2019-I Call
Application deadline: May 17-th (noon) 2019Requirements: students enrolled at the second semester of the first year of the MSc track, with 20 CFUs and 28 GPA
Application: website
Available positions:
- 8 Automation and Control Engineering
- 10 Biomedical Engineering
- 17 Computer Science and Engineering
- 5 Electronic Engineering
- 6 Telecommunication Engineering
Research topics in Automation and Control Engineering
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Proposers: E. Amaldi, M. Corno, L. Fagiano, M. Prandini, S. Savaresi, R. Scattolini, M. Tanelli
Topic: Theory and Application of Control and Optimization Description: The research area includes all the topics related to the theory and application of modeling, control, identification, learning, and optimization methods for dynamic systems. Applications include, but are not limited to, energy systems, smart grids, vehicles. Compatible tracks: ATM, CSE, MTM Positions available: 5 |
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Proposers: L. Bascetta, L. Ferrarini, G. Gruosso, P. Rocco
Topic: Robotics, Mechatronics, and Industrial Automation Description: The research area includes topics related to modelling and control of robots (industrial, mobile, aerial) and mechatronic systems in general. The broader area of industrial automation is included as well.Experimental facilities to validate the theoretical results will be available. Compatible tracks: ATM, CSE, MEC Positions available: 3 |
Research topics in Biomedical Engineering
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Proposers: A. Redaelli, E. Votta
Topic: Development of Novel Methods for Visualization and Navigation of Clinical Data in Virtual/augmented Reality Environment Description: The candidate will develop skills in GPU-based algorithms for 3D volume rendering techniques to visualize volumetric clinical imaging data (CT, MRI, Ultrasound) and implementation of efficient methods and algorithms for the navigation of 3D volumetric imaging data (e.g., clip-Plane, plane interpolations, shaders). Coding and methods implementation will be based on the Unity environment (C# programming language) for compatibility with virtual/augmented reality projects (e.g., Microsoft HoloLens). The use and integration of the developed methods with the visualization toolkit (VTK) open-source libraries are envisioned. The candidate will pursue the development of a stand-alone App to be used by clinical end-users. This App will help in performing diagnosis and procedural planning of mini-invasive approaches of patient-specific cases. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: A. Gautieri
Topic: Development of in Silico Methods for Rational Enzyme Engineering Description: Increasing enzyme stability is of great interest to improve their applicability as biocatalyst, therapeutic molecules, biosensors and nanomaterials. Available experimental methods to improve enzyme stability are powerful but highly cost- and time-consuming. Computational methods to design thermostable enzymes are thus highly appealing. In this project the student will contribute to the further development and validation of an in silico method for thermostable enzyme engineering, developed at the Biomolecular Engineering Lab of PoliMi. The tasks will consist in the collection and analysis of information from the ProTherm data bank, and their use to improve the computational algorithm to assess the effect of mutations on the enzyme stability. The improved method will then be validated on a specific enzyme, by proposing engineered variants that will be experimentally produced and characterized to verify the increased stability over the wild-type enzyme. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: S. Ferrante, E. Ambrosini
Topic: Smart Objects for Monitoring Elderly During Daily Life Activities Description: The research activity is part of the European project MOVECARE (http://www.movecare- project.eu/), which aims at developing an innovative multi-actor platform to support the independent life of elderly people living in their home through supervision, assistance and promotion of activities to prevent physical and cognitive decline, and social exclusion. This work is about the possibility to extract and analyse indicators of gesture degeneration from the use of smart objects (such as a pen, a handle) equipped with built-in pressure sensors, accelerometer and gyroscopes. Data will be collected in an ecological setting, i.e., while monitoring daily life activities. Real end-users will be monitored at home for four months in a pilot study, and longitudinal data will be available. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: L. Pattini
Topic: Genomic Data Analysis of Cells Resistant to Chemotherapeutic Drug Treatments Description: The project aims at identifying mutations that confer resistance to treatment with antimitotic drugs. Population of yeast cells have been evolved in conditions that mimick the treatment with antimitotics. Resistant clones will be analyzed by sequencing their whole genome to identify and characterize patterns of mutations that are responsible for the resistant phenotype. DNA sequences will be obtained by means of Next Generation Sequencing techniques. Research activity concerns both low level analysis for experimental raw data processing and explorative analyses of mutation patterns through integrative bioinformatics and genomic data mining. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: R. Barbieri, L. Mainardi
Topic: Extraction of Biological Signals from Video Camera Recordings Description: There is a fast growing interest in the use of non-contact devices for health and performance assessment in humans. Video-photoplethysmography (vPPG) is a non-invasive, optical technique able to remotely detect blood volume changes in humans using ambient light and a consumer-level digital camera. Of note, the use of non-contact video-photoplethysmography (vPPG) has been recently demonstrated as a feasible way to extract cardiovascular information. Nevertheless, several technological and methodological issues need to be addressed to transfer the technology to the clinical and commercial market. The candidate will be required to develop novel algorithms, both for the extraction of the vPPG signal and for identification of physiological parameters, in order to improve the performances of existing methods. Performances from the new methods will be compared with results obtained from symultaneously recorded physiological variables (i.e. ECG, PPG, GSR etc.) using traditional physiological signal processing methods. The Candide will be required to partecipate to experimental campaigns. The recordings will be initially performed on healthy control subjects in different indoor experimental settings eliciting controlled autonomic responses. In accordance to the level of experimental development, further recordings in less controlled settings and clinical environment could be considered. The candidate will be involved in both experimental and methodological developments. At the end of the project, the candidate will own state-of-the art expertize in advanced signal processing techniques. Depending on the level of improvement of the newly developed techniques, the project will lead to original publications in international journal, as well as possible patent applications for new biosignal recording devices. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: P. Cerveri
Topic: Development of Statistical Shape Model for Rigid and Non-Rigid Anatomical Surfaces Description: Context Statistical shape models (SSM) have emerged as promising tools in the biomedical field for their ability to represent continuous morphologic variations of anatomical shapes, reconstructed from CT and MRI scans (see in appendix for technical details). They were proved to address both global and local variations, including pathologic abnormalities. SSM, have been recently taken into account to represent the morphologic variability intrinsic to both soft and rigid body parts with applications in medical image processing and analysis, computer graphics, anatomic quantification, computer-assisted planning and surgery. Coping with rigid anatomic shapes requires addressing physiological and pathological variabilities. For examples, when considering a femur shape dataset we have to address variabilities due to overall size (e.g. due to age), bending of the shaft (male vs female), condylar profiles (young vs aged people), pathologic conditions affecting the articular facets and so on. Considering soft shapes like the liver for instance we have to take into account biomechanical modifications (due for instance to the actual position of the CT/MRI scan acquisition, the surrounding organ pressure, the pathologic condition, ..) meaning that such large morphologic variability can disturb actually the construction of the SSM. The aim of this thesis is to develop shape alignment methodologies for computing robust SSM of soft anatomical shapes. The work might take advantage of the collaboration with Ospedale Niguarda Ca? Granda di Milano and University of British Columbia where the student could spend a period during the thesis. The work will start from a set of custom SW tools developed in previous works. The student will investigate different approaches including the use of finite element modelling to compute deformation from the acquired shape to a template shape before SSM construction. Liver raw data will be collected from Radiology Unit, Ospedale Niguarda Ca? Granda di Milano. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE, TLC Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: E. De Momi
Description: Variable Impedance Control for Human-Robot Cooperative Tasks Description: Human robot collaboration is one of the pillars of the Industria 4.0 revolution, as it allows getting rid of the safety fences, increasing the production flexibility and performing complex tasks in unstructured environments. A typical example of this cooperation is the human robot physical interaction that in the industrial and biomedical domains (e.g. in assistive robotics or surgery) gives rise to hands-on control, allowing the operator to freely move the robot through the task for task teaching and/or execution purposes. Though this control technique has been extensively studied in the robotics literature, only a few researchers have considered the problem of stability and quality of the human-robot interaction, two issues crucial to achieve a safe interaction and an accurate execution of the planned task. The main goals of this research are the development of: a) accurate and experimentally validated human arm model, for a safe preliminary assessment of the developed control algorithms and simplified models, including all the control relevant dynamics, to support stability analysis and control design in real time; b) variable impedance control strategy, that allows to improve interaction stability and accuracy through an online estimation of the human arm impedance; c) indexes to assess the quality of the executed task, suitable for typical industrial and biomedical tasks; d) experimental protocol and a set of tests that allow to assess the validity of the proposed control approach (using compliant serial robots available in the laboratories). The work will exploit Matlab facilities as the robotics toolbox and Simulink. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE, TLC Positions available: 1 |
Research topics in Computer Science and Engineering
| Track CSE - Group Advanced Software Architectures and Methodologies |
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Proposers: G. Agosta
Topic: Compiler Construction & Programming Language Implementation The research area covers dynamic and static compiler techniques (including decompilation) aiming at extra-functional goals such as performance, energy efficiency, security, functional and performance portability, as well as the design and implementation of parallel programming models and domain specific languages (e.g., Modelica). Compatible tracks: CSE (all subtopics), ATM (Modelica) Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: D. Ardagna
Topic: Machine Learning (ML) Methods for Performance Evaluation of Software Systems Nowadays, our society is supported by complex software systems often run in clouds. To obtain an efficient use of resources, a performance model is required. ML techniques are becoming popular, since are both accurate and scalable. This work involves the development of ML models for systems spanning from deep learning training on GPGPUs to Big Data. Compatible tracks: ATM, CSE, TLC Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: L. Baresi
Topic: Mobile applications and cloud computing Cloud computing and virtualised resources impose that software systems be conceived as assemblies of application and infrastructure elements. Mobile apps, besides exploiting the cloud, pose additional problems: for example, sensor-rich devices and cross-platform development. Software engineering must be able to adapt itself, embed these new needs and challenges, and provide appropriate methods and tools. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: G. Cugola
Topic: Models for Event-based and Streaming Applications Many information systems need to make sense of large streams of events to detect relevant and critical situations. Our research group investigates new models and languages to "reason" on streaming data, while also coping with the volume, velocity, and variety of the events in the stream. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: E. Della Valle
Topic: Expressive yet Efficient Stream Reasoning Real-time decision-making is critical for many domains. From healthcare to infrastructure management, passing from smart cities. Our goal is to support reactive decision-making combining vast and noisy streams with contextual domain knowledge. To this extent, we make use of BigData Stream processing platforms like Spark, Kafka, and Flink, together with inductive and deductive reasoning algorithms. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: E. Di Nitto
Topic: Supporting Privacy Compliance of Microservices Applications The new privacy regulations require owners of software systems to be able to monitor and demonstrate the compliance of their applications to the agreed privacy policies. The objective of this work is to create a framework to support: 1) definition of privacy policies, 2) privacy compliance checking in the context of modern microservice-based applications and 3) privacy compliance enforcement, where possible. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: A. Margara
Topic: Parallel and Distributed Stream Processing Processing streams of data is crucial in ICT applications, to support decision making and enable timely reactions. Our research group investigates new paradigms to make big data stream processing applications more efficient, by exploiting massively parallel hardware and distributed infrastructures. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: L. Mottola
Topic: The Battery-less Internet of Things Energy harvesting is redefining the energy constraints of traditional battery-powered IoT devices. However, such sources of energy are generally erratic, causing systems to shutdown unpredictably. We devise new software techniques to render IoT software immune to periods of energy unavailability. Compatible tracks: CSE, TLC Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Rossi (con Federico Vicentini, CNR-ITIA)
Topic: Safety Assessment of Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) Applications Human-robot cooperation (HRC) in dynamic workspaces is a core feature of the Industry 4.0 paradigm. Flexible and adaptive manufacturing involves changing configuration of workflows and even of layouts. This area of research focuses on methods and tools for designing HRC application that guarantee the safety for workers under all circumstances. Compatible tracks: CSE, ATM Positions available: 1 |
| Track CSE - Artificial Intelligence and Robotics |
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Proposers: F. Amigoni
Topic: Multirobot Systems Teams of cooperative robots can provide effective and efficient solutions for performing tasks in warehouse management, information gathering, search and rescue, and patrolling. Such multirobot systems present challenges in the development of decision-theoretic planning tools to accomplish the tasks with the appropriate level of autonomy. Compatible tracks: CSE, ATM Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: A. Bonarini
Topic: Human-robot Interaction An effective interaction between robots and people requires online modeling, learning, and adaptation, in the real world, acquiring data from sensors still far from ideal, and exploiting at best shape and affordances a robot can be designed to have. Applications could be inclusive robogames for all. Compatible tracks: CSE, ATM, BIO Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: N. Gatti
Topic: Algorithmic Game Theory, Mechanism Design, and Multiagent Learning This area, central in Artificial Intelligence, studies of the strategic interactions among agents, aiming at prescribing the best strategy for the players (Libratus), or at designing interaction mechanisms that are robust when agents are selfish and computationally efficient (kidney exchange), or at learning how to exploit the strategy of an agent that is not playing at the equilibrium. Compatible tracks: CSE, ATM Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: D. Loiacono
Topic: Machine Learning for Videogames Design and Development Machine learning promises to have a huge impact on the next generation of games, assisting designers and developers to provide highly immersive, complex and rich player experiences. In particular, novel game technologies, such as data-driven design and procedural content generation, can benefit from the recent machine learning developments. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Matteucci
Topic: Computer Vision for Autonomous Navigation Computer vision is entailed with giving machines the capability of understanding the surrounding. When moving autonomously this means to perceive observer egomotion and the surrounding obstacles simultaneously. This applies to autonomous vehicles and robots, but is also the key for augmented and virtual reality. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Restelli
Topic: Reinforcement Learning Reinforcement learning is a learning paradigm concerned with learning to control a system so as to maximize a numerical performance measure that expresses a long-term objective. Reinforcement learning is rapidly gaining attention both from academic and industrial communities due to recent successes in a variety of sequential decision-making problems. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
| Track CSE - Data, Web and Society |
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Proposers: M. Carman
Topic: Deep Learning for Knowledge Extraction from Text and Images Over the past few years, deep learning techniques have vastly improved our ability to automatically detect and extract useful knowledge from text and images. In this project, we will tailor these techniques for the mining of actionable knowledge from a particular type of corpora, such as medical literature, radiology reports, crowdsourced disaster images, pollution images, etc. Compatible tracks: CSE, TLC, BIO Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: F. Daniel
Topic: Voice-based Web Interaction Screen readers are accessibility tools that deliver unidirectional, voice-based interaction with applications. The goal of this research is to study how to turn personal assistants like Alexa into bidirectional accessibility tools for the Web and to design, develop and test respective prototype systems. The vision is "talking" with websites. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: D. Martinenghi, L. Tanca
Topic: Quality in Big Data processing With Big Data, the magnitude and the number of sources to be integrated increase dramatically. We propose to study methods and techniques to choose, integrate and query data sources, with special attention to keeping and enforcing various aspects of data quality (accuracy, correctness, ranking, etc.) including ethics-related issues, like transparency and lack of bias. Compatible tracks: CSE, ATM, BIO, TLC Positions available: 2 |
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Proposers: M. Masseroli
Topic: Bioinformatics The Bioinformatics research area is focused on big life science data and information of different types increasingly available in many heterogeneous sources, and their best management, integration, mining and analysis with different machine learning techniques for knowledge discovery, to better understand complex biological phenomena. Compatible tracks: BIO, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Matera, V. Zaccaria
Topic: Conversational Data Exploration This research focuses on methodologies and development frameworks for the conceptual modeling and automatic generation of chatbots for "conversational data exploration". Some preliminary results are described in a paper available at: http://matera.faculty.polimi.it/wp-content/uploads/chatbot.pdf Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 2 |
| Track CSE - Information Systems |
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Proposers: P. Plebani
Topic: Business Process Management in Cyber Physical Systems Industry 4.0 research is driving the development and deployment of Cyber Physical Systems that could affect several organizations along a supply-chain. The proposed research thesis on Business Process Management is focusing on modeling, configuring, enacting, and monitoring business processes for Cyber Physical System. Compatible tracks: CSE, TLC Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: C. Cappiello
Topic: Context-aware data quality assessment for data analytics The thesis will focus on methods and techniques for the Data Quality assessment in smart environments, where the variety and the uncertainty of data sources are increasing. An adaptive platform able to assess the quality of data on the basis of the analysis to perform will be designed and realized. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: B. Pernici
Topic: Workflow processes and software architectures for scientific data analysis In this thesis we propose to study methods and realize a prototype for scientific data curation and preparation in a collaborative team, without requiring an in depth understanding of the specific application domain from all members of the team, supporting the scientific analysis workflow. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
| Track CSE - System Architectures |
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Proposers: G. Boracchi
Topic: Image Restoration and Deep Learning Image restoration concerns the removal of artifacts such as noise and blur, and have been widely investigated thanks to their many applications in engineering. Data-driven models -- including deep CNN-- are often used to provide effective priors/representations of clean images, and separate these from observations affected by artifacts. One of the major challenges to be addressed is the design of learning algorithms for these models. Compatible tracks: CSE, TLC, BIO, Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: L. Cassano
Topic: Software-based and Architectural Solutions for Hardware Security and Trust Security attacks based on the exploitation of vulnerabilities and bugs in the hardware as well as the tampering of integrated circuits are becoming a serious issue. This research activity aims at defining a set of software- and architecture-level techniques suitable for protecting embedded systems against hardware Trojan insertion, fault attacks and tampering. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: P. Cremonesi
Topic: Recommender Systems Recommender systems help users in finding interesting products. Recommendations are based on different inputs: ratings, reviews, purchases, clicks and other interactions. Machine Learning techniques - such as deep learning and reinforcement learning - can be used to build novel recommender systems, able to accurately understand the psychology and personality of humans and to predict their needs desires. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: A. Miele
Topic: Design of Fault Management Strategies based on Machine Learning The project exploits machine learning techniques to design advanced fault handling strategies tailored for selected classes of applications (e.g. image processing). The goal is to reduce the area/time/power overhead of traditional redundancy-based hardening and achieve an enhanced fault classification capability. Compatible tracks: CSE, TLC, BIO. Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: G. Palermo
Topic: Self-Tunable and Approximate Applications in High Performance and Embedded Computing Systems The research area in self-tunable and approximate applications focuses on the design and development of methodologies, libraries, and tools to always guarantee the efficient execution of the target code on parallel machines. Its importance is increasing in several computing areas requiring high level of specialization, ranging from high-performance computing (where the target architecture are supercomputers) to embedded and cyber-physical systems (where the target architectures are battery-powered and connected devices). Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: C. Pilato
Topic: Design Methods for Secure System-on-Chip Architectures This area studies design methods for digital circuits that include security as a primary concern. The focus is on current and novel cyberattacks, like Intellectual Property theft and infringement, misuse of the devices, and unauthorized access to sensible data. To this end, a broad range of solutions must be used and combined, ranging from application transformations to mask sensitive data, to components secure-by-design, to online monitors for systems with both secure and insecure components. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Roveri
Topic: Design Methodologies for IoT/Fog systems The project will focus on the design of methodologies and strategies to distribute Deep Learning (DL) solutions (for images/videos/sounds/other) in IoT/Fog systems, balancing the huge memory and computational requirements characterizing DL solutions and the corresponding constraints IoT/Fog units have. Compatible tracks: CSE, TLC Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: C. Silvano
Topic: Computer Architectures for Deep Neural Networks This area, central in computer architectures, investigates hardware accelerators as the most viable solution to implement Deep Neural Networks for several classes of applications such as image classification for self-driving cars, computer vision and speech recognition. The goal is to study the main optimization techniques used in computer architectures to accelerate DNNs focusing on the most advanced research solutions. Compatible tracks: CSE Positions available: 1 |
Research topics in Electronics Engineering
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Proposers: G. Bertuccio
Topic: Semiconductor Radiation Detectors and Integrated Circuits for Scientific Applications Semiconductor Radiation Detectors (SRD) are commonly used in science and have applications in medicine, material analysis and security. The continuous increase in complexity and performance of new SRD requires advanced Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) for signal readout and processing. The objectives of this research activity is the study, the design and the experimental characterization of the most advanced semiconductor radiation detectors in Silicon and in Compound Semiconductors (GaAs, CdTe, CdZnTe, SiC) and the low-noise and low-power CMOS ASIC for SRD devoted to Synchrotron X-ray sources and Space Telescopes for Astrophysics. The research activity is made in collaboration with the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the European Space Agency (ESA) and Elettra Syncrotron in Trieste. Compatible tracks: ELN Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: C. Fiorini, M. Carminati
Topic: Development of innovative detection systems and readout ASICs for fundamental physics and medical imaging applications The student will be involved in stimulating team activity carried out within international collaborations and concerning the development of innovative detection systems and readout ASICs to be used in experiments for both fundamental physics (nuclear physics, neutrinos search, X-ray astronomy..) and applied physics (analytical instrumentation for material analysis, industrial applications). Projects of the team regard also the development of sensors and electronics for medical imaging applications. During the program, the student will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of a broad range of components, circuits and systems, from radiation sensors, to low-noise integrated circuits, to data acquisition systems, to a complete instrument ans its use in the target application. Compatible tracks: ELN Positions available: 2 |
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Proposers: A. Castoldi
Topic: Developement of novel Germanium Drift Detectors The research activity is focused on the study and development of the first Germanium Drift Detector (GDD) that will represent a break-through in the field of imaging and spectroscopy of X- and gamma-rays. Germanium is one of the purest semiconductor crystals available today with excellent carrier transport properties and high detection efficiency of X and gamma rays that makes it the ideal candidate for such task. The design of novel 'drift' topologies, i.e. based on 3D shaping of the electric field inside the semiconductor volume, combined with the unique material properties has the potential of unprecedented low-noise performance on a wide energy range. The student will be collaborate in the development of the first prototypes of Germanium drift detectors and of the low-noise readout electronics and will participate in the conduction of their experimental characterization as well as in the analysis and interpretation of the data. The research activity is conducted in collaboration with international partners in the frame of the project DESIGN: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), European X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL), LABEC Firenze. Compatible tracks: ELN, BIO Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: C. Guazzoni
Topic: Development of Innovative Instrumentation for Femtoscopy and Correlation Measurements in Nuclear Physics The activity proposed to the candidate frames in the construction of the novel Femtoscope Array for Correlation and Spectroscopy, named FARCOS, featuring high angular and energy resolution and able to address several open cases in nuclear physic in experiments with stable and radioactive beams in nuclear physics experiments. Politecnico di Milano research staff, in collaboration with INFN, Sezione di Milano is in charge of the development of a multi-channel double-polarity selectable-gain VLSI frontend to be coupled to the Double-Sided Silicon Strip Detectors of FARCOS and of the frontend to readout the signal of the photodiodes coupled to the CsI(Tl) scintillators acting as third detection stage. The student will collaborate in the final ASIC design, in the final qualification of the frontend electronics (motherboards and patch panels), equipped with the ASICs, the line drivers and the slow-control and will take part in the beam tests. The student will have the possibility to shape the focus of the research activity according to his/her skills and interests. The student will have the possibility to work in a real research lab, with hands-on approach combined with a strong theoretical background in the field of radiation detectors and low-noise frontend electronics, sharing the daily lab life with PhD students, junior and experienced researchers. Compatible tracks: ELN, BIO Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: F. Villa, A. Tosi, F. Zappa
Topic: Microelectronics, devices, and electronic systems for 2D imaging and 3D ranging 1. "ELECTRON DEVICES: design, simulation, and fabrication of single-photon detectors in Si, InGaAs/InP and Ge". The research aims at conceiving new microelectronic sensors for detecting single photons in the 200nm-1,700nm range, with picosecond-timing precision. Different semiconductors (Si, Ge, InGaAs, InP, GaAs) and novel processing (planar, three-dimensional stacking, wafer-to-wafer bonding, vertically-grown micro-crystals) will be pioneered. Funding from European Commission “Horizon 2020” programmes, USA DARPA agency, national funds. 2. "MICROELECTRONICS: schematics, layout, fabrication and validation of ASIC chips for ststems-on-chips". The research aims at integrating detector arrays, in-pixel mixed-signal electronics and on-chip digital processing into one single chip, for imagers providing 2D movies at high (>100,000 frames/s) rates, single-photon sensitivity, and 3D (distance-resolved) maps of objects in a scene. Different microelectronic technologies (CMOS, BCD, and Si-Ge) and foundries will be exploited. Funding from “Horizon2020” EC programmes, NATO “Safety for Peace” programme, JPL-NASA agency. 3. "ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS: development and system integration of advanced electronic systems for sensing and imaging". The research aims at prototyping electronic products with FPGA, µC, and DSP devices, for different applications (e.g., time-of-flight 3D automotive vision, quantum optics experiments, quantum computing chips, non-invasive biomedical parameter acquisitions). Various methodologies, hw/fw/sw co-partitions, devices (Xilinx, Altera, ARM-Cortex) and high-level languages will be exploited. Funding from JPL-NASA agency, European Southern Observatory, and European Space Agency). Compatible tracks: ELN Positions available: 3 |
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Proposers: A. Gulinatti, I. Rech
Topic: Single-photon detectors and applications Recently, the field of single-photon detection has experienced an exponential growth due to the emergence of a large number of scientific and industrial applications that require the capability of detecting the light down to the single-photon level. Among them are laser ranging, single-molecules analysis, and optical quantum computing, which are regarded as key enabling technologies to address some of today?s most challenging problems like the development of new drugs, the study of climatic changes and the autonomous driving. The Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) has emerged as the detector of choice for these applications thanks to its remarkable performance. However, many progresses are still needed to bring these applications in everyday life. The research activity is aimed at addressing these limitations by developing innovative solutions for the detection of single photons with unprecedented capabilities in terms of photon detections efficiency, timing jitter, spectral sensitivity, and integrability into large arrays of detectors. The activity will involve one or more of these fields: design and simulation of new detector structures, study and modeling of unexplored detector properties, development of new experimental characterization techniques, design of new front-end circuitry, development of application specific architectures. Compatible tracks: ELN Positions available: 2 |
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Proposers: D. Ielmini, C. Monzio Compagnoni, A.S. Spinelli
Topic: Emerging memory devices and in-memory computing The future evolution of integrated electronic technologies will see a closer interaction of logic and memory devices, overcoming the traditional design schemes in the attempt to constantly reduce power consumptions and improve system performance. This is today triggering the research both on new, fast and energy-efficient memory devices that could be integrated directly in logic processes and on new computational forms that could be directly performed inside memory arrays. The proposed projects for the Honours Program will make contributions to these two research lines. In the former, activities will be focused on the experimental, numerical and theoretical investigation of the basic physics, the working principles and the performance of emerging memory devices, such as nanoscale ferroelectric memories and magnetoresistive memories. In the second, in-memory computing will be investigated both theoretically and experimentally, focusing on hardware neuromorphic systems exploiting different types of memory arrays, e.g., floating-gate, resistive and phase-change arrays, as artificial synaptic arrays. The results of the projects will pave the way to the future evolution of micro and nanoelectronics. Compatible tracks: ELN Positions available: 3 |
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Proposers: G. Ferrari
Topic: Innovative Integrated Instrumentation for Nanoscience The constant scaling down of the devices poses many challenges to their characterization due to the corresponding reduction of the electrical signals, in many cases down to femtoAmpere currents and sub-attoFarad capacitances. The sensitivity required to the electronic instrumentation can be obtained by co-design the device and the reading electronics, ideally merging into a single miniaturized integrated device thus optimizing their coupling. This same approach also paves the way to the design of innovative sensors that profit of the reduced physical size to reach high spatial resolution or the detection of few molecules or electrons. The group is involved in different projects requiring the design of such custom electronic instruments and smart sensors, for example: i) the European project TRAINING4CRM (http://www.training4crm.eu/) having the objective to develop an integrated system able to detect the release of neurotransmitters of optically stimulated neurons; ii) the ASI project QUASIX focused on the design of cryogenic circuits in CMOS technology to investigate single-atom based devices for quantum silicon communications in space Compatible tracks: ELN,BIO Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: D. Natali
Topic: Plastic Electronics Organic semiconductors are carbon-based compounds that can be conveniently processed from solution at almost room temperature. As a consequence, it is possible to manufacture devices, circuits and systems by means of non-lithographic techniques, such as inkjet printing, screen printing, flexography to cite but a few. The benefits of printed electronics include: low cost, mechanical flexibility, ease of production and integration, and the possibility of addressing a variety of non-conventional applications: flexible displays, image sensors, bio-sensors, smart labels, RF-ID tags, edible electronics, wearable electronics, and more. The research encompasses all the aspects, issues and challenges of plastic electronics: the fundamentals of charge carrier transport related to the energetically disordered landscape sampled by carriers; device modeling and simulation through innovative ad-hoc developed code; printing process engineering; logic, analog, optoelectronic circuits and systems design, realization and characterization. Compatible tracks: ELN, BIO Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Sampietro
Topic: Smart sensor systems for silicon photonics and optical processors Photonic technologies have since long dreamed of non-invasive monitoring tools to inspect the light inside optical waveguides. By exploiting photon interaction with intra-gap energy states localized at the waveguide surface, we demonstrate that light intensity can be monitored by measuring the electric conductance of the silicon waveguide through a capacitive access to the waveguide via the SiO cladding. This approach realizes a ContactLess Integrated Photonic Probe (CLIPP), that is simple, inherently CMOS compatible, noninvasive and scalable to hundreds of probing points per chip. Light monitoring with a sensitivity of -30 dBm and a dynamic range of 40 dB is demonstrated in waveguides and high-Q resonators, and for the tuning of coupled-resonator optical filters. The CLIPP concept has been demonstrated on both silicon (Si) and indium phosphide (InP) photonic platforms, and has been utilized in several different applications, including for instance automatic fiber-to-waveguide alignment, wavelength tuning and stabilization of micro-ring resonators (MRRs) , light-path tracking and feedback-control of switch fabrics. The Thesis will develop all the electronics to read the CLIPP sensors and to feedback control the operating point of the many optical devices in a Photonic chip. The group is now involved in the European Project STREAMS (http://ict-streams.eu/ ) having the overall objective to develop the necessary Silicon Photonics Transceiver and Routing technologies towards a new, power efficient, WDM-based, Tb/s, optical on-board interconnection paradigm that enables multiple high bandwidth, point-to-point direct links on the board level, as a step forward to the realization of multi-socket server blades technology. The elected student will participate to this high level project. Compatible tracks: ELN,BIO Positions available: 1 |
Research topics in Electric Engineering
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Proposers: S. A. Pignari
Topic: Electromagnetic Compatibility in Power Electronics Description: Contact the proposer for the details. Compatible tracks: ELT Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: F. Grassi
Topic: Automotive Power over Ethernet Description: Contact the proposer for the details. Compatible tracks: ELT Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: A. Ferrero
Topic: Measurement in the Smart Grid Description: Contact the proposer for the details. Compatible tracks: ELT Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: S. Grillo
Topic: MDC Microgrid control in the Smart Grid framework Description: Contact the proposer for the details. Compatible tracks: ELT Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: L. Di Rienzo
Topic: Stochastic electromagnetic modeling Description: Contact the proposer for the details. Compatible tracks: ELT Positions available: 1 |
Research topics in Telecommunication Engineering
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Proposers: G. Bernasconi
Topic: SW based solutions for pipeline monitoring Description: Real time monitoring of a fluid transportation system is a challenging matter, due to the complexity of the asset. The research objective is a re-design of the information management, making it possible the medium/long term analysis of “smart indicators" of the system status, and the implementation of machine learning monitoring procedures. Field data is provided by an oil company. Compatible tracks: ATM, CSE, ELN, ELT, TLC Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Cesana
Topic: Advanced Publish-Subscribe architectures for IoT Description: This research topic targets the design and prototyping of middleware solutions for the Internet of Things. One of the de facto standard communication protocols for the IoT is the MQTT protocol. Such protocol leverages a classical publish/subscribe architecture. The goal of this research line is to study improvements and enhancements to the classical pub/sub approach. Compatible tracks: TLC, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Tornatore, F. Musumeci
Topic: Machine-Learning-based management of microwave networks Description: The research topic targets the development of machine learning tools and algorithms for the anomaly detection and failure identification (i.e., classification) in microwave networks. Anomaly detection and failure identification tools can be leveraged by the network operator to adopt proper countermeasures (e.g., in-field repair or remote device reconfiguration) according to the identified anomaly. Compatible tracks: ATM, TEL, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: M. Tornatore, F. Musumeci
Topic: Survivable Virtual Network Mapping in Filterless Optical Networks Description: Filterless optical networking is a new optical networking paradigm, which attempts to reduce network cost by replacing active optical devices (e.g., Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS)-based Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop multiplexers (ROADMs)) with passive devices such as optical splitters and combiners. However, the elimination of active switching/filtering components enforces signal broadcast on all the outputs of the passive splitters, resulting in the transmission of optical signals over unintended links and in higher spectrum occupation with respect to an active photonic network. Due to this broadcasting nature of filterless optical networks, the problem of Survivable Virtual Network Mapping (SVNM), that is, assigning physical network resources to a "virtual" network (i.e., a set of service/traffic demands) while also guaranteing failure resilience, is radically changed. The research targets the development of tools and algorithms for the optimized SVNM in filterless optical networks. Compatible tracks: ATM, TEL, CSE Positions available: 1 |
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Proposers: L. Luini, C. Riva
Topic: Advanced satellite communication systems Description: Investigation and modelling of electromagnetic wave propagation oriented to advanced satellite communication systems, which are shifting from broadcast to interactive systems (e.g. Internet via satellite), to higher frequency bands (e.g. from 30 GHz up to 80 GHz), from using geostationary satellites to satellites on Low and Medium Earth. Compatible tracks: TLC, ELN Positions available: 1 |