber optic technology.

Eyeglasses are specially designed flat optical waveguides that transport light carrying information to the eye and combine it with light coming from the environment. However, both diffractive waveguides (e.g., Hololens) and reflective waveguides (e.g., Lumus Z-lens) affect the course of light from the environment, ultimately resulting in a dimmed and/or distorted image. These problems are exacerbated when the waveguide structure has to accommodate different display colours. 

This project aims to verify the potential of implementation of the concept of a retinal display using two-photon vision for the projection of AR content. This is a recently discovered vision mechanism that extends the range of perceived radiation into the near-infrared (850-1300 nm). 

Two-photon vision is based on a nonlinear optical process - two-photon absorption occurring in visual pigments. Laser beams that we see due to this process have a color close to half their wavelength: for 950 nm - blue, for 1000 nm - green, and for 1200 nm - red. Due to differences in the wavelengths of ambient light and the AR stimulus, it may be easier to combine the two optical paths in glasses. The nonlinear nature of the phenomenon means that it occurs efficiently only at the retinal focus of the beam, so duplicate reflections, as well as scattered light, are not perceived. Thus, the twophoton stimuli may have better contrast. These hypotheses will be verified by building a prototype AR glasses with two-photon vision and conducting psychophysical tests using it.

Job description

Number of vacancies

1

Key responsibilities include

PostDoc/Engineer tasks: 

  • designing and 3D-printing of eyeglass frames (stage 1), 
  • eyeglasses software development including synchronization of the MEMS scanner with the AOM (acoustoopic modulator) and collection of images from the pupil camera (stage 2), 
  • development of software for psychophysical tests (stage 3), - presentation of results and their dissemination .
Offer

Position in the project

POST DOC

Job type

• Position: specialist • Full-time contract of employment for a fixed period of time • Number of working hours per week: 40

Salary

Around 13 200 PLN gross

Position starts on

1.01.2025

Maximum planned period of contract/stipend agreement

3 miesiące z możliwością przedłużenia do 9 miesięcy

We offer

We offer:

  • a post doc/engineer  position (full-time employment) in the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS with a gross salary of Around 13.200 PLN gross per month financed from the The Foundation for Polish Science co-financed by the European Union from the funds of Priority 2 of the European Funds for a Modern Economy Program 2021–2027 (FENG) Action 2.7 Proof of Concept. 100% of the work time of post doc/engineer  will be devoted to the realization of the proposed project. The offer is for 3 months with a possible extension to 9 months
  • the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary, international research team; - cooperation with industrial partners.

Career development prospects at IPC PAS

The successful candidate will be eligible for all programs at the IPC PAS, including the IPC PAS Young Scientists competition and the IPC PAS Young Scientists Mobility competition.

Institute provides an opportunity to participate in ERASMUS+ programme.

The selected candidate will be part of a highly experienced, multidisciplinary team. He/she will have the opportunity to expand his/her knowledge and confront new tasks resulting in new technical solutions and applications.

Requirements

Scientific profile of a candidate

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Requirements

  • Graduate degree in electronics, automation, computer science, biomedical engineering, physics or related fields. 
  • LabVIEW programming skills required,  •    ability to design with CAM/CAD tools,
  • English language skills at B2 level. 

will be an added advantage:

  • Ph.D. degree 
  • Demonstrated experience working in a scientific team.
  • Python and/or C languages programming skills.

Key assessment criteria

The committee will consider the following criteria: 

  • Competence to carry out specific tasks in the research project - described under Tasks and responsibilities in the project
  • Previous scientific achievements (publication output, Hirsh index, etc.).
  • The candidate's participation in research projects
Required documents

A complete application should include the following documents:

  • Curriculum vitae;
  • Cover letter;
  • A scan of the candidate's diploma: engineering/master's degree or doctoral degree;
  • Description of achievements with emphasis on projects, tasks the candidate has dealt with, publications (if applicable), etc. qualifications related to the required merit;
Recruitment procedure
  • The application deadline is on the 13.12.2024, 12:00 noon
  • Applications should be sent to rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl. IMPORTANT! email subject: “Recruitment no 60/2024 ” (emails without this number will not be considered)
  • Top candidates can be invited for an online or in-person interview  We reserve the right to contact and reply to only selected candidates.
  • The position will be offered to the person with the highest evaluation by the Recruitment Committee
  • Applications will be evaluated on a point scale
  • The results of the recruitment are planned to be announced on the 23.12.2024
  • Employment will take place in accordance with the provisions of the competition documentation of the Employment policy of the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS  https://ichf.edu.pl/files/csr/ipc-procedures.pdf
  • “The incomplete applications may not be considered” 
  • The appeal shall be lodged with the Director of the Institute  within 7 days from the date of receipt of the appropriate information. The decision of the Director of the Institute shall be final.
  • Appeals should be sent to the following email address: dzgran@ichf.edu.pl.
  • If the top candidate does not sign the contract due to the resignation, we reserve the right to choose the next candidate from the ranking list. 
  • Applications should be submitted via email: rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl,  IMPORTANT: email title “Recruitment No. 60 / 2024”.
Additional information

“Project “Retinal display based on two-photon vision for augmented reality” funded by the 2nd Priority of the Program European Funds for Modern Economy 2021-2027 (FENG) Measure 2.7 Proof of Concept, Intermediary Institution: the Foundation for Polish Science.”

Deadlines

Application deadline

13.12.2024 12:00

Deadline for the settlement of the competition

23.12.2024

Send the application via the "Apply to the position" button, or to rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl with the title 60/2024.

Apply to the position

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Date of announcement: 15.11.2024

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