Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) Programme Energy & Process Technology at University of Twente

The Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) programme Energy & Process Technology offers you a 2-year position combining post MSc education and a design project to be carried out at Comfoor B.V.
The educational programme, carried out at the University of Twente, will have an in-depth and broadening character with ample attention for professional development and will be partly tailored to the design project. In collaboration with Comfoor B.V. in Doetinchem you will work on high level, creative new designs for complex issues.
The project - Design of an energy-efficient adaptive hearing protection device
Background of the project: If hearing protection is (legally) mandatory, custom-made hearing protection is the best option. To promote the use of hearing protection, the hearing protection is made to fit as comfortable as possible, allowing the user to wear the protection all day. One burden of hearing protection devices is, however, the nuisance to frequently having to take them out at times where hearing protection is unwanted, like in conversations/discussions or breaks, and subsequently having to insert them again if the protection is required. This hampers the acceptance level to use hearing protection. A solution for this problem would be a protection device which stops unwanted noise if noise levels are high, but allows sound to enter the ear when noise levels are low. It is the intention of this PDEng project to design a hearing protection device having these features.
Design concept: The core idea for this project is to use an energy-efficient, ‘passive’ electro-mechanical system to accomplish the desired functionality.
Requirements: It is Comfoor’s conviction that hearing protection at a cost level of a hearing aid is commercially irrelevant, so the device must be cost efficient. Another aspect is that although we may allow to use a battery inside, to maintain functionality over a longer period of time, the device should be as energy efficient as possible. Additional requirements will be formulated within the project. The prototypes will be tested and an iterative process will yield the final design

Deadline Application: 31-10-2017

Further details:
Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) Programme Energy & Process Technology at University of Twente