Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Interaction Lab and National
Robotarium , Heriot-Watt University
Collaboration with Toshiba Europe Limited, Cambridge Research Laboratory,
UK.
Duration: 3.5 years, start date : October 2025
Deadline for applications: 15 May 2025
Project Overview:
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to contribute to an
innovative research project focused on developing multimodal generative AI
for embodied collaborative agents. This project aims to create AI agents
capable of seamlessly collaborating with humans and other agents in dynamic
environments, utilizing Vision, Language, and Action (VLA) models. The
research will explore ad-hoc teamwork, continual learning, and multimodal
conversational communication, with applications in healthcare and retail
domains. The research will be conducted at the UK National Robotarium labs
and in collaboration with Toshiba (Cambridge, UK).
Research Focus:
– Developing robust frameworks for multi-agent ad-hoc teamwork.
– Integrating generative AI Vision, Language, and Action (VLA) models for
natural, multimodal, conversational collaboration.
– Enabling agents to understand visual cues, interpret and generate
collaborative natural language, and execute coordinated actions.
– Investigating continual learning and adaptation in novel environments.
– Exploring efficient and transparent task decomposition, negotiation, and
role allocation within agent teams.
Methodology:
The project will leverage state-of-the-art generative AI techniques,
continual learning, and meta-learning approaches. Simulated environments
and real-world data collection at the UK National Robotarium will be used
for training and evaluation.
Application Domains:
The research will be evaluated in healthcare and retail settings, focusing
on improving efficiency, reducing errors, and enhancing agent collaboration.
Requirements:
-A strong background in computer science, artificial intelligence, NLP,
machine learning, or a related field.
-Experience with Python and other relevant programming languages.
– Interest in multimodal interaction and robotics.
– Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Contact:
For more information, please contact Dr Alessandro Suglia (a.suglia@hw.ac.uk)
and Professor Oliver Lemon (o.lemon@hw.ac.uk)
How to Apply:
Please include a CV, cover letter, and any relevant supporting documents.
https://sites.google.com/site/hwinteractionlab/phd-study/phd-position-in-embodied-ai