Development of memristor artificial synapses for neurorehabilitation

About the Project

Supervisory team: Prof Liudi Jiang and Dr. Ruomeng Huang

This project aims to develop next-generation mind-controlled prosthetics and exoskeletons using memristor-based neuromorphic interfaces that emulate human synapses. You'll design, nanofabricate, and characterize these artificial synapses, establishing the foundational building blocks for advanced neurorehabilitation technologies

Millions of people worldwide suffer from mobility impairments caused by a range of conditions including spinal cord injuries, amputation, stroke, neurological disorders, or age-related conditions. Assistive technologies, from advanced prosthetic limbs to robotic exoskeletons, aim to restore these lost functions. However, current systems rely primarily on pre-programmed commands, which are neither intuitive nor personalized.

Imagine a mind-controlled exoskeleton or prosthetic limb that performs the intended action when you think about it, learns from experience, and memorizes tasks like a natural limb, enabling truly neuro-rehabilitative processes and maximizing functional outcomes. Achieving this requires novel neuromorphic interfaces at the human-device junction to enable direct, adaptive communication between the nervous system and artificial devices.

This project aims to develop memristors exhibiting artificial synaptic behaviour and use them to build the first-of-its-kind peripheral neuron/synapse networks for neuro-controlled assistive devices. This is a highly interdisciplinary project, suitable for you if you have a background or strong interest in electrical engineering, signal processing, computer communication, or micro/nano devices and systems. If you are someone keen to apply these skills to healthcare applications, with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life, this project could be a great fit.

You'll be supported by a transdisciplinary supervisory team with proven expertise in memristors and assistive healthcare technologies, and you'll have the opportunity to collaborate within a dynamic, interdisciplinary research team and benefit from established stakeholder networks.

Entry requirements:

You must have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent.

Fees and funding:

Full scholarships include tuition fees, a tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate for up to 3.5 years (totalling £20,780 for 2025/26, rising annually). UK, EU and Horizon Europe students are eligible for scholarships. Chinese Scholarship Council funded students are eligible for fee waivers. Funding for other international applicants is very limited and highly competitive. Overseas students who have secured or are seeking external funding are welcome to apply.

How to apply:

Apply now

You need to:

• choose programme type (Research), 2026/27, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
• select Full time or Part time
• search for programme PhD Engineering & the Environment (7175)
• add name of the supervisor in section 2 of the application

Applications should include:

• your CV (resumé)
• 2 academic references
• degree transcripts and certificates to date
• English language qualification (if applicable)