Funding

Competition funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

SENE8980124

Department

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Start dates

April 2024

Application deadline

19 January 2024

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in April 2024. 

The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, and will be supervised by Dr Ludo Ausiello and Dr Martino Pani.

Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (拢18,622 for 2023/24). Bursary recipients will also receive a 拢1,500 p.a. for project costs/consumables. 

 

The work on this project could involve:

  • Research and development of innovative actuators used to excite the acoustic instrument under test. 
  • Learning and applying FEM analysis (Comsol, Ansys, etc) and electro-acoustic and magnetic simulation tools (Femm 4.2, ABEC, etc)
  • Using Matlab and innovative algorithms to implement portable and stand-alone measurement stations, parallel and highly-efficient predictions of geometrical shapes, and manufacturing processes to improve the consistency and reproducibility of wooden parts (soundboard, etc)
  • Statistical analysis of large datasets of acoustic measurements, involving the use of classification algorithms and artificial intelligence.
  • Investigating the correlation between experimental measurements and players experiences鈥 data
  • Design and prototyping computer-guided machines and equipment capable of using the data from the acoustic measurement together with the one coming from FEM prediction simulations and thus machine musical instruments aiming at a specific acoustic target.

 

Are you passionate about music and musical instruments? Have you every though of re-writing the rules and the future of guitar making? Then this is the project for you.

Everyone in the past decades has described wood, the necessary ingredient to make all acoustic musical instruments in the world, as 鈥渁lways different鈥 and 鈥渦nique鈥. In the typical mindset this means the actual industry can鈥檛 make two identical sounding guitars, because of the unpredictable behaviour of its main constituent, wood.

With your contribution, we will demonstrate to everyone (from the big international companies who invented the acoustic guitar, to players like you and me) that technology is ready to change guitar making to its core. We will overtake the limits dictated by the old mantra saying 鈥渨ood is always different鈥, by using innovative measurement techniques blended with the power of algorithms capable of predicting the behaviour of mechanical structures such as a soundboard, or a guitar body.

You鈥檒l be working in a multidisciplinary, diverse and vibrant environment, where your talent in designing transducers, thinking of new algorithms, and prototyping new pieces of machinery will make this dream come true. Together we鈥檒l be able to design not one, but as many guitars as we want which will show the same acoustic response, the same tone. Will they sound the same to your ears? Will we be able to tell them apart? We don鈥檛 know yet, but with our hard work we eventually will!

Research will be based in 黑料入口 (UK), supported by the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, with full access to all of their labs and facilities.

 

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master鈥檚 degree in an appropriate subject (Audio & Acoustic Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or similar). In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

  • Good knowledge of FEM analysis software.
  • Good knowledge of Matlab.
  • Good manual skills.
  • Good problem solving and design skills.
  • Knowledge of programmable machines and electronic systems (Arduino, etc) for prototyping purposes.
  • Knowledge of electro-acoustic sensors and actuators (exciters, linear motor design, magnetic simulations, etc.) is a plus.

 

 

 

 

 

How to apply

We鈥檇 encourage you to contact Dr Ludo Ausiello (Ludovico.Ausiello@port.ac.uk) and Dr Martino Pani (Martino.Pani@port.ac.uk) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, you can use our . Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV.  Our 鈥How to Apply鈥 page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code SENE8980124 when applying.