Parallel Processing for Novel Navigation - Ref 56

Description

This PhD project is part of the CDT in Distributed Algorithms: The What, How and where of Next-Generation Data Science.

The University of Liverpool’s Centre for Doctoral Training in Distributed Algorithms (CDT) is working in partnership with the STFC Hartree Centre and 20+ external partners from the manufacturing, defence and security sectors to provide a 4-year innovative PhD training course that will equip over 60 students with: the essential skills needed to become future leaders in distributed algorithms; the technical and professional networks needed to launch a career in next generation data science and future computing; and the confidence to make a positive difference in society, the economy and beyond.

The successful PhD student will be co-supervised by Professor Jason Ralph and work alongside our external partner Grant McClean, Raytheon. 

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defence company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises four industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defence. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cyber security. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

This project will be aimed at making best use of modern processing hardware (GPUs, multi-threading CPUs, etc) to improve the accuracy and robustness of a multi-sensor Positioning-Navigation and Timing (PNT) system. It will also cover distributed processing methods, sensor fusion, navigation and timing systems, and will provide opportunities to gain experience with real-time processing with sensor hardware.

The potential for using parallel implementations of sensor processing for PNT applications is huge. Some aspects, such as the sequential nature of inertial navigation processing, are not amenable to parallelisation, but others are more compatible. For example, the use of ‘particle filters’ (also known as sequential Monte Carlo methods) for sensor fusion have great potential, and the University of Liverpool is a centre of excellence in this area. Recent work at Liverpool has demonstrated streaming (online) particle filters that can be parallelised to obtain the full benefit of multiple processors. The key objective of the PhD project will be to make the full benefits of parallel processing available to a multisensory PNT system.

Raytheon UK are leaders in the GPS Anti-Jam market. To continue that position of strength in the market we need to continually research and develop new techniques that can be implemented in future product designs. This project aims to create the basis for new Navigation technologies that will be useful when conventional systems, such as GPS, are denied by our adversaries.

There will be a mixture of skills that the candidate will be required to develop;

1. Physical sensor technology research and prototyping
2. Data Gathering
3. Algorithm Development
4. Real-Time Implementation

The sensor technology, its maturity and availability of existing components will determine the levels of each of those skillsets that will be utilised during the PhD.

This studentship is open to British and EU nationals who are willing and able to obtain security clearance.

The project is due to commence on 1 October 2023.

Students will be based at the University of Liverpool and will be part of the CDT and Signal Processing Research Group.

The CDT is committed to providing an inclusive environment in which diverse students can thrive. The CDT particularly encourages applications from women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in the sector.  We can also consider part time PhD students.  We also encourage talented individuals from various backgrounds, with either an UG or MSc in a numerate subject and people with ambition and an interest in making a difference. 

Please visit the Distributed Algorithms CDT website to discover more about the research work and the people who make it happen.

Name and email address to direct enquiries to:  www.liverpool.ac.uk/distributed-algorithms-cdt

Application Web Address: Visit the CDT website for application instructions, FAQs, interview timelines and guidance.