We search for highly motivated Ph.D. candidates (research assistants)  to join our research project.

Admission information about the Graduate school of information science and engineering
http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/gr/exam/point.html/

 

Call for Research Assistants (Ph.D. candidates)

[Number of positions]

 

 

 

[Address of work location and other information]
Ritsumeikan University Biwako Kusatsu Campus (1-1-1 Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan)
Department of Human & Computer Intelligence, College of Information Science and Engineering

【Research Fields】
Machine learning, Cognitive Robotics, Speech  recognition, Natural language processing, Computational neuroscience, soft computing,

 

【Research Theme】

Research topics contributing to the project “Understanding Neural Computation for Double Articulation Analysis Bridging Sensory-motor Information and Natural Language in Human Brain” (Leader: Tadahiro Taniguchi), which is a sub-project in the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Comparison and Fusion of Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science” (Leader: Kenji Doya).

KAKEN project “Correspondence and Fusion of Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science” (Website)
http://www.brain-ai.jp/

 

A human brain can analyze a two-layer hierarchical structure embedded in speech signal called double articulation structure, i.e., the speech signal is segmented into words and phonemes in a hierarchical manner [1-3].

However, the computational process of double articulation analysis in the human brain has not been revealed in neuroscience.  In artificial intelligence and developmental robotics, we have not developed a robot that can automatically learn a language using double articulation analyzer from human-robot and sensorimotor real-world interaction [1-3].

In this research project, we clarify the neural computation for double articulation analyzer and dynamic category formation. This project aims to contribute to:
* Understanding the neural mechanism that supports human language acquisition based on sensorimotor information,
* Developing the next-generation communication robot,
* Developing AI system that can estimate other’s intention,
* Understanding disease related to language,  planning, and sensorimotor behaviors including schizophrenia, and
* Investigating theories bridging deep learning and Bayesian nonparametrics.

Our main research goals are listed as follows.

(1) Research on a computational model for double articulation analyzer and dynamic categorization.
(2) Research on neural mechanism of double articulation analysis and dynamic categorization.
(3) Developing a robot that can automatically acquire language and motor behaviors from sensorimotor experiences.

 

Emergent Systems Laboratory
http://www.em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp/en

【Expected candidate skills, interests, and backgrounds】

– Good mathematical background.
– English communication skill for daily discussion and writing papers: IELTS 6 (TOEIC 740).
– Programming skills in C++ and Python, Matlab for machine learning and intelligent robot.
– Applicants are expected to be interested in natural language, language acquisition, the human neural system for cognition and social behavior. Having related academic backgrounds is preferable.

 

 

[Qualifications]

Applicants must be interested in the research topic and have a strong will to conduct their research positively and actively.
Applicants must have a master degree in a related field before they start working as research assistants.
Applicants must study in the doctoral course of Graduate Scool of Information Science and Engineering while they are hired as research assistants.

[Starting date]

September 2017 or April 2018 (After the admission to the doctor course)

 

[Employment status]

One year contract.

It can be extended up to 3 years based on the evaluation by the suprviser.

[Compensation]

About 2.5 million JPY/year

* Note that this contract is not a scholarship, but a labor contract. 
* You need tuition for the doctor course. The tuition is about 0.5 million JPY/year.

[Selection process (selection method and hiring decision), notification of result]
Preliminary screening by reviewing documents, and secondary screening by presentation and interview

 

We conduct the selection and provide a tentative decision before you apply for the doctor course.
(If you could not enter the doctor course, your qualification of the research assistant would automatically lose. )

 

[Application method (including where to send documents)]
1. Curriculum vitae including e-mail address, academic experience, and work experience, etc..
2. List of publications [peer-reviewed original papers, proceedings papers, review articles, books, patents, and others].
3. Copies of major publications (within three articles).
4. Outline of past research (Free format).
5. Motivation letter (Free format).
6. Outline of prospective research (Free format).
7. Reference letters or a list of researchers whom we can the applicant’s background  (within two letters).

 

※Attention

 

 

[Deadline]

10 May 2017

We recommend that the candidate places a contact ASAP if he/she has a possibility to apply for this position.

If you have any question, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Tadahiro Taniguchi, Professor
Yoshinobu Hagiwara, Assistant Professor

Contact Email: adm (at) em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp
(Please use “@” instead of “( at )”.)

 

 

[Contact details (department, official position, name, e-mail address, and phone number of the responsible person)]

1-1-1 Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga
525-8577
Tadahiro Taniguchi, Associate Professor
Yoshinobu Hagiwara, Assistant Professor
Email: adm”(at)”em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp
(Please use “@” instead of “( at )”.)
TEL: 077-561-5745
Web: http://www.em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp/en

Twitter: @tanichu

 

[Electronic submission]

Please send us the documents listed above via email. We recommend that an applicant prepares each document as a PDF file.

Tadahiro Taniguchi, Professor
Yoshinobu Hagiwara, Assistant Professor

Contact Email: adm (at) em.ci.ritsumei.ac.jp
(Please use “@” instead of “( at )”.)

 

 

[References]

1. Tadahiro Taniguchi, Ryo Nakashima, Hailong Liu and Shogo Nagasaka, Double Articulation Analyzer with Deep Sparse Autoencoder for Unsupervised Word Discovery from Speech Signals, Advanced Robotics, Vol.30 (), (11-12) pp. 770-783 .(2016)DOI:10.1080/01691864.2016.1159981 [LINK]

2. Tadahiro Taniguchi, Shogo Nagasaka, Ryo Nakashima, Nonparametric Bayesian Double Articulation Analyzer for Direct Language Acquisition from Continuous Speech Signals,  IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems, Vol.8 (3), pp. 171-185 .(2016)DOI: 10.1109/TCDS.2016.2550591 (Open Access) [LINK]

3. Tadahiro Taniguchi, Takayuki Nagai, Tomoaki Nakamura, Naoto Iwahashi, Tetsuya Ogata, and Hideki Asoh, Symbol Emergence in Robotics: A Survey, Advanced Robotics, Vol.30, (11-12) pp. 706-728 .(2016)DOI:10.1080/01691864.2016.1164622 [LINK]

4. Website: Correspondence and Fusion of Artificial Intelligence and Brain Science, http://www.brain-ai.jp/home-1