Publications | Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

2020

mms Son, K., Schütz, G. Fabrication and temperature-dependent magnetic properties of large-area L10-FePt/Co exchange-spring magnet nanopatterns {Physica E: Low-Dimensional Systems And Nanostructures}, 115, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 2020 (article)

2018

Role of symmetry in driven propulsion at low Reynolds number

Sachs, J., Morozov, K. I., Kenneth, O., Qiu, T., Segreto, N., Fischer, P., Leshansky, A. M.

Phys. Rev. E, 98(6):063105, American Physical Society, December 2018 (article)

Abstract

We theoretically and experimentally investigate low-Reynolds-number propulsion of geometrically achiral planar objects that possess a dipole moment and that are driven by a rotating magnetic field. Symmetry considerations (involving parity, $\widehat{P}$, and charge conjugation, $\widehat{C}$) establish correspondence between propulsive states depending on orientation of the dipolar moment. Although basic symmetry arguments do not forbid individual symmetric objects to efficiently propel due to spontaneous symmetry breaking, they suggest that the average ensemble velocity vanishes. Some additional arguments show, however, that highly symmetrical ($\widehat{P}$-even) objects exhibit no net propulsion while individual less symmetrical ($\widehat{C}\widehat{P}$-even) propellers do propel. Particular magnetization orientation, rendering the shape $\widehat{C}\widehat{P}$-odd, yields unidirectional motion typically associated with chiral structures, such as helices. If instead of a structure with a permanent dipole we consider a polarizable object, some of the arguments have to be modified. For instance, we demonstrate a truly achiral ($\widehat{P}$- and $\widehat{C}\widehat{P}$-even) planar shape with an induced electric dipole that can propel by electro-rotation. We thereby show that chirality is not essential for propulsion due to rotation-translation coupling at low Reynolds number.

2018

pf Sachs, J., Morozov, K. I., Kenneth, O., Qiu, T., Segreto, N., Fischer, P., Leshansky, A. M. Role of symmetry in driven propulsion at low Reynolds number Phys. Rev. E, 98(6):063105, American Physical Society, December 2018 (article)

Optical and Thermophoretic Control of Janus Nanopen Injection into Living Cells

Maier, C. M., Huergo, M. A., Milosevic, S., Pernpeintner, C., Li, M., Singh, D. P., Walker, D., Fischer, P., Feldmann, J., Lohmüller, T.

Nano Letters, 18, pages: 7935–7941, November 2018 (article) Accepted

Abstract

Devising strategies for the controlled injection of functional nanoparticles and reagents into living cells paves the way for novel applications in nanosurgery, sensing, and drug delivery. Here, we demonstrate the light-controlled guiding and injection of plasmonic Janus nanopens into living cells. The pens are made of a gold nanoparticle attached to a dielectric alumina shaft. Balancing optical and thermophoretic forces in an optical tweezer allows single Janus nanopens to be trapped and positioned on the surface of living cells. While the optical injection process involves strong heating of the plasmonic side, the temperature of the alumina stays significantly lower, thus allowing the functionalization with fluorescently labeled, single-stranded DNA and, hence, the spatially controlled injection of genetic material with an untethered nanocarrier.

pf Maier, C. M., Huergo, M. A., Milosevic, S., Pernpeintner, C., Li, M., Singh, D. P., Walker, D., Fischer, P., Feldmann, J., Lohmüller, T. Optical and Thermophoretic Control of Janus Nanopen Injection into Living Cells Nano Letters, 18, pages: 7935–7941, November 2018 (article) Accepted

Video: Nanorobots propel through the eye link (url) DOI [BibTex]

A swarm of slippery micropropellers penetrates the vitreous body of the eye

Wu, Z., Troll, J., Jeong, H. H., Wei, Q., Stang, M., Ziemssen, F., Wang, Z., Dong, M., Schnichels, S., Qiu, T., Fischer, P.

Science Advances, 4(11):eaat4388, November 2018 (article)

Abstract

The intravitreal delivery of therapeutic agents promises major benefits in the field of ocular medicine. Traditional delivery methods rely on the random, passive diffusion of molecules, which do not allow for the rapid delivery of a concentrated cargo to a defined region at the posterior pole of the eye. The use of particles promises targeted delivery but faces the challenge that most tissues including the vitreous have a tight macromolecular matrix that acts as a barrier and prevents its penetration. Here, we demonstrate novel intravitreal delivery microvehicles slippery micropropellers that can be actively propelled through the vitreous humor to reach the retina. The propulsion is achieved by helical magnetic micropropellers that have a liquid layer coating to minimize adhesion to the surrounding biopolymeric network. The submicrometer diameter of the propellers enables the penetration of the biopolymeric network and the propulsion through the porcine vitreous body of the eye over centimeter distances. Clinical optical coherence tomography is used to monitor the movement of the propellers and confirm their arrival on the retina near the optic disc. Overcoming the adhesion forces and actively navigating a swarm of micropropellers in the dense vitreous humor promise practical applications in ophthalmology.

pf Wu, Z., Troll, J., Jeong, H. H., Wei, Q., Stang, M., Ziemssen, F., Wang, Z., Dong, M., Schnichels, S., Qiu, T., Fischer, P. A swarm of slippery micropropellers penetrates the vitreous body of the eye Science Advances, 4(11):eaat4388, November 2018 (article)

Video: Nanorobots propel through the eye link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Deep Inertial Poser: Learning to Reconstruct Human Pose from Sparse Inertial Measurements in Real Time

Huang, Y., Kaufmann, M., Aksan, E., Black, M. J., Hilliges, O., Pons-Moll, G.

ACM Transactions on Graphics, (Proc. SIGGRAPH Asia), 37, pages: 185:1-185:15, ACM, November 2018, Two first authors contributed equally (article)

Abstract

We demonstrate a novel deep neural network capable of reconstructing human full body pose in real-time from 6 Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) worn on the user's body. In doing so, we address several difficult challenges. First, the problem is severely under-constrained as multiple pose parameters produce the same IMU orientations. Second, capturing IMU data in conjunction with ground-truth poses is expensive and difficult to do in many target application scenarios (e.g., outdoors). Third, modeling temporal dependencies through non-linear optimization has proven effective in prior work but makes real-time prediction infeasible. To address this important limitation, we learn the temporal pose priors using deep learning. To learn from sufficient data, we synthesize IMU data from motion capture datasets. A bi-directional RNN architecture leverages past and future information that is available at training time. At test time, we deploy the network in a sliding window fashion, retaining real time capabilities. To evaluate our method, we recorded DIP-IMU, a dataset consisting of 10 subjects wearing 17 IMUs for validation in 64 sequences with 330,000 time instants; this constitutes the largest IMU dataset publicly available. We quantitatively evaluate our approach on multiple datasets and show results from a real-time implementation. DIP-IMU and the code are available for research purposes.

data code pdf preprint video DOI Project Page [BibTex]

ps Huang, Y., Kaufmann, M., Aksan, E., Black, M. J., Hilliges, O., Pons-Moll, G. Deep Inertial Poser: Learning to Reconstruct Human Pose from Sparse Inertial Measurements in Real Time ACM Transactions on Graphics, (Proc. SIGGRAPH Asia), 37, pages: 185:1-185:15, ACM, November 2018, Two first authors contributed equally (article)

data code pdf preprint video DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Deep Neural Network-based Cooperative Visual Tracking through Multiple Micro Aerial Vehicles

Price, E., Lawless, G., Ludwig, R., Martinovic, I., Buelthoff, H. H., Black, M. J., Ahmad, A.

IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Robotics and Automation Letters, 3(4):3193-3200, IEEE, October 2018, Also accepted and presented in the 2018 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). (article)

Abstract

Multi-camera tracking of humans and animals in outdoor environments is a relevant and challenging problem. Our approach to it involves a team of cooperating micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) with on-board cameras only. DNNs often fail at objects with small scale or far away from the camera, which are typical characteristics of a scenario with aerial robots. Thus, the core problem addressed in this paper is how to achieve on-board, online, continuous and accurate vision-based detections using DNNs for visual person tracking through MAVs. Our solution leverages cooperation among multiple MAVs and active selection of most informative regions of image. We demonstrate the efficiency of our approach through simulations with up to 16 robots and real robot experiments involving two aerial robots tracking a person, while maintaining an active perception-driven formation. ROS-based source code is provided for the benefit of the community.

Published Version link (url) DOI [BibTex]

ps Price, E., Lawless, G., Ludwig, R., Martinovic, I., Buelthoff, H. H., Black, M. J., Ahmad, A. Deep Neural Network-based Cooperative Visual Tracking through Multiple Micro Aerial Vehicles IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Robotics and Automation Letters, 3(4):3193-3200, IEEE, October 2018, Also accepted and presented in the 2018 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). (article)

Published Version link (url) DOI [BibTex]

First Impressions of Personality Traits From Body Shapes

Hu, Y., Parde, C. J., Hill, M. Q., Mahmood, N., O’Toole, A. J.

Psychological Science, 29(12):1969-–1983, October 2018 (article)

Abstract

People infer the personalities of others from their facial appearance. Whether they do so from body shapes is less studied. We explored personality inferences made from body shapes. Participants rated personality traits for male and female bodies generated with a three-dimensional body model. Multivariate spaces created from these ratings indicated that people evaluate bodies on valence and agency in ways that directly contrast positive and negative traits from the Big Five domains. Body-trait stereotypes based on the trait ratings revealed a myriad of diverse body shapes that typify individual traits. Personality-trait profiles were predicted reliably from a subset of the body-shape features used to specify the three-dimensional bodies. Body features related to extraversion and conscientiousness were predicted with the highest consensus, followed by openness traits. This study provides the first comprehensive look at the range, diversity, and reliability of personality inferences that people make from body shapes.

publisher site pdf DOI [BibTex]

ps Hu, Y., Parde, C. J., Hill, M. Q., Mahmood, N., O’Toole, A. J. First Impressions of Personality Traits From Body Shapes Psychological Science, 29(12):1969-–1983, October 2018 (article)

publisher site pdf DOI [BibTex]

Fast spatial scanning of 3D ultrasound fields via thermography

Melde, K., Qiu, T., Fischer, P.

Applied Physics Letters, 113(13):133503, September 2018 (article)

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate a thermographic method that allows rapid scanning of ultrasound fields in a volume to yield 3D maps of the sound intensity. A thin sound-absorbing membrane is continuously translated through a volume of interest while a thermal camera records the evolution of its surface temperature. The temperature rise is a function of the absorbed sound intensity, such that the thermal image sequence can be combined to reveal the sound intensity distribution in the traversed volume. We demonstrate the mapping of ultrasound fields, which is several orders of magnitude faster than scanning with a hydrophone. Our results are in very good agreement with theoretical simulations.

pf Melde, K., Qiu, T., Fischer, P. Fast spatial scanning of 3D ultrasound fields via thermography Applied Physics Letters, 113(13):133503, September 2018 (article)

Visual Perception and Evaluation of Photo-Realistic Self-Avatars From 3D Body Scans in Males and Females

Thaler, A., Piryankova, I., Stefanucci, J. K., Pujades, S., de la Rosa, S., Streuber, S., Romero, J., Black, M. J., Mohler, B. J.

Frontiers in ICT, 5, pages: 1-14, September 2018 (article)

Abstract

The creation or streaming of photo-realistic self-avatars is important for virtual reality applications that aim for perception and action to replicate real world experience. The appearance and recognition of a digital self-avatar may be especially important for applications related to telepresence, embodied virtual reality, or immersive games. We investigated gender differences in the use of visual cues (shape, texture) of a self-avatar for estimating body weight and evaluating avatar appearance. A full-body scanner was used to capture each participant's body geometry and color information and a set of 3D virtual avatars with realistic weight variations was created based on a statistical body model. Additionally, a second set of avatars was created with an average underlying body shape matched to each participant’s height and weight. In four sets of psychophysical experiments, the influence of visual cues on the accuracy of body weight estimation and the sensitivity to weight changes was assessed by manipulating body shape (own, average) and texture (own photo-realistic, checkerboard). The avatars were presented on a large-screen display, and participants responded to whether the avatar's weight corresponded to their own weight. Participants also adjusted the avatar's weight to their desired weight and evaluated the avatar's appearance with regard to similarity to their own body, uncanniness, and their willingness to accept it as a digital representation of the self. The results of the psychophysical experiments revealed no gender difference in the accuracy of estimating body weight in avatars. However, males accepted a larger weight range of the avatars as corresponding to their own. In terms of the ideal body weight, females but not males desired a thinner body. With regard to the evaluation of avatar appearance, the questionnaire responses suggest that own photo-realistic texture was more important to males for higher similarity ratings, while own body shape seemed to be more important to females. These results argue for gender-specific considerations when creating self-avatars.

pdf DOI [BibTex]

ps Thaler, A., Piryankova, I., Stefanucci, J. K., Pujades, S., de la Rosa, S., Streuber, S., Romero, J., Black, M. J., Mohler, B. J. Visual Perception and Evaluation of Photo-Realistic Self-Avatars From 3D Body Scans in Males and Females Frontiers in ICT, 5, pages: 1-14, September 2018 (article)

pdf DOI [BibTex]

Diffusion Measurements of Swimming Enzymes with Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Günther, J., Börsch, M., Fischer, P.

Accounts of Chemical Research, 51(9):1911-1920, August 2018 (article)

Abstract

Self-propelled chemical motors are chemically powered micro- or nanosized swimmers. The energy required for these motors’ active motion derives from catalytic chemical reactions and the transformation of a fuel dissolved in the solution. While self-propulsion is now well established for larger particles, it is still unclear if enzymes, nature’s nanometer-sized catalysts, are potentially also self-powered nanomotors. Because of its small size, any increase in an enzyme’s diffusion due to active self-propulsion must be observed on top of the enzyme’s passive Brownian motion, which dominates at this scale. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is a sensitive method to quantify the diffusion properties of single fluorescently labeled molecules in solution. FCS experiments have shown a general increase in the diffusion constant of a number of enzymes when the enzyme is catalytically active. Diffusion enhancements after addition of the enzyme’s substrate (and sometimes its inhibitor) of up to 80\% have been reported, which is at least 1 order of magnitude higher than what theory would predict. However, many factors contribute to the FCS signal and in particular the shape of the autocorrelation function, which underlies diffusion measurements by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. These effects need to be considered to establish if and by how much the catalytic activity changes an enzyme’s diffusion.We carefully review phenomena that can play a role in FCS experiments and the determination of enzyme diffusion, including the dissociation of enzyme oligomers upon interaction with the substrate, surface binding of the enzyme to glass during the experiment, conformational changes upon binding, and quenching of the fluorophore. We show that these effects can cause changes in the FCS signal that behave similar to an increase in diffusion. However, in the case of the enzymes F1-ATPase and alkaline phosphatase, we demonstrate that there is no measurable increase in enzyme diffusion. Rather, dissociation and conformational changes account for the changes in the FCS signal in the former and fluorophore quenching in the latter. Within the experimental accuracy of our FCS measurements, we do not observe any change in diffusion due to activity for the enzymes we have investigated.We suggest useful control experiments and additional tests for future FCS experiments that should help establish if the observed diffusion enhancement is real or if it is due to an experimental or data analysis artifact. We show that fluorescence lifetime and mean intensity measurements are essential in order to identify the nature of the observed changes in the autocorrelation function. While it is clear from theory that chemically active enzymes should also act as self-propelled nanomotors, our FCS measurements show that the associated increase in diffusion is much smaller than previously reported. Further experiments are needed to quantify the contribution of the enzymes’ catalytic activity to their self-propulsion. We hope that our findings help to establish a useful protocol for future FCS studies in this field and help establish by how much the diffusion of an enzyme is enhanced through catalytic activity.

pf Günther, J., Börsch, M., Fischer, P. Diffusion Measurements of Swimming Enzymes with Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Accounts of Chemical Research, 51(9):1911-1920, August 2018 (article)

Uphill production of dihydrogen by enzymatic oxidation of glucose without an external energy source

Suraniti, E., Merzeau, P., Roche, J., Gounel, S., Mark, A. G., Fischer, P., Mano, N., Kuhn, A.

Nature Communications, 9(1):3229, August 2018 (article)

Abstract

Chemical systems do not allow the coupling of energy from several simple reactions to drive a subsequent reaction, which takes place in the same medium and leads to a product with a higher energy than the one released during the first reaction. Gibbs energy considerations thus are not favorable to drive e.g., water splitting by the direct oxidation of glucose as a model reaction. Here, we show that it is nevertheless possible to carry out such an energetically uphill reaction, if the electrons released in the oxidation reaction are temporarily stored in an electromagnetic system, which is then used to raise the electrons' potential energy so that they can power the electrolysis of water in a second step. We thereby demonstrate the general concept that lower energy delivering chemical reactions can be used to enable the formation of higher energy consuming reaction products in a closed system.

pf Suraniti, E., Merzeau, P., Roche, J., Gounel, S., Mark, A. G., Fischer, P., Mano, N., Kuhn, A. Uphill production of dihydrogen by enzymatic oxidation of glucose without an external energy source Nature Communications, 9(1):3229, August 2018 (article)

Chemical micromotors self-assemble and self-propel by spontaneous symmetry breaking

Yu, T., Chuphal, P., Thakur, S., Reigh, S. Y., Singh, D. P., Fischer, P.

Chem. Comm., 54, pages: 11933-11936, August 2018 (article)

Abstract

Self-propelling chemical motors have thus far required the fabrication of Janus particles with an asymmetric catalyst distribution. Here, we demonstrate that simple, isotropic colloids can spontaneously assemble to yield dimer motors that self-propel. In a mixture of isotropic titanium dioxide colloids with photo-chemical catalytic activity and passive silica colloids, light illumination causes diffusiophoretic attractions between the active and passive particles and leads to the formation of dimers. The dimers constitute a symmetry-broken motor, whose dynamics can be fully controlled by the illumination conditions. Computer simulations reproduce the dynamics of the colloids and are in good agreement with experiments. The current work presents a simple route to obtain large numbers of self-propelling chemical motors from a dispersion of spherically symmetric colloids through spontaneous symmetry breaking.

pf Yu, T., Chuphal, P., Thakur, S., Reigh, S. Y., Singh, D. P., Fischer, P. Chemical micromotors self-assemble and self-propel by spontaneous symmetry breaking Chem. Comm., 54, pages: 11933-11936, August 2018 (article)

Chemotaxis of Active Janus Nanoparticles

Popescu, M. N., Uspal, W. E., Bechinger, C., Fischer, P.

Nano Letters, 18(9):5345–5349, July 2018 (article)

Abstract

While colloids and molecules in solution exhibit passive Brownian motion, particles that are partially covered with a catalyst, which promotes the transformation of a fuel dissolved in the solution, can actively move. These active Janus particles are known as “chemical nanomotors” or self-propelling “swimmers” and have been realized with a range of catalysts, sizes, and particle geometries. Because their active translation depends on the fuel concentration, one expects that active colloidal particles should also be able to swim toward a fuel source. Synthesizing and engineering nanoparticles with distinct chemotactic properties may enable important developments, such as particles that can autonomously swim along a pH gradient toward a tumor. Chemotaxis requires that the particles possess an active coupling of their orientation to a chemical gradient. In this Perspective we provide a simple, intuitive description of the underlying mechanisms for chemotaxis, as well as the means to analyze and classify active particles that can show positive or negative chemotaxis. The classification provides guidance for engineering a specific response and is a useful organizing framework for the quantitative analysis and modeling of chemotactic behaviors. Chemotaxis is emerging as an important focus area in the field of active colloids and promises a number of fascinating applications for nanoparticles and particle-based delivery.

pf Popescu, M. N., Uspal, W. E., Bechinger, C., Fischer, P. Chemotaxis of Active Janus Nanoparticles Nano Letters, 18(9):5345–5349, July 2018 (article)

pdf video Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

Robust Physics-based Motion Retargeting with Realistic Body Shapes

Borno, M. A., Righetti, L., Black, M. J., Delp, S. L., Fiume, E., Romero, J.

Computer Graphics Forum, 37, pages: 6:1-12, July 2018 (article)

Abstract

Motion capture is often retargeted to new, and sometimes drastically different, characters. When the characters take on realistic human shapes, however, we become more sensitive to the motion looking right. This means adapting it to be consistent with the physical constraints imposed by different body shapes. We show how to take realistic 3D human shapes, approximate them using a simplified representation, and animate them so that they move realistically using physically-based retargeting. We develop a novel spacetime optimization approach that learns and robustly adapts physical controllers to new bodies and constraints. The approach automatically adapts the motion of the mocap subject to the body shape of a target subject. This motion respects the physical properties of the new body and every body shape results in a different and appropriate movement. This makes it easy to create a varied set of motions from a single mocap sequence by simply varying the characters. In an interactive environment, successful retargeting requires adapting the motion to unexpected external forces. We achieve robustness to such forces using a novel LQR-tree formulation. We show that the simulated motions look appropriate to each character’s anatomy and their actions are robust to perturbations.

mg ps

mg ps Borno, M. A., Righetti, L., Black, M. J., Delp, S. L., Fiume, E., Romero, J. Robust Physics-based Motion Retargeting with Realistic Body Shapes Computer Graphics Forum, 37, pages: 6:1-12, July 2018 (article)

pdf video Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

Bioinspired microrobots

Palagi, S., Fischer, P.

Nature Reviews Materials, 3, pages: 113–124, May 2018 (article)

Abstract

Microorganisms can move in complex media, respond to the environment and self-organize. The field of microrobotics strives to achieve these functions in mobile robotic systems of sub-millimetre size. However, miniaturization of traditional robots and their control systems to the microscale is not a viable approach. A promising alternative strategy in developing microrobots is to implement sensing, actuation and control directly in the materials, thereby mimicking biological matter. In this Review, we discuss design principles and materials for the implementation of robotic functionalities in microrobots. We examine different biological locomotion strategies, and we discuss how they can be artificially recreated in magnetic microrobots and how soft materials improve control and performance. We show that smart, stimuli-responsive materials can act as on-board sensors and actuators and that ‘active matter’ enables autonomous motion, navigation and collective behaviours. Finally, we provide a critical outlook for the field of microrobotics and highlight the challenges that need to be overcome to realize sophisticated microrobots, which one day might rival biological machines.

pf Palagi, S., Fischer, P. Bioinspired microrobots Nature Reviews Materials, 3, pages: 113–124, May 2018 (article)

Graphene-silver hybrid devices for sensitive photodetection in the ultraviolet

Paria, D., Jeong, H. H., Vadakkumbatt, V., Deshpande, P., Fischer, P., Ghosh, A., Ghosh, A.

Nanoscale, 10, pages: 7685-7693, April 2018 (article)

Abstract

The weak light-matter interaction in graphene can be enhanced with a number of strategies, among which sensitization with plasmonic nanostructures is particularly attractive. This has resulted in the development of graphene-plasmonic hybrid systems with strongly enhanced photodetection efficiencies in the visible and the IR, but none in the UV. Here, we describe a silver nanoparticle-graphene stacked optoelectronic device that shows strong enhancement of its photoresponse across the entire UV spectrum. The device fabrication strategy is scalable and modular. Self-assembly techniques are combined with physical shadow growth techniques to fabricate a regular large-area array of 50 nm silver nanoparticles onto which CVD graphene is transferred. The presence of the silver nanoparticles resulted in a plasmonically enhanced photoresponse as high as 3.2 A W-1 in the wavelength range from 330 nm to 450 nm. At lower wavelengths, close to the Van Hove singularity of the density of states in graphene, we measured an even higher responsivity of 14.5 A W-1 at 280 nm, which corresponds to a more than 10 000-fold enhancement over the photoresponse of native graphene.

pf Paria, D., Jeong, H. H., Vadakkumbatt, V., Deshpande, P., Fischer, P., Ghosh, A., Ghosh, A. Graphene-silver hybrid devices for sensitive photodetection in the ultraviolet Nanoscale, 10, pages: 7685-7693, April 2018 (article)

Nanoparticles on the move for medicine

Fischer, P.

Physics World Focus on Nanotechnology, pages: 26028, (Editors: Margaret Harris), IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors, April 2018 (article)

Abstract

Peer Fischer outlines the prospects for creating “nanoswimmers” that can be steered through the body to deliver drugs directly to their targets Molecules don’t move very fast on their own. If they had to rely solely on diffusion – a slow and inefficient process linked to the Brownian motion of small particles and molecules in solution – then a protein molecule, for instance, would take around three weeks to travel a single centimetre down a nerve fibre. This is why active transport mechanisms exist in cells and in the human body: without them, all the processes of life would happen at a pace that would make snails look speedy.

pf Fischer, P. Nanoparticles on the move for medicine Physics World Focus on Nanotechnology, pages: 26028, (Editors: Margaret Harris), IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors, April 2018 (article)

Assessing body image in anorexia nervosa using biometric self-avatars in virtual reality: Attitudinal components rather than visual body size estimation are distorted

Mölbert, S. C., Thaler, A., Mohler, B. J., Streuber, S., Romero, J., Black, M. J., Zipfel, S., Karnath, H., Giel, K. E.

Psychological Medicine, 48(4):642-653, March 2018 (article)

Abstract

Background: Body image disturbance (BID) is a core symptom of anorexia nervosa (AN), but as yet distinctive features of BID are unknown. The present study aimed at disentangling perceptual and attitudinal components of BID in AN. Methods: We investigated n=24 women with AN and n=24 controls. Based on a 3D body scan, we created realistic virtual 3D bodies (avatars) for each participant that were varied through a range of ±20% of the participants' weights. Avatars were presented in a virtual reality mirror scenario. Using different psychophysical tasks, participants identified and adjusted their actual and their desired body weight. To test for general perceptual biases in estimating body weight, a second experiment investigated perception of weight and shape matched avatars with another identity. Results: Women with AN and controls underestimated their weight, with a trend that women with AN underestimated more. The average desired body of controls had normal weight while the average desired weight of women with AN corresponded to extreme AN (DSM-5). Correlation analyses revealed that desired body weight, but not accuracy of weight estimation, was associated with eating disorder symptoms. In the second experiment, both groups estimated accurately while the most attractive body was similar to Experiment 1. Conclusions: Our results contradict the widespread assumption that patients with AN overestimate their body weight due to visual distortions. Rather, they illustrate that BID might be driven by distorted attitudes with regard to the desired body. Clinical interventions should aim at helping patients with AN to change their desired weight.

doi pdf DOI Project Page [BibTex]

ps Mölbert, S. C., Thaler, A., Mohler, B. J., Streuber, S., Romero, J., Black, M. J., Zipfel, S., Karnath, H., Giel, K. E. Assessing body image in anorexia nervosa using biometric self-avatars in virtual reality: Attitudinal components rather than visual body size estimation are distorted Psychological Medicine, 48(4):642-653, March 2018 (article)

doi pdf DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Photogravitactic Microswimmers

Singh, D. P., Uspal, W. E., Popescu, M. N., Wilson, L. G., Fischer, P.

Adv. Func. Mat., 28, pages: 1706660, Febuary 2018 (article)

Abstract

Abstract Phototactic microorganisms are commonly observed to respond to natural sunlight by swimming upward against gravity. This study demonstrates that synthetic photochemically active microswimmers can also swim against gravity. The particles initially sediment and, when illuminated at low light intensities exhibit wall‐bound states of motion near the bottom surface. Upon increasing the intensity of light, the artificial swimmers lift off from the wall and swim against gravity and away from the light source. This motion in the bulk has been further confirmed using holographic microscopy. A theoretical model is presented within the framework of self‐diffusiophoresis, which allows to unequivocally identify the photochemical activity and the phototactic response as key mechanisms in the observed phenomenology. Since the lift‐off threshold intensity depends on the particle size, it can be exploited to selectively address particles with the same density from a polydisperse mixture of active particles and move them in or out of the boundary region. This study provides a simple design strategy to fabricate artificial microswimmers whose two‐ or three‐dimensional swimming behavior can be controlled with light.

pf Singh, D. P., Uspal, W. E., Popescu, M. N., Wilson, L. G., Fischer, P. Photogravitactic Microswimmers Adv. Func. Mat., 28, pages: 1706660, Febuary 2018 (article)

Chiral Plasmonic Hydrogen Sensors

Matuschek, M., Singh, D. P., Hyeon-Ho, J., Nesterov, M., Weiss, T., Fischer, P., Neubrech, F., Na Liu, L.

Small, 14(7):1702990, Febuary 2018 (article)

Abstract

In this article, a chiral plasmonic hydrogen‐sensing platform using palladium‐based nanohelices is demonstrated. Such 3D chiral nanostructures fabricated by nanoglancing angle deposition exhibit strong circular dichroism both experimentally and theoretically. The chiroptical properties of the palladium nanohelices are altered upon hydrogen uptake and sensitively depend on the hydrogen concentration. Such properties are well suited for remote and spark‐free hydrogen sensing in the flammable range. Hysteresis is reduced, when an increasing amount of gold is utilized in the palladium‐gold hybrid helices. As a result, the linearity of the circular dichroism in response to hydrogen is significantly improved. The chiral plasmonic sensor scheme is of potential interest for hydrogen‐sensing applications, where good linearity and high sensitivity are required.

pf Matuschek, M., Singh, D. P., Hyeon-Ho, J., Nesterov, M., Weiss, T., Fischer, P., Neubrech, F., Na Liu, L. Chiral Plasmonic Hydrogen Sensors Small, 14(7):1702990, Febuary 2018 (article)

Body size estimation of self and others in females varying in BMI

Thaler, A., Geuss, M. N., Mölbert, S. C., Giel, K. E., Streuber, S., Romero, J., Black, M. J., Mohler, B. J.

PLoS ONE, 13(2), Febuary 2018 (article)

Abstract

Previous literature suggests that a disturbed ability to accurately identify own body size may contribute to overweight. Here, we investigated the influence of personal body size, indexed by body mass index (BMI), on body size estimation in a non-clinical population of females varying in BMI. We attempted to disentangle general biases in body size estimates and attitudinal influences by manipulating whether participants believed the body stimuli (personalized avatars with realistic weight variations) represented their own body or that of another person. Our results show that the accuracy of own body size estimation is predicted by personal BMI, such that participants with lower BMI underestimated their body size and participants with higher BMI overestimated their body size. Further, participants with higher BMI were less likely to notice the same percentage of weight gain than participants with lower BMI. Importantly, these results were only apparent when participants were judging a virtual body that was their own identity (Experiment 1), but not when they estimated the size of a body with another identity and the same underlying body shape (Experiment 2a). The different influences of BMI on accuracy of body size estimation and sensitivity to weight change for self and other identity suggests that effects of BMI on visual body size estimation are self-specific and not generalizable to other bodies.

ps Thaler, A., Geuss, M. N., Mölbert, S. C., Giel, K. E., Streuber, S., Romero, J., Black, M. J., Mohler, B. J. Body size estimation of self and others in females varying in BMI PLoS ONE, 13(2), Febuary 2018 (article)

Acoustic Fabrication via the Assembly and Fusion of Particles

Melde, K., Choi, E., Wu, Z., Palagi, S., Qiu, T., Fischer, P.

Advanced Materials, 30(3):1704507, January 2018 (article)

Abstract

Acoustic assembly promises a route toward rapid parallel fabrication of whole objects directly from solution. This study reports the contact-free and maskless assembly, and fixing of silicone particles into arbitrary 2D shapes using ultrasound fields. Ultrasound passes through an acoustic hologram to form a target image. The particles assemble from a suspension along lines of high pressure in the image due to acoustic radiation forces and are then fixed (crosslinked) in a UV-triggered reaction. For this, the particles are loaded with a photoinitiator by solvent-induced swelling. This localizes the reaction and allows the bulk suspension to be reused. The final fabricated parts are mechanically stable and self-supporting.

pf Melde, K., Choi, E., Wu, Z., Palagi, S., Qiu, T., Fischer, P. Acoustic Fabrication via the Assembly and Fusion of Particles Advanced Materials, 30(3):1704507, January 2018 (article)

Transmission x-ray microscopy at low temperatures: Irregular supercurrent flow at small length scales

Simmendinger, J., Ruoss, S., Stahl, C., Weigand, M., Gräfe, J., Schütz, G., Albrecht, J.

{Physical Review B}, 97(13), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2018 (article)

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mms Simmendinger, J., Ruoss, S., Stahl, C., Weigand, M., Gräfe, J., Schütz, G., Albrecht, J. Transmission x-ray microscopy at low temperatures: Irregular supercurrent flow at small length scales {Physical Review B}, 97(13), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2018 (article)

Assessment methodology of promising porous materials for near ambient temperature hydrogen storage applications

Minuto, F. D., Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Policicchio, A., Hirscher, M., Agostino, R. G.

{International Journal of Hydrogen Energy}, 43(31):14550-14556, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2018 (article)

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mms Minuto, F. D., Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Policicchio, A., Hirscher, M., Agostino, R. G. Assessment methodology of promising porous materials for near ambient temperature hydrogen storage applications {International Journal of Hydrogen Energy}, 43(31):14550-14556, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2018 (article)

Incorporation of Terbium into a Microalga Leads to Magnetotactic Swimmers

Santomauro, G., Singh, A., Park, B. W., Mohammadrahimi, M., Erkoc, P., Goering, E., Schütz, G., Sitti, M., Bill, J.

Advanced Biosystems, 2(12):1800039, 2018 (article)

mms pi

[BibTex]

mms pi Santomauro, G., Singh, A., Park, B. W., Mohammadrahimi, M., Erkoc, P., Goering, E., Schütz, G., Sitti, M., Bill, J. Incorporation of Terbium into a Microalga Leads to Magnetotactic Swimmers Advanced Biosystems, 2(12):1800039, 2018 (article)

[BibTex]

Thermodynamics, kinetics and selectivity of H2 and D2 on zeolite 5A below 77K

Xiong, R., Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Zhang, L., Li, P., Yao, Y., Sang, G., Chen, C., Tang, T., Luo, D., Hirscher, M.

{Microporous and Mesoporous Materials}, 264, pages: 22-27, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2018 (article)

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mms Xiong, R., Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Zhang, L., Li, P., Yao, Y., Sang, G., Chen, C., Tang, T., Luo, D., Hirscher, M. Thermodynamics, kinetics and selectivity of H2 and D2 on zeolite 5A below 77K {Microporous and Mesoporous Materials}, 264, pages: 22-27, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2018 (article)

Volumetric hydrogen storage capacity in metal-organic frameworks

Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Schlichtenmayer, M., Hirscher, M.

{Energy Technology}, 6(3):578-582, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

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mms Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Schlichtenmayer, M., Hirscher, M. Volumetric hydrogen storage capacity in metal-organic frameworks {Energy Technology}, 6(3):578-582, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

Temporal Human Action Segmentation via Dynamic Clustering

Zhang, Y., Sun, H., Tang, S., Neumann, H.

arXiv preprint arXiv:1803.05790, 2018 (article)

Abstract

We present an effective dynamic clustering algorithm for the task of temporal human action segmentation, which has comprehensive applications such as robotics, motion analysis, and patient monitoring. Our proposed algorithm is unsupervised, fast, generic to process various types of features, and applica- ble in both the online and offline settings. We perform extensive experiments of processing data streams, and show that our algorithm achieves the state-of- the-art results for both online and offline settings.

ps Zhang, Y., Sun, H., Tang, S., Neumann, H. Temporal Human Action Segmentation via Dynamic Clustering arXiv preprint arXiv:1803.05790, 2018 (article)

Motion Segmentation & Multiple Object Tracking by Correlation Co-Clustering

Keuper, M., Tang, S., Andres, B., Brox, T., Schiele, B.

IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 2018 (article)

ps Keuper, M., Tang, S., Andres, B., Brox, T., Schiele, B. Motion Segmentation & Multiple Object Tracking by Correlation Co-Clustering IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 2018 (article)

3D nanoprinted plastic kinoform x-ray optics

Sanli, U. T., Ceylan, H., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Sitti, M., Schütz, G., Keskinbora, K.

{Advanced Materials}, 30(36), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

mms pi

mms pi Sanli, U. T., Ceylan, H., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Sitti, M., Schütz, G., Keskinbora, K. 3D nanoprinted plastic kinoform x-ray optics {Advanced Materials}, 30(36), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

High volumetric hydrogen storage capacity using interpenetrated metal-organic frameworks

Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Schmieder, P., Denysenko, D., Volkmer, D., Hirscher, M.

{Energy Technology}, 6(3):510-512, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

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mms Balderas-Xicohténcatl, R., Schmieder, P., Denysenko, D., Volkmer, D., Hirscher, M. High volumetric hydrogen storage capacity using interpenetrated metal-organic frameworks {Energy Technology}, 6(3):510-512, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

Thick permalloy films for the imaging of spin texture dynamics in perpendicularly magnetized systems

Finizio, S., Wintz, S., Bracher, D., Kirk, E., Semisalova, A. S., Förster, J., Zeissler, K., We\ssels, T., Weigand, M., Lenz, K., Kleibert, A., Raabe, J.

{Physical Review B}, 98(10), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2018 (article)

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mms Finizio, S., Wintz, S., Bracher, D., Kirk, E., Semisalova, A. S., Förster, J., Zeissler, K., We\ssels, T., Weigand, M., Lenz, K., Kleibert, A., Raabe, J. Thick permalloy films for the imaging of spin texture dynamics in perpendicularly magnetized systems {Physical Review B}, 98(10), American Physical Society, Woodbury, NY, 2018 (article)

Dynamic Janus metasurfaces in the visible spectral region

Yu, P., Li, J., Zhang, S., Jin, Z., Schütz, G., Qiu, C., Hirscher, M., Liu, N.

{Nano Letters}, 18(7):4584-4589, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2018 (article)

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mms Yu, P., Li, J., Zhang, S., Jin, Z., Schütz, G., Qiu, C., Hirscher, M., Liu, N. Dynamic Janus metasurfaces in the visible spectral region {Nano Letters}, 18(7):4584-4589, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2018 (article)

Review of ultrafast demagnetization after femtosecond laser pulses: A complex interaction of light with quantum matter

Fähnle, M., Haag, M., Illg, C., Müller, B. Y., Weng, W., Tsatsoulis, T., Huang, H., Briones Paz, J. Z., Teeny, N., Zhang, L., Kuhn, T.

{American Journal of Modern Physics}, 7(2):68-74, Science Publishing Group, New York, NY, 2018 (article)

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mms Fähnle, M., Haag, M., Illg, C., Müller, B. Y., Weng, W., Tsatsoulis, T., Huang, H., Briones Paz, J. Z., Teeny, N., Zhang, L., Kuhn, T. Review of ultrafast demagnetization after femtosecond laser pulses: A complex interaction of light with quantum matter {American Journal of Modern Physics}, 7(2):68-74, Science Publishing Group, New York, NY, 2018 (article)

Direct observation of Zhang-Li torque expansion of magnetic droplet solitons

Chung, S., Tuan Le, Q., Ahlberg, M., Awad, A. A., Weigand, M., Bykova, I., Khymyn, R., Dvornik, M., Mazraati, H., Houshang, A., Jiang, S., Nguyen, T. N. A., Goering, E., Schütz, G., Gräfe, J., \AAkerman, J.

{Physical Review Letters}, 120(21), American Physical Society, Woodbury, N.Y., 2018 (article)

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mms Chung, S., Tuan Le, Q., Ahlberg, M., Awad, A. A., Weigand, M., Bykova, I., Khymyn, R., Dvornik, M., Mazraati, H., Houshang, A., Jiang, S., Nguyen, T. N. A., Goering, E., Schütz, G., Gräfe, J., \AAkerman, J. Direct observation of Zhang-Li torque expansion of magnetic droplet solitons {Physical Review Letters}, 120(21), American Physical Society, Woodbury, N.Y., 2018 (article)

Current-induced skyrmion generation through morphological thermal transitions in chiral ferromagnetic heterostructures

Lemesh, I., Litzius, K., Böttcher, M., Bassirian, P., Kerber, N., Heinze, D., Zázvorka, J., Büttner, F., Caretta, L., Mann, M., Weigand, M., Finizio, S., Raabe, J., Im, M., Stoll, H., Schütz, G., Dupé, B., Kläui, M., Beach, G. S. D.

{Advanced Materials}, 30(49), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

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mms Lemesh, I., Litzius, K., Böttcher, M., Bassirian, P., Kerber, N., Heinze, D., Zázvorka, J., Büttner, F., Caretta, L., Mann, M., Weigand, M., Finizio, S., Raabe, J., Im, M., Stoll, H., Schütz, G., Dupé, B., Kläui, M., Beach, G. S. D. Current-induced skyrmion generation through morphological thermal transitions in chiral ferromagnetic heterostructures {Advanced Materials}, 30(49), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

3d nanofabrication of high-resolution multilayer Fresnel zone plates

Sanli, U. T., Jiao, C., Baluktsian, M., Grévent, C., Hahn, K., Wang, Y., Srot, V., Richter, G., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Schütz, G., Keskinbora, K.

{Advanced Science}, 5(9), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

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mms Sanli, U. T., Jiao, C., Baluktsian, M., Grévent, C., Hahn, K., Wang, Y., Srot, V., Richter, G., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Schütz, G., Keskinbora, K. 3d nanofabrication of high-resolution multilayer Fresnel zone plates {Advanced Science}, 5(9), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2018 (article)

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction by Cr-substituted Ba2(In2-xCrx)O5\mbox⋅(H2O)δ(0.04 ≤x ≤0.60)

Yoon, S., Gaul, M., Sharma, S., Son, K., Hagemann, H., Ziegenbalg, D., Schwingenschlogl, U., Widenmeyer, M., Weidenkaff, A.

{Solid State Sciences}, 78, pages: 22-29, Elsevier Masson SAS, Paris, 2018 (article)

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mms Yoon, S., Gaul, M., Sharma, S., Son, K., Hagemann, H., Ziegenbalg, D., Schwingenschlogl, U., Widenmeyer, M., Weidenkaff, A. Photocatalytic CO2 reduction by Cr-substituted Ba2(In2-xCrx)O5\mbox⋅(H2O)δ(0.04 ≤x ≤0.60) {Solid State Sciences}, 78, pages: 22-29, Elsevier Masson SAS, Paris, 2018 (article)

Correction of axial position uncertainty and systematic detector errors in ptychographic diffraction imaging

Loetgering, L., Rose, M., Keskinbora, K., Baluktsian, M., Dogan, G., Sanli, U., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Schütz, G., Wilhein, T.

{Optical Engineering}, 57(8), The Society, Redondo Beach, Calif., 2018 (article)

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mms Loetgering, L., Rose, M., Keskinbora, K., Baluktsian, M., Dogan, G., Sanli, U., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Schütz, G., Wilhein, T. Correction of axial position uncertainty and systematic detector errors in ptychographic diffraction imaging {Optical Engineering}, 57(8), The Society, Redondo Beach, Calif., 2018 (article)

The role of surface oxides on hydrogen sorption kinetics in titanium thin films

Hadjixenophontos, E., Michalek, L., Roussel, M., Hirscher, M., Schmitz, G.

{Applied Surface Science}, 441, pages: 324-330, Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, 2018 (article)

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mms Hadjixenophontos, E., Michalek, L., Roussel, M., Hirscher, M., Schmitz, G. The role of surface oxides on hydrogen sorption kinetics in titanium thin films {Applied Surface Science}, 441, pages: 324-330, Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, 2018 (article)

Ferromagnetism in nitrogen and fluorine substituted BaTiO3

Yoon, S., Son, K., Ebbinghaus, S. G., Widenmeyer, M., Weidenkaff, A.

{Journal of Alloys and Compounds}, 749, pages: 628-633, Elsevier B.V., Lausanne, Switzerland, 2018 (article)

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mms Yoon, S., Son, K., Ebbinghaus, S. G., Widenmeyer, M., Weidenkaff, A. Ferromagnetism in nitrogen and fluorine substituted BaTiO3 {Journal of Alloys and Compounds}, 749, pages: 628-633, Elsevier B.V., Lausanne, Switzerland, 2018 (article)

New concepts for 3d optics in x-ray microscopy

Sanli, U., Ceylan, H., Jiao, C., Baluktsian, M., Grevent, C., Hahn, K., Wang, Y., Srot, V., Richter, G., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Sitti, M., Schütz, G., Keskinbora, K.

{Microscopy and Microanalysis}, 24(Suppl 2):288-289, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, 2018 (article)

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mms Sanli, U., Ceylan, H., Jiao, C., Baluktsian, M., Grevent, C., Hahn, K., Wang, Y., Srot, V., Richter, G., Bykova, I., Weigand, M., Sitti, M., Schütz, G., Keskinbora, K. New concepts for 3d optics in x-ray microscopy {Microscopy and Microanalysis}, 24(Suppl 2):288-289, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, 2018 (article)

Spin-wave interference in magnetic vortex stacks

Behncke, C., Adolff, C. F., Lenzing, N., Hänze, M., Schulte, B., Weigand, M., Schütz, G., Meier, G.

{Communications Physics}, 1, Nature Publishing Group, London, 2018 (article)

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mms Behncke, C., Adolff, C. F., Lenzing, N., Hänze, M., Schulte, B., Weigand, M., Schütz, G., Meier, G. Spin-wave interference in magnetic vortex stacks {Communications Physics}, 1, Nature Publishing Group, London, 2018 (article)

High-throughput synthesis of modified Fresnel zone plate arrays via ion beam lithography

Keskinbora, K., Sanli, U. T., Baluktsian, M., Grévent, C., Weigand, M., Schütz, G.

{Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology}, 9, pages: 2049-2056, Beilstein-Institut, Frankfurt am Main, 2018 (article)

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mms Keskinbora, K., Sanli, U. T., Baluktsian, M., Grévent, C., Weigand, M., Schütz, G. High-throughput synthesis of modified Fresnel zone plate arrays via ion beam lithography {Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology}, 9, pages: 2049-2056, Beilstein-Institut, Frankfurt am Main, 2018 (article)

Deterministic creation and deletion of a single magnetic skyrmion observed by direct time-resolved X-ray microscopy

Woo, S., Song, K. M., Zhang, X., Ezawa, M., Zhou, Y., Liu, X., Weigand, M., Finizio, S., Raabe, J., Park, M.-C., Lee, K.-Y., Choi, J. W., Min, B.-C., Koo, H. C., Chang, J.

{Nature Electronics}, 1(5):288-296, Springer Nature, London, 2018 (article)

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mms Woo, S., Song, K. M., Zhang, X., Ezawa, M., Zhou, Y., Liu, X., Weigand, M., Finizio, S., Raabe, J., Park, M.-C., Lee, K.-Y., Choi, J. W., Min, B.-C., Koo, H. C., Chang, J. Deterministic creation and deletion of a single magnetic skyrmion observed by direct time-resolved X-ray microscopy {Nature Electronics}, 1(5):288-296, Springer Nature, London, 2018 (article)

Magnetic skyrmion as a nonlinear resistive element: A potential building block for reservoir computing

Prychynenko, D., Sitte, M., Litzius, K., Krüger, B., Bourianoff, G., Kläui, M., Sinova, J., Everschor-Sitte, K.

{Physical Review Applied}, 9(1), American Physical Society, College Park, Md. [u.a.], 2018 (article)

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mms Prychynenko, D., Sitte, M., Litzius, K., Krüger, B., Bourianoff, G., Kläui, M., Sinova, J., Everschor-Sitte, K. Magnetic skyrmion as a nonlinear resistive element: A potential building block for reservoir computing {Physical Review Applied}, 9(1), American Physical Society, College Park, Md. [u.a.], 2018 (article)

Tunable geometrical frustration in magnoic vortex crystals

Behncke, C., Adolff, C. F., Wintz, S., Hänze, M., Schulte, B., Weigand, M., Finizio, S., Raabe, J., Meier, G.

{Scientific Reports}, 8, Nature Publishing Group, London, UK, 2018 (article)

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mms Behncke, C., Adolff, C. F., Wintz, S., Hänze, M., Schulte, B., Weigand, M., Finizio, S., Raabe, J., Meier, G. Tunable geometrical frustration in magnoic vortex crystals {Scientific Reports}, 8, Nature Publishing Group, London, UK, 2018 (article)

2017

Active colloidal propulsion over a crystalline surface

Choudhury, U., Straube, A., Fischer, P., Gibbs, J., Höfling, F.

New Journal of Physics, 19, pages: 125010, December 2017 (article)

Abstract

We study both experimentally and theoretically the dynamics of chemically self-propelled Janus colloids moving atop a two-dimensional crystalline surface. The surface is a hexagonally close-packed monolayer of colloidal particles of the same size as the mobile one. The dynamics of the self-propelled colloid reflects the competition between hindered diffusion due to the periodic surface and enhanced diffusion due to active motion. Which contribution dominates depends on the propulsion strength, which can be systematically tuned by changing the concentration of a chemical fuel. The mean-square displacements obtained from the experiment exhibit enhanced diffusion at long lag times. Our experimental data are consistent with a Langevin model for the effectively two-dimensional translational motion of an active Brownian particle in a periodic potential, combining the confining effects of gravity and the crystalline surface with the free rotational diffusion of the colloid. Approximate analytical predictions are made for the mean-square displacement describing the crossover from free Brownian motion at short times to active diffusion at long times. The results are in semi-quantitative agreement with numerical results of a refined Langevin model that treats translational and rotational degrees of freedom on the same footing.

2017

pf Choudhury, U., Straube, A., Fischer, P., Gibbs, J., Höfling, F. Active colloidal propulsion over a crystalline surface New Journal of Physics, 19, pages: 125010, December 2017 (article)

Wireless Acoustic-Surface Actuators for Miniaturized Endoscopes

Qiu, T., Adams, F., Palagi, S., Melde, K., Mark, A. G., Wetterauer, U., Miernik, A., Fischer, P.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9(49):42536 - 42543, November 2017 (article)

Abstract

Endoscopy enables minimally invasive procedures in many medical fields, such as urology. However, current endoscopes are normally cable-driven, which limits their dexterity and makes them hard to miniaturize. Indeed current urological endoscopes have an outer diameter of about 3 mm and still only possess one bending degree of freedom. In this paper, we report a novel wireless actuation mechanism that increases the dexterity and that permits the miniaturization of a urological endoscope. The novel actuator consists of thin active surfaces that can be readily attached to any device and are wirelessly powered by ultrasound. The surfaces consist of two-dimensional arrays of micro-bubbles, which oscillate under ultrasound excitation and thereby generate an acoustic streaming force. Bubbles of different sizes are addressed by their unique resonance frequency, thus multiple degrees of freedom can readily be incorporated. Two active miniaturized devices (with a side length of around 1 mm) are demonstrated: a miniaturized mechanical arm that realizes two degrees of freedom, and a flexible endoscope prototype equipped with a camera at the tip. With the flexible endoscope, an active endoscopic examination is successfully performed in a rabbit bladder. This results show the potential medical applicability of surface actuators wirelessly powered by ultrasound penetrating through biological tissues.

pf Qiu, T., Adams, F., Palagi, S., Melde, K., Mark, A. G., Wetterauer, U., Miernik, A., Fischer, P. Wireless Acoustic-Surface Actuators for Miniaturized Endoscopes ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9(49):42536 - 42543, November 2017 (article)