PhD Researcher / PhD Researcheress

PhD Researcher - Tenoexo

Location: 100%, Singapore, fixed-term

The Singapore-ETH Centre was established in 2010 by ETH Zurich - The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Singapore's National Research Foundation (NRF) as part of the NRF CREATE campus. This center represents ETH Zurich's only research facility outside of Switzerland, and it has significantly enhanced the research capacity of ETH Zurich to develop sustainable solutions to pressing global challenges in Switzerland, Singapore, and surrounding areas.

Situated in Asia, a rapidly urbanizing region, the Singapore-ETH Centre aims to provide effective solutions to critical issues related to urban sustainability, resilience, and health through its programs: Future Cities Lab Global (FCL Global) and Future Health Technologies (FHT).

The centre serves as an intellectual hub for research, uniting principal investigators and researchers from various disciplines and backgrounds. In order to foster the exchange of ideas and expertise, our researchers actively collaborate with universities and research institutes and engage with industry and government agencies, aiming to translate knowledge into practical solutions for real-world problems.

Project Background

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability worldwide. Although enhanced early stroke response has reduced mortality rates, it has also resulted in a growing population of stroke survivors, thereby increasing the demand for long-term rehabilitation. This trend poses a significant clinical and economic burden on healthcare systems. The current neurorehabilitation model relies heavily on resource-intensive, therapist-led care, highlighting the need for scalable, cost-effective solutions that can be extended into home settings.

To address this gap, the first phase of the Future Health Technologies Programme (FHT1) at the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) developed and piloted innovative upper limb rehabilitation technologies, which were evaluated in a clinical context both in the hospital and at the homes of post-stroke subjects. Building upon this initial success, FHT2 aims to scale these technologies and conduct broader clinical evaluations to facilitate the integration of technology-based clinic-to-home rehabilitation within Singapore's healthcare system.

One specific project focuses on the technical development and clinical validation of a soft robotic hand orthosis designed to enhance upper limb rehabilitation sessions in the clinic while also enabling additional task-oriented training at home. This project will leverage the RELab tenoexo technology, a soft exoskeleton developed at ETH Zurich and refined during FHT1. Key features of RELab tenoexo include its support for grasping, full adaptability to the user's hand, its wearable design, and a weight of less than 300g. A proof-of-concept trial has demonstrated the preliminary feasibility and safety of using RELab tenoexo in chronic stroke patients.

The main objective of this PhD project will be to further develop and evaluate RELab tenoexo, demonstrating that a soft hand exoskeleton can provide a cost-effective means of increasing therapy dosage at home and improving upper limb function among post-stroke subjects. To achieve this, we will:

• Enhance and optimize several key design features of RELab tenoexo.
• Integrate RELab tenoexo with behavioral interventions delivered by a motivational AI chatbot (developed by another PhD student) to boost motivation for therapy engagement at home.
• Evaluate long-term adherence, functional improvements, movement quality metrics, and cost/resource requirements within the context of a proof-of-value clinical trial.

Job Description

As a PhD Researcher, your work will focus on evaluating and improving the RELab tenoexo, an existing actuated lightweight soft hand exoskeleton for neurorehabilitation. Adopting a user-centered approach that considers the needs of post-stroke subjects and input from clinicians, you will identify key factors to enhance robustness, usability, and applicability in daily life settings, as well as assess the impact on specific users through case studies. This work will involve close collaboration with our research partners at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).

Your tasks will include:

• Utilizing an iterative human-centered design approach involving multiple stakeholders to develop a hand exoskeleton that supports therapy and assists with daily activities. Evaluate its technical performance and usability.
• Engaging in technical design, development, and evaluation of an improved version of the hand exoskeleton, benchmarking it against existing devices.
• Exploring enhancements to the hand exoskeleton, such as optimizing the finger mechanism, adding a wrist module, improving fixation/interface, gamification features, intention-detection control (e.g., via EMG sensors), or instrumentation (e.g., using an IMU) to implement algorithms for capturing digital biomarkers of hand use and movement quality.
• Conducting clinical validation of the developed device with post-stroke subjects in collaboration with local hospitals, including direct interaction with these patients.
• Designing and conducting clinical studies, collecting and analyzing data.
• Collaborating closely with a second PhD student developing a complementary behavioral intervention for home therapy adherence.
• Supervising master students and technical staff.
• Disseminating research outcomes at international conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.

Profile

• A Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Biomedical Engineering, or related fields.
• A strong interest in neurorehabilitation and in the development of robotic technologies for this field.
• Experience in the development or evaluation of robotic technologies, ideally within neurorehabilitation, with strong knowledge in physical human-robot interaction, usability evaluation, and human movement science.
• Proficiency in electromechanical design and assembly.
• A keen interest in applied translational research and the clinical applications of rehabilitation technologies.
• Motivation to work with clinicians and post-stroke subjects.
• Independence and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• A scientific curiosity and motivation to conduct rigorous experimental work.
• A desire to deepen knowledge and acquire new expertise while working in an international environment.

We seek candidates who take ownership of their research and can drive ideas forward independently. Successful applicants will actively engage with supervisors and collaborators, seek feedback, and thoughtfully integrate suggestions into their work.

Workplace

The Singapore-ETH Centre is an equal opportunity and family-friendly employer. All candidates will be evaluated based on their merits and qualifications, without regard to gender, race, age, or religion.

We Value Diversity and Sustainability

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity, and nurture a working and learning environment where the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Sustainability is a core value for us, as we consistently work towards a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So Are We.

We look forward to receiving your online application using the form below.

• A cover letter outlining your motivation for the project.
• Your CV, including the name and contact details of two references.
• A PDF copy of your university transcripts.

For further information about The Singapore-ETH Centre, please visit our website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Prof. Dr. Olivier Lambercy at olivier.lambercy@hest.ethz.ch.

Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.