Header logo is

243 results (View BibTeX file of all listed publications)
no image
Pole Balancing with Apollo

Holger Kaden

Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, December 2014 (mastersthesis)

am

[BibTex]

am Holger Kaden Pole Balancing with Apollo Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, December 2014 (mastersthesis)

[BibTex]

no image
Wenn es was zu sagen gibt

(Klaus Tschira Award 2014 in Computer Science)

Trimpe, S.

Bild der Wissenschaft, pages: 20-23, November 2014, (popular science article in German) (article)

am ics

PDF Project Page [BibTex]

am ics Trimpe, S. Wenn es was zu sagen gibt Bild der Wissenschaft, pages: 20-23, November 2014, (popular science article in German) (article)

PDF Project Page [BibTex]

no image
Robotics and Neuroscience

Floreano, Dario, Ijspeert, Auke Jan, Schaal, S.

Current Biology, 24(18):R910-R920, sep 2014 (article)

am

[BibTex]

am Floreano, Dario, Ijspeert, Auke Jan, Schaal, S. Robotics and Neuroscience Current Biology, 24(18):R910-R920, sep 2014 (article)

[BibTex]

no image
Learning Coupling Terms for Obstacle Avoidance

Rai, A.

École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, August 2014 (mastersthesis)

am

Project Page [BibTex]

am Rai, A. Learning Coupling Terms for Obstacle Avoidance École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, August 2014 (mastersthesis)

Project Page [BibTex]

no image
Object Tracking in Depth Images Using Sigma Point Kalman Filters

Issac, J.

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, July 2014 (mastersthesis)

am

Project Page [BibTex]

am Issac, J. Object Tracking in Depth Images Using Sigma Point Kalman Filters Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, July 2014 (mastersthesis)

Project Page [BibTex]

Thumb xl screen shot 2014 07 09 at 15.49.27
Robot Arm Pose Estimation through Pixel-Wise Part Classification

Bohg, J., Romero, J., Herzog, A., Schaal, S.

In IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) 2014, pages: 3143-3150, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), June 2014 (inproceedings)

Abstract
We propose to frame the problem of marker-less robot arm pose estimation as a pixel-wise part classification problem. As input, we use a depth image in which each pixel is classified to be either from a particular robot part or the background. The classifier is a random decision forest trained on a large number of synthetically generated and labeled depth images. From all the training samples ending up at a leaf node, a set of offsets is learned that votes for relative joint positions. Pooling these votes over all foreground pixels and subsequent clustering gives us an estimate of the true joint positions. Due to the intrinsic parallelism of pixel-wise classification, this approach can run in super real-time and is more efficient than previous ICP-like methods. We quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of this approach on synthetic data. We also demonstrate that the method produces accurate joint estimates on real data despite being purely trained on synthetic data.

am ps

video code pdf DOI Project Page [BibTex]

am ps Bohg, J., Romero, J., Herzog, A., Schaal, S. Robot Arm Pose Estimation through Pixel-Wise Part Classification In IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) 2014, pages: 3143-3150, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), June 2014 (inproceedings)

video code pdf DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Thumb xl cover acs ancac3 v008i009
Nanopropellers and Their Actuation in Complex Viscoelastic Media

Schamel, D., Mark, A. G., Gibbs, J. G., Miksch, C., Morozov, K. I., Leshansky, A. M., Fischer, P.

ACS Nano, 8(9):8794-8801, June 2014, Featured cover article. (article)

Abstract
Tissue and biological fluids are complex viscoelastic media with a nanoporous macromolecular structure. Here, we demonstrate that helical nanopropellers can be controllably steered through such a biological gel. The screw-propellers have a filament diameter of about 70 nm and are smaller than previously reported nanopropellers as well as any swimming microorganism. We show that the nanoscrews will move through high-viscosity solutions with comparable velocities to that of larger micropropellers, even though they are so small that Brownian forces suppress their actuation in pure water. When actuated in viscoelastic hyaluronan gels, the nanopropellers appear to have a significant advantage, as they are of the same size range as the gel’s mesh size. Whereas larger helices will show very low or negligible propulsion in hyaluronan solutions, the nanoscrews actually display significantly enhanced propulsion velocities that exceed the highest measured speeds in Newtonian fluids. The nanopropellers are not only promising for applications in the extracellular environment but small enough to be taken up by cells.

Featured cover article.

pf

Video - Helical Micro and Nanopropellers for Applications in Biological Fluidic Environments link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image patent
Convertor

Fischer, P., Mark, A.

May 2014 (patent)

pf

[BibTex]

pf Fischer, P., Mark, A. Convertor May 2014 (patent)

[BibTex]

Thumb xl realexperiment
Nonmyopic View Planning for Active Object Classification and Pose Estimation

Atanasov, N., Sankaran, B., Le Ny, J., Pappas, G., Daniilidis, K.

IEEE Transactions on Robotics, May 2014, clmc (article)

Abstract
One of the central problems in computer vision is the detection of semantically important objects and the estimation of their pose. Most of the work in object detection has been based on single image processing and its performance is limited by occlusions and ambiguity in appearance and geometry. This paper proposes an active approach to object detection by controlling the point of view of a mobile depth camera. When an initial static detection phase identifies an object of interest, several hypotheses are made about its class and orientation. The sensor then plans a sequence of viewpoints, which balances the amount of energy used to move with the chance of identifying the correct hypothesis. We formulate an active M-ary hypothesis testing problem, which includes sensor mobility, and solve it using a point-based approximate POMDP algorithm. The validity of our approach is verified through simulation and real-world experiments with the PR2 robot. The results suggest a significant improvement over static object detection

am

Web pdf link (url) [BibTex]

am Atanasov, N., Sankaran, B., Le Ny, J., Pappas, G., Daniilidis, K. Nonmyopic View Planning for Active Object Classification and Pose Estimation IEEE Transactions on Robotics, May 2014, clmc (article)

Web pdf link (url) [BibTex]

Thumb xl screen shot 2015 08 22 at 22.50.12
Data-Driven Grasp Synthesis - A Survey

Bohg, J., Morales, A., Asfour, T., Kragic, D.

IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 30, pages: 289 - 309, IEEE, April 2014 (article)

Abstract
We review the work on data-driven grasp synthesis and the methodologies for sampling and ranking candidate grasps. We divide the approaches into three groups based on whether they synthesize grasps for known, familiar or unknown objects. This structure allows us to identify common object representations and perceptual processes that facilitate the employed data-driven grasp synthesis technique. In the case of known objects, we concentrate on the approaches that are based on object recognition and pose estimation. In the case of familiar objects, the techniques use some form of a similarity matching to a set of previously encountered objects. Finally for the approaches dealing with unknown objects, the core part is the extraction of specific features that are indicative of good grasps. Our survey provides an overview of the different methodologies and discusses open problems in the area of robot grasping. We also draw a parallel to the classical approaches that rely on analytic formulations.

am

PDF link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

am Bohg, J., Morales, A., Asfour, T., Kragic, D. Data-Driven Grasp Synthesis - A Survey IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 30, pages: 289 - 309, IEEE, April 2014 (article)

PDF link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

no image
Local Gaussian Regression

Meier, F., Hennig, P., Schaal, S.

arXiv preprint, March 2014, clmc (misc)

Abstract
Abstract: Locally weighted regression was created as a nonparametric learning method that is computationally efficient, can learn from very large amounts of data and add data incrementally. An interesting feature of locally weighted regression is that it can work with ...

am pn

Web link (url) [BibTex]

am pn Meier, F., Hennig, P., Schaal, S. Local Gaussian Regression arXiv preprint, March 2014, clmc (misc)

Web link (url) [BibTex]

Thumb xl fig1
3D nanofabrication on complex seed shapes using glancing angle deposition

Hyeon-Ho, J., Mark, A. G., Gibbs, J. G., Reindl, T., Waizmann, U., Weis, J., Fischer, P.

In 2014 IEEE 27th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), pages: 437-440, January 2014 (inproceedings)

Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) fabrication techniques promise new device architectures and enable the integration of more components, but fabricating 3D nanostructures for device applications remains challenging. Recently, we have performed glancing angle deposition (GLAD) upon a nanoscale hexagonal seed array to create a variety of 3D nanoscale objects including multicomponent rods, helices, and zigzags [1]. Here, in an effort to generalize our technique, we present a step-by-step approach to grow 3D nanostructures on more complex nanoseed shapes and configurations than before. This approach allows us to create 3D nanostructures on nanoseeds regardless of seed sizes and shapes.

pf

DOI [BibTex]

pf Hyeon-Ho, J., Mark, A. G., Gibbs, J. G., Reindl, T., Waizmann, U., Weis, J., Fischer, P. 3D nanofabrication on complex seed shapes using glancing angle deposition In 2014 IEEE 27th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), pages: 437-440, January 2014 (inproceedings)

DOI [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Circular polarization interferometry: circularly polarized modes of cholesteric liquid crystals

Sanchez-Castillo, A., Eslami, S., Giesselmann, F., Fischer, P.

OPTICS EXPRESS, 22(25):31227-31236, 2014 (article)

Abstract
We describe a novel polarization interferometer which permits the determination of the refractive indices for circularly-polarized light. It is based on a Jamin-Lebedeff interferometer, modified with waveplates, and permits us to experimentally determine the refractive indices n(L) and n(R) of the respectively left- and right-circularly polarized modes in a cholesteric liquid crystal. Whereas optical rotation measurements only determine the circular birefringence, i.e. the difference (n(L) - n(R)), the interferometer also permits the determination of their absolute values. We report refractive indices of a cholesteric liquid crystal in the region of selective (Bragg) reflection as a function of temperature. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America

pf

DOI [BibTex]

pf Sanchez-Castillo, A., Eslami, S., Giesselmann, F., Fischer, P. Circular polarization interferometry: circularly polarized modes of cholesteric liquid crystals OPTICS EXPRESS, 22(25):31227-31236, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Self-Propelling Nanomotors in the Presence of Strong Brownian Forces

Lee, T., Alarcon-Correa, M., Miksch, C., Hahn, K., Gibbs, J. G., Fischer, P.

NANO LETTERS, 14(5):2407-2412, 2014 (article)

Abstract
Motility in living systems is due to an array of complex molecular nanomotors that are essential for the function and survival of cells. These protein nanomotors operate not only despite of but also because of stochastic forces. Artificial means of realizing motility rely on local concentration or temperature gradients that are established across a particle, resulting in slip velocities at the particle surface and thus motion of the particle relative to the fluid. However, it remains unclear if these artificial motors can function at the smallest of scales, where Brownian motion dominates and no actively propelled living organisms can be found. Recently, the first reports have appeared suggesting that the swimming mechanisms of artificial structures may also apply to enzymes that are catalytically active. Here we report a scheme to realize artificial Janus nanoparticles (JNPs) with an overall size that is comparable to that of some enzymes similar to 30 nm. Our JNPs can catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen and thus actively move by self-electrophoresis. Geometric anisotropy of the Pt-Au Janus nanoparticles permits the simultaneous observation of their translational and rotational motion by dynamic light scattering. While their dynamics is strongly influenced by Brownian rotation, the artificial Janus nanomotors show bursts of linear ballistic motion resulting in enhanced diffusion.

pf

DOI [BibTex]

no image
A Self-Tuning LQR Approach Demonstrated on an Inverted Pendulum

Trimpe, S., Millane, A., Doessegger, S., D’Andrea, R.

In Proceedings of the 19th IFAC World Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, 2014 (inproceedings)

am ics

PDF Supplementary material DOI [BibTex]

am ics Trimpe, S., Millane, A., Doessegger, S., D’Andrea, R. A Self-Tuning LQR Approach Demonstrated on an Inverted Pendulum In Proceedings of the 19th IFAC World Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, 2014 (inproceedings)

PDF Supplementary material DOI [BibTex]

no image
Learning objective functions for autonomous motion generation

Kalakrishnan, M.

University of Southern California, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 2014 (phdthesis)

am

Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

am Kalakrishnan, M. Learning objective functions for autonomous motion generation University of Southern California, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 2014 (phdthesis)

Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Shape control in wafer-based aperiodic 3D nanostructures

Hyeon-Ho, J., Mark, A. G., Gibbs, J. G., Reindl, T., Waizmann, U., Weis, J., Fischer, P.

NANOTECHNOLOGY, 25(23), 2014, Cover article. (article)

Abstract
Controlled local fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures is important to explore and enhance the function of single nanodevices, but is experimentally challenging. We present a scheme based on e-beam lithography (EBL) written seeds, and glancing angle deposition (GLAD) grown structures to create nanoscale objects with defined shapes but in aperiodic arrangements. By using a continuous sacrificial corral surrounding the features of interest we grow isolated 3D nanostructures that have complex cross-sections and sidewall morphology that are surrounded by zones of clean substrate.

Cover article.

pf

DOI [BibTex]

pf Hyeon-Ho, J., Mark, A. G., Gibbs, J. G., Reindl, T., Waizmann, U., Weis, J., Fischer, P. Shape control in wafer-based aperiodic 3D nanostructures NANOTECHNOLOGY, 25(23), 2014, Cover article. (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
A Limiting Property of the Matrix Exponential

Trimpe, S., D’Andrea, R.

IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 59(4):1105-1110, 2014 (article)

am ics

PDF DOI [BibTex]

am ics Trimpe, S., D’Andrea, R. A Limiting Property of the Matrix Exponential IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 59(4):1105-1110, 2014 (article)

PDF DOI [BibTex]

no image
Learning coupling terms for obstacle avoidance

Rai, A., Meier, F., Ijspeert, A., Schaal, S.

In International Conference on Humanoid Robotics, pages: 512-518, IEEE, 2014, clmc (inproceedings)

Abstract
Autonomous manipulation in dynamic environments is important for robots to perform everyday tasks. For this, a manipulator should be capable of interpreting the environment and planning an appropriate movement. At least, two possible approaches exist for this in literature. Usually, a planning system is used to generate a complex movement plan that satisfies all constraints. Alternatively, a simple plan could be chosen and modified with sensory feedback to accommodate additional constraints by equipping the controller with features that remain dormant most of the time, except when specific situations arise. Dynamic Movement Primitives (DMPs) form a robust and versatile starting point for such a controller that can be modified online using a non-linear term, called the coupling term. This can prove to be a fast and reactive way of obstacle avoidance in a human-like fashion. We propose a method to learn this coupling term from human demonstrations starting with simple features and making it more robust to avoid a larger range of obstacles. We test the ability of our coupling term to model different kinds of obstacle avoidance behaviours in humans and use this learnt coupling term to avoid obstacles in a reactive manner. This line of research aims at pushing the boundary of reactive control strategies to more complex scenarios, such that complex and usually computationally more expensive planning methods can be avoided as much as possible.

am

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

am Rai, A., Meier, F., Ijspeert, A., Schaal, S. Learning coupling terms for obstacle avoidance In International Conference on Humanoid Robotics, pages: 512-518, IEEE, 2014, clmc (inproceedings)

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

no image
Event-Based State Estimation With Variance-Based Triggering

Trimpe, S., D’Andrea, R.

IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 59(12):3266-3281, 2014 (article)

am ics

PDF Supplementary material DOI Project Page [BibTex]

am ics Trimpe, S., D’Andrea, R. Event-Based State Estimation With Variance-Based Triggering IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 59(12):3266-3281, 2014 (article)

PDF Supplementary material DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Active Microrheology of the Vitreous of the Eye applied to Nanorobot Propulsion

Qiu, T., Schamel, D., Mark, A. G., Fischer, P.

In 2014 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION (ICRA), pages: 3801-3806, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation ICRA, 2014, Best Automation Paper Award – Finalist. (inproceedings)

Abstract
Biomedical applications of micro or nanorobots require active movement through complex biological fluids. These are generally non-Newtonian (viscoelastic) fluids that are characterized by complicated networks of macromolecules that have size-dependent rheological properties. It has been suggested that an untethered microrobot could assist in retinal surgical procedures. To do this it must navigate the vitreous humor, a hydrated double network of collagen fibrils and high molecular-weight, polyanionic hyaluronan macromolecules. Here, we examine the characteristic size that potential robots must have to traverse vitreous relatively unhindered. We have constructed magnetic tweezers that provide a large gradient of up to 320 T/m to pull sub-micron paramagnetic beads through biological fluids. A novel two-step electrical discharge machining (EDM) approach is used to construct the tips of the magnetic tweezers with a resolution of 30 mu m and high aspect ratio of similar to 17:1 that restricts the magnetic field gradient to the plane of observation. We report measurements on porcine vitreous. In agreement with structural data and passive Brownian diffusion studies we find that the unhindered active propulsion through the eye calls for nanorobots with cross-sections of less than 500 nm.

Best Automation Paper Award – Finalist.

pf

[BibTex]

pf Qiu, T., Schamel, D., Mark, A. G., Fischer, P. Active Microrheology of the Vitreous of the Eye applied to Nanorobot Propulsion In 2014 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION (ICRA), pages: 3801-3806, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation ICRA, 2014, Best Automation Paper Award – Finalist. (inproceedings)

[BibTex]

no image
Incremental Local Gaussian Regression

Meier, F., Hennig, P., Schaal, S.

In Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 27, pages: 972-980, (Editors: Z. Ghahramani, M. Welling, C. Cortes, N.D. Lawrence and K.Q. Weinberger), 28th Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), 2014, clmc (inproceedings)

am ei pn

PDF link (url) [BibTex]

am ei pn Meier, F., Hennig, P., Schaal, S. Incremental Local Gaussian Regression In Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems 27, pages: 972-980, (Editors: Z. Ghahramani, M. Welling, C. Cortes, N.D. Lawrence and K.Q. Weinberger), 28th Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), 2014, clmc (inproceedings)

PDF link (url) [BibTex]

Thumb xl pictire scallop
Swimming by reciprocal motion at low Reynolds number

Qiu, T., Lee, T., Mark, A. G., Morozov, K. I., Muenster, R., Mierka, O., Turek, S., Leshansky, A. M., Fischer, P.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 5, 2014, Max Planck Press Release. (article)

Abstract
Biological microorganisms swim with flagella and cilia that execute nonreciprocal motions for low Reynolds number (Re) propulsion in viscous fluids. This symmetry requirement is a consequence of Purcell's scallop theorem, which complicates the actuation scheme needed by microswimmers. However, most biomedically important fluids are non-Newtonian where the scallop theorem no longer holds. It should therefore be possible to realize a microswimmer that moves with reciprocal periodic body-shape changes in non-Newtonian fluids. Here we report a symmetric `micro-scallop', a single-hinge microswimmer that can propel in shear thickening and shear thinning (non-Newtonian) fluids by reciprocal motion at low Re. Excellent agreement between our measurements and both numerical and analytical theoretical predictions indicates that the net propulsion is caused by modulation of the fluid viscosity upon varying the shear rate. This reciprocal swimming mechanism opens new possibilities in designing biomedical microdevices that can propel by a simple actuation scheme in non-Newtonian biological fluids.

Max Planck Press Release.

pf

Video - A Swimming Micro-Scallop Video - Winner of the Micro-robotic Design Challenge in Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics DOI [BibTex]

pf Qiu, T., Lee, T., Mark, A. G., Morozov, K. I., Muenster, R., Mierka, O., Turek, S., Leshansky, A. M., Fischer, P. Swimming by reciprocal motion at low Reynolds number NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 5, 2014, Max Planck Press Release. (article)

Video - A Swimming Micro-Scallop Video - Winner of the Micro-robotic Design Challenge in Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics DOI [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Nanohelices by shadow growth

Gibbs, J. G., Mark, A. G., Lee, T., Eslami, S., Schamel, D., Fischer, P.

NANOSCALE, 6(16):9457-9466, 2014 (article)

Abstract
The helix has remarkable qualities and is prevalent in many fields including mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. This shape, which is chiral by nature, is ubiquitous in biology with perhaps the most famous example being DNA. Other naturally occurring helices are common at the nanoscale in the form of protein secondary structures and in various macromolecules. Nanoscale helices exhibit a wide range of interesting mechanical, optical, and electrical properties which can be intentionally engineered into the structure by choosing the correct morphology and material. As technology advances, these fabrication parameters can be fine-tuned and matched to the application of interest. Herein, we focus on the fabrication and properties of nanohelices grown by a dynamic shadowing growth method combined with fast wafer-scale substrate patterning which has a number of distinct advantages. We review the fabrication methodology and provide several examples that illustrate the generality and utility of nanohelices shadow-grown on nanopatterns.

pf

Video - Fabrication of Designer Nanostructures DOI [BibTex]

no image
Efficient Bayesian Local Model Learning for Control

Meier, F., Hennig, P., Schaal, S.

In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, pages: 2244 - 2249, IROS, 2014, clmc (inproceedings)

Abstract
Model-based control is essential for compliant controland force control in many modern complex robots, like humanoidor disaster robots. Due to many unknown and hard tomodel nonlinearities, analytical models of such robots are oftenonly very rough approximations. However, modern optimizationcontrollers frequently depend on reasonably accurate models,and degrade greatly in robustness and performance if modelerrors are too large. For a long time, machine learning hasbeen expected to provide automatic empirical model synthesis,yet so far, research has only generated feasibility studies butno learning algorithms that run reliably on complex robots.In this paper, we combine two promising worlds of regressiontechniques to generate a more powerful regression learningsystem. On the one hand, locally weighted regression techniquesare computationally efficient, but hard to tune due to avariety of data dependent meta-parameters. On the other hand,Bayesian regression has rather automatic and robust methods toset learning parameters, but becomes quickly computationallyinfeasible for big and high-dimensional data sets. By reducingthe complexity of Bayesian regression in the spirit of local modellearning through variational approximations, we arrive at anovel algorithm that is computationally efficient and easy toinitialize for robust learning. Evaluations on several datasetsdemonstrate very good learning performance and the potentialfor a general regression learning tool for robotics.

am ei pn

PDF link (url) DOI [BibTex]

am ei pn Meier, F., Hennig, P., Schaal, S. Efficient Bayesian Local Model Learning for Control In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, pages: 2244 - 2249, IROS, 2014, clmc (inproceedings)

PDF link (url) DOI [BibTex]

no image
Perspective: Intelligent Systems: Bits and Bots

Spatz, J. P., Schaal, S.

Nature, (509), 2014, clmc (article)

Abstract
What is intelligence, and can we create it? Animals can perceive, reason, react and learn, but they are just one example of an intelligent system. Intelligent systems could be robots as large as humans, helping with search-and- rescue operations in dangerous places, or smart devices as tiny as a cell, delivering drugs to a target within the body. Even computing systems can be intelligent, by perceiving the world, crawling the web and processing â??big dataâ?? to extract and learn from complex information.Understanding not only how intelligence can be reproduced, but also how to build systems that put these ideas into practice, will be a challenge. Small intelligent systems will require new materials and fabrication methods, as well as com- pact information processors and power sources. And for nano-sized systems, the rules change altogether. The laws of physics operate very differently at tiny scales: for a nanorobot, swimming through water is like struggling through treacle.Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have begun to solve these problems by developing new computational methods, experiment- ing with unique robotic systems and fabricating tiny, artificial propellers, like bacterial flagella, to propel nanocreations through their environment.

am

PDF link (url) [BibTex]

am Spatz, J. P., Schaal, S. Perspective: Intelligent Systems: Bits and Bots Nature, (509), 2014, clmc (article)

PDF link (url) [BibTex]

no image
Stability Analysis of Distributed Event-Based State Estimation

Trimpe, S.

In Proceedings of the 53rd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Los Angeles, CA, 2014 (inproceedings)

Abstract
An approach for distributed and event-based state estimation that was proposed in previous work [1] is analyzed and extended to practical networked systems in this paper. Multiple sensor-actuator-agents observe a dynamic process, sporadically exchange their measurements over a broadcast network according to an event-based protocol, and estimate the process state from the received data. The event-based approach was shown in [1] to mimic a centralized Luenberger observer up to guaranteed bounds, under the assumption of identical estimates on all agents. This assumption, however, is unrealistic (it is violated by a single packet drop or slight numerical inaccuracy) and removed herein. By means of a simulation example, it is shown that non-identical estimates can actually destabilize the overall system. To achieve stability, the event-based communication scheme is supplemented by periodic (but infrequent) exchange of the agentsâ?? estimates and reset to their joint average. When the local estimates are used for feedback control, the stability guarantee for the estimation problem extends to the event-based control system.

am ics

PDF Supplementary material DOI Project Page [BibTex]

am ics Trimpe, S. Stability Analysis of Distributed Event-Based State Estimation In Proceedings of the 53rd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Los Angeles, CA, 2014 (inproceedings)

PDF Supplementary material DOI Project Page [BibTex]

no image
Data-driven autonomous manipulation

Pastor, P.

University of Southern California, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 2014 (phdthesis)

am

Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

am Pastor, P. Data-driven autonomous manipulation University of Southern California, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 2014 (phdthesis)

Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Chiral Nanomagnets

Eslami, S., Gibbs, J. G., Rechkemmer, Y., van Slageren, J., Alarcon-Correa, M., Lee, T., Mark, A. G., Rikken, G. L. J. A., Fischer, P.

ACS PHOTONICS, 1(11):1231-1236, 2014 (article)

Abstract
We report on the enhanced optical properties of chiral magnetic nanohelices with critical dimensions comparable to the ferromagnetic domain size. They are shown to be ferromagnetic at room temperature, have defined chirality, and exhibit large optical activity in the visible as verified by electron microscopy, superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry, natural circular dichroism (NCD), and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) measurements. The structures exhibit magneto-chiral dichroism (MChD), which directly demonstrates coupling between their structural chirality and magnetism. A chiral nickel (Ni) film consisting of an array of nanohelices similar to 100 nm in length exhibits an MChD anisotropy factor g(MChD) approximate to 10(-4) T-1 at room temperature in a saturation field of similar to 0.2 T, permitting polarization-independent control of the film's absorption properties through magnetic field modulation. This is also the first report of MChD in a material with structural chirality on the order of the wavelength of light, and therefore the Ni nanohelix array is a metamaterial with magnetochiral properties that can be tailored through a dynamic deposition process.

pf

DOI [BibTex]

pf Eslami, S., Gibbs, J. G., Rechkemmer, Y., van Slageren, J., Alarcon-Correa, M., Lee, T., Mark, A. G., Rikken, G. L. J. A., Fischer, P. Chiral Nanomagnets ACS PHOTONICS, 1(11):1231-1236, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Wireless powering of e-swimmers

Roche, J., Carrara, S., Sanchez, J., Lannelongue, J., Loget, G., Bouffier, L., Fischer, P., Kuhn, A.

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 4, 2014 (article)

Abstract
Miniaturized structures that can move in a controlled way in solution and integrate various functionalities are attracting considerable attention due to the potential applications in fields ranging from autonomous micromotors to roving sensors. Here we introduce a concept which allows, depending on their specific design, the controlled directional motion of objects in water, combined with electronic functionalities such as the emission of light, sensing, signal conversion, treatment and transmission. The approach is based on electric field-induced polarization, which triggers different chemical reactions at the surface of the object and thereby its propulsion. This results in a localized electric current that can power in a wireless way electronic devices in water, leading to a new class of electronic swimmers (e-swimmers).

pf

DOI [BibTex]

pf Roche, J., Carrara, S., Sanchez, J., Lannelongue, J., Loget, G., Bouffier, L., Fischer, P., Kuhn, A. Wireless powering of e-swimmers SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 4, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Thumb xl toc image
Swelling and shrinking behaviour of photoresponsive phosphonium-based ionogel microstructures

Czugala, M., O’Connell, C., Blin, C., Fischer, P., Fraser, K. J., Benito-Lopez, F., Diamond, D.

SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL, 194, pages: 105-113, 2014 (article)

Abstract
Photoresponsive N-isopropylacrylamide ionogel microstructures are presented in this study. These ionogels are synthesised using phosphonium based room temperature ionic liquids, together with the photochromic compound benzospiropyran. The microstructures can be actuated using light irradiation, facilitating non-contact and non-invasive operation. For the first time, the characterisation of the swelling and shrinking behaviour of several photopatterned ionogel microstructures is presented and the influence of surface-area-to-volume ratio on the swelling kinetics is evaluated. It was found that the swelling and shrinking behaviour of the ionogels is strongly dependent on the nature of the ionic liquid. In particular, the {[}P-6,P-6,P-6,P-14]{[}NTf2] ionogel exhibits the greatest degree of swelling, reaching up to 180\% of its initial size, and the fastest shrinkage rate (k(sh) = 29 +/- 4 x 10(-2) s(-1)). (C) 2014 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

pf

DOI [BibTex]

pf Czugala, M., O’Connell, C., Blin, C., Fischer, P., Fraser, K. J., Benito-Lopez, F., Diamond, D. Swelling and shrinking behaviour of photoresponsive phosphonium-based ionogel microstructures SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL, 194, pages: 105-113, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Schalten der Polarität magnetischer Vortexkerne durch eine Zwei-Frequenzen Anregung und mittels direkter Einkopplung eines Stroms

Sproll, M.

Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart (und Cuvillier Verlag, Göttingen), Stuttgart, 2014 (phdthesis)

mms

[BibTex]

mms Sproll, M. Schalten der Polarität magnetischer Vortexkerne durch eine Zwei-Frequenzen Anregung und mittels direkter Einkopplung eines Stroms Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart (und Cuvillier Verlag, Göttingen), Stuttgart, 2014 (phdthesis)

[BibTex]

no image
Efflorescence upon humidification? X-ray microspectroscopic in situ observation of changes in aerosol microstructure and phase state upon hydration

Pöhlker, C., Saturno, J., Krüger, M. L., Förster, J. D., Weigand, M., Wiedemann, K. T., Bechtel, M., Artaxo, P., Andreae, M. O.

{Geophysical Research Letters}, 41(10):3681-3689, American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Pöhlker, C., Saturno, J., Krüger, M. L., Förster, J. D., Weigand, M., Wiedemann, K. T., Bechtel, M., Artaxo, P., Andreae, M. O. Efflorescence upon humidification? X-ray microspectroscopic in situ observation of changes in aerosol microstructure and phase state upon hydration {Geophysical Research Letters}, 41(10):3681-3689, American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Investigation of cellular microstructure and enhanced coercivity in sputtered Sm2(CoCuFeZr)17 film

Bhatt, R., Bhatt, P., Schütz, G.

{Journal of Applied Physics}, 115(10), American Institute of Physics, New York, NY, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Bhatt, R., Bhatt, P., Schütz, G. Investigation of cellular microstructure and enhanced coercivity in sputtered Sm2(CoCuFeZr)17 film {Journal of Applied Physics}, 115(10), American Institute of Physics, New York, NY, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Detecting magnetic flux distributions in superconductors with polarized x-rays

Stahl, C., Audehm, P., Gräfe, J., Ruoß, S., Weigand, M., Schmidt, M., Treiber, S., Bechtel, M., Goering, E., Schütz, G., Albrecht, J.

{Physical Review B}, 90(10), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Stahl, C., Audehm, P., Gräfe, J., Ruoß, S., Weigand, M., Schmidt, M., Treiber, S., Bechtel, M., Goering, E., Schütz, G., Albrecht, J. Detecting magnetic flux distributions in superconductors with polarized x-rays {Physical Review B}, 90(10), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Spatial degradation mapping and component-wise degradation tracking in polymer-fullerene blends

Pedersen, E. B. B., Tromholt, T., Madsen, M. V., Böttiger, A. P. L., Weigand, M., Krebs, F. C., Andreasen, J. W.

{Journal of Materials Chemistry C}, 2(26):5176-5182, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Pedersen, E. B. B., Tromholt, T., Madsen, M. V., Böttiger, A. P. L., Weigand, M., Krebs, F. C., Andreasen, J. W. Spatial degradation mapping and component-wise degradation tracking in polymer-fullerene blends {Journal of Materials Chemistry C}, 2(26):5176-5182, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Vortex core reversal due to spin wave interference

Bauer, H. G., Sproll, M., Back, C. H., Woltersdorf, G.

{Physical Review Letters}, 112, American Physical Society, Woodbury, N.Y., 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Bauer, H. G., Sproll, M., Back, C. H., Woltersdorf, G. Vortex core reversal due to spin wave interference {Physical Review Letters}, 112, American Physical Society, Woodbury, N.Y., 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Increasing the sensor performance using Au modified high temperature superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-delta thin films

Katzer, C., Stahl, C., Michalowski, P., Treiber, S., Westernhausen, M., Schmidl, F., Seidel, P., Schütz, G., Albrecht, J.

In 507, IOP Pub., Genova, Italy, 2014 (inproceedings)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Katzer, C., Stahl, C., Michalowski, P., Treiber, S., Westernhausen, M., Schmidl, F., Seidel, P., Schütz, G., Albrecht, J. Increasing the sensor performance using Au modified high temperature superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-delta thin films In 507, IOP Pub., Genova, Italy, 2014 (inproceedings)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Understanding the adsorption mechanism of noble gases Kr and Xe in CPO-27-Ni, CPO-27-Mg, and ZIF-8

Magdysyuk, O. V., Adams, F., Liermann, H., Spanopoulos, I., Trikalitis, P. N., Hirscher, M., Morris, R. E., Duncan, M. J., McCormick, L. J., Dinnebier, R. E.

{Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, 16(43):23908-23914, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Magdysyuk, O. V., Adams, F., Liermann, H., Spanopoulos, I., Trikalitis, P. N., Hirscher, M., Morris, R. E., Duncan, M. J., McCormick, L. J., Dinnebier, R. E. Understanding the adsorption mechanism of noble gases Kr and Xe in CPO-27-Ni, CPO-27-Mg, and ZIF-8 {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}, 16(43):23908-23914, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Dual Execution of Optimized Contact Interaction Trajectories

Toussaint, M., Ratliff, N., Bohg, J., Righetti, L., Englert, P., Schaal, S.

In 2014 IEEE/RSJ Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, pages: 47-54, IEEE, Chicago, USA, 2014 (inproceedings)

Abstract
Efficient manipulation requires contact to reduce uncertainty. The manipulation literature refers to this as funneling: a methodology for increasing reliability and robustness by leveraging haptic feedback and control of environmental interaction. However, there is a fundamental gap between traditional approaches to trajectory optimization and this concept of robustness by funneling: traditional trajectory optimizers do not discover force feedback strategies. From a POMDP perspective, these behaviors could be regarded as explicit observation actions planned to sufficiently reduce uncertainty thereby enabling a task. While we are sympathetic to the full POMDP view, solving full continuous-space POMDPs in high-dimensions is hard. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach in which trajectory optimization objectives are augmented with new terms that reward uncertainty reduction through contacts, explicitly promoting funneling. This augmentation shifts the responsibility of robustness toward the actual execution of the optimized trajectories. Directly tracing trajectories through configuration space would lose all robustness-dual execution achieves robustness by devising force controllers to reproduce the temporal interaction profile encoded in the dual solution of the optimization problem. This work introduces dual execution in depth and analyze its performance through robustness experiments in both simulation and on a real-world robotic platform.

am mg

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

am mg Toussaint, M., Ratliff, N., Bohg, J., Righetti, L., Englert, P., Schaal, S. Dual Execution of Optimized Contact Interaction Trajectories In 2014 IEEE/RSJ Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, pages: 47-54, IEEE, Chicago, USA, 2014 (inproceedings)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

no image
Vortex-Kern-Korrelation in gekoppelten Systemen

Jüllig, P.

Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, 2014 (phdthesis)

mms

link (url) [BibTex]

mms Jüllig, P. Vortex-Kern-Korrelation in gekoppelten Systemen Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, 2014 (phdthesis)

link (url) [BibTex]

no image
Unidirectional sub-100-ps magnetic vortex core reversal

Noske, M., Gangwar, A., Stoll, H., Kammerer, M., Sproll, M., Dieterle, G., Weigand, M., Fähnle, M., Woltersdorf, G., Back, C. H., Schütz, G.

{Physical Review B}, 90(10), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Noske, M., Gangwar, A., Stoll, H., Kammerer, M., Sproll, M., Dieterle, G., Weigand, M., Fähnle, M., Woltersdorf, G., Back, C. H., Schütz, G. Unidirectional sub-100-ps magnetic vortex core reversal {Physical Review B}, 90(10), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Domain wall transformations and hopping in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanostructures imaged with high resolution x-ray magnetic microscopy

Finizio, S., Foerster, M., Krüger, B., Vaz, C. A. F., Miyawaki, T., Mawass, M. A., Pena, L., Méchin, L., Hühn, S., Moshnyaga, V., Büttner, F., Bisig, A., Le Guyader, L., El Moussaoui, S., Valencia, S., Kronast, F., Eisebitt, S., Kläui, M.

{Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter}, 26(45), IOP Publishing, Bristol, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Finizio, S., Foerster, M., Krüger, B., Vaz, C. A. F., Miyawaki, T., Mawass, M. A., Pena, L., Méchin, L., Hühn, S., Moshnyaga, V., Büttner, F., Bisig, A., Le Guyader, L., El Moussaoui, S., Valencia, S., Kronast, F., Eisebitt, S., Kläui, M. Domain wall transformations and hopping in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanostructures imaged with high resolution x-ray magnetic microscopy {Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter}, 26(45), IOP Publishing, Bristol, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Tunable eigenmodes of coupled magnetic vortex oscillators

Hänze, M., Adolff, C. F., Weigand, M., Meier, G.

{Applied Physics Letters}, 104(18), American Institute of Physics, Melville, NY, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Hänze, M., Adolff, C. F., Weigand, M., Meier, G. Tunable eigenmodes of coupled magnetic vortex oscillators {Applied Physics Letters}, 104(18), American Institute of Physics, Melville, NY, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Domain wall pinning in ultra-narrow electromigrated break junctions

Reeve, R. M., Loescher, A., Mawass, M.-A., Hoffmann-Vogel, R., Kläui, M.

{Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter}, 26(47), IOP Publishing, Bristol, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Reeve, R. M., Loescher, A., Mawass, M.-A., Hoffmann-Vogel, R., Kläui, M. Domain wall pinning in ultra-narrow electromigrated break junctions {Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter}, 26(47), IOP Publishing, Bristol, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Highly effective hydrogen isotope separation in nanoporous metal-organic framworks with open metal sites: Direct measurement and theoretical analysis

Oh, H., Savchenko, I., Mavrandonakis, A., Heine, T., Hirscher, M.

{ACS Nano}, 8(1):761-770, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Oh, H., Savchenko, I., Mavrandonakis, A., Heine, T., Hirscher, M. Highly effective hydrogen isotope separation in nanoporous metal-organic framworks with open metal sites: Direct measurement and theoretical analysis {ACS Nano}, 8(1):761-770, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

no image
Stabilization of the dissipation-free current transport in inhomogeneous MgB2 thin films

Treiber, S., Stahl, C., Schütz, G., Soltan, S., Albrecht, J.

{Physica C}, 506, pages: 1-5, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 2014 (article)

mms

DOI [BibTex]

mms Treiber, S., Stahl, C., Schütz, G., Soltan, S., Albrecht, J. Stabilization of the dissipation-free current transport in inhomogeneous MgB2 thin films {Physica C}, 506, pages: 1-5, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 2014 (article)

DOI [BibTex]