Page Content
to Navigation
Ph.D Theses
Leveraging novel information sources for protein structure prediction
Michael Bohlke-Schneider, December 2015
Three-dimensional protein structures are an invaluable stepping stone towards the understanding of cellular processes. Not surprisingly, state-of-the-art structure prediction methods heavily rely on information. This thesis aims to leverage new information sources: Physicochemical information encoded in predicted structure models and experimental data from high-density cross-linking / mass spectrometry (CLMS) experiments. We demonstrate that these information sources allow improved structure prediction and the reconstruction of human serum albumin domain structures from experimental data collected in its native environment, human blood serum.
- © Robotics
Multimodal human computer interaction in virtual realities based on an exoskeleton
Ingo Kossyk, August 2012
The key features of this system are a high degree of immersion into the computer generated virtual environment and a large working volume. The high degree of immersion will be achieved by multimodal human-exoskeleton interaction based on haptic effects, audio and three- dimensional visualization. The large working volume will be achieved by a lightweight wearable construction that can be carried on the back of the user.
- © RBO
Ef cient Motion Planning for Intuitive Task Execution in Modular Manipulation Systems
Markus Rickert, Mai 2011
Computationally efficient motion planning mus avoid exhaustive exploration of high-dimensional configuration spaces by leveraging the structure present in real-world planning problems. We argue that this can be accomplished most effectively by carefully balancing exploration and exploitation.
Exploration seeks to understand configuration space,
irrespective of the planning problem, and exploitation acts to
solve the problem, given the available information obtained
by exploration. We present an exploring/exploiting tree (EET)
planner that balances its exploration and exploitation behavior.
The planner acquires workspace information and subsequently
uses this information for exploitation in configuration space. If
exploitation fails in difficult regions the planner gradually shifts
to its behavior towards exploration.
- © Robotics
Interactive Perception of Articulated Objects for Autonomous Manipulation
Dov Katz, 2011
This thesis develops robotic skills for manipulating novel articulated objects. The degrees of freedom of an articulated object describe the relationship among its rigid bodies, and are often relevant to the object's intended function. Examples of everyday articulated objects include scissors, pliers, doors, door handles, books, and drawers. Autonomous manipulation of articulated objects is therefore a prerequisite for many robotic applications in our everyday environments.
- © Computational Biology Lab
Adaptive Balancing of Exploitation with Exploration to Improve Protein Structure Prediction
TJ Brunette, 2011
The most significant impediment for protein structure prediction is the inadequacy of conformation space search. Conformation space is too large and the energy landscape too rugged for existing search methods to consistently find near-optimal minima.
Exploiting Structure: A Guided Approach to Sampling-Based Robot Motion Planning
Brendan Burns, 2007
Robots already impact the way we understand our world and live our lives. However, their impact and use is limited by the skills they possess. Currently deployed autonomous robots lack the manipulation skills possessed by humans. To achieve general autonomy and applicability in the real world, robots must possess such skills.
Predicting protein contacts by combining information from sequence and physicochemistry
Kolja Stahl, February 2016
In this thesis we present a new contact predictor that combines evolutionary, sequence-based and physicochemical information. The contact predictor uses a new and refined feature set with drastically reduced dimensionality.
Force-Controlled Action Primitives for Interactive Perception
Georg Flick, Oct 2015
Advisors: Roberto Martín-Martín, Sebastian Höfer and Oliver Brock
Interactive Perception exploits the robot capabilities to interact with the environment to reveal hidden properties, like the kinematic structures of articulated objects. However, when the robot faces a new environment, it needs to decide on how to interact to maximize the information gain based on sensor data, and use compliant controllers that allow the articulation to guide the motion...
- © Robotics
Increasing the Stiffness of a Pneumatic Actuator with Granular and Layer Jamming
Vincent Wall, May 2014
The ability to selectively stiffen otherwise compliant soft actuators increases their versatility and dexterity. The thesis investigates granular jamming and layer jamming as two possible methods to achieve stiffening with PneuFlex actuators, a type of soft continuum actuator. It details five designs of jamming compartments that can be attached to an actuator. The strength of the most effective prototype based on layer jamming is also validated in the context of pushing buttons.
- © Copyright??
Motion Planning in Dynamic Environments
with Probabilistic Connectivity Roadmaps
Peter Lehner, March 2014
We present an incremental method for motion generation in environments with unpredictably moving and initially unknown obstacles. The key to the method is its incremental nature: it locally augments and adapts global motion plans in response to changes in the environment, even if they significantly change the connectivity of the world.
- © Robotics
Shifting the Boundary Between Planning and Control - Task-Consistent Motion Generation in Unstructured Environments
Nicolas Kuhnen, October 2012
In this thesis we present a motion generation approach that shifts the boundary between planning and control methods to generate task-consistent motion under uncertainty.
Using recurring spatially contiguous substructures in the Protein Database for protein structure prediction
Mahmoud Mabrouk, November 2012
In this work, we present a new approach for protein structure prediction using a novel source of information: Building Blocks. These are sequentially non-continuous, but structurally contiguous, structural motifs that are retrieved according to a given sequence.
Aligning a Sequence to Non-contiguous Sequence Fragments
Stefan Dörr, 27. July 2012
Sequence alignment methods are frequently used in protein structure prediction to identify homologous protein structures. The existing methods make local and global alignments between sequentially contiguous protein sequences. However, in our ongoing protein structure prediction research, we have a unique sequence to sequence alignment problem. The potential sequence alignments need to be made between a target sequence and the sets of sequence fragments, where the sequence fragments may not be sequentially contiguous.
- © Robotics
Grasping using Visual Feedback
Georg Bartels, März 2012
Interactively explore and grasp real-world objects using visual feedback.
- © Robotics
3D Perception for Grasping
Stefan Schrandt, 07. June 2012
Allow Robots to grasp unknown objects while perceive the environment and the objects with a 3D sensors.
- © Robotics
A Rendering Framework for Wearable Haptics in Large Virtual Environments
Jonas Dörr, April 2011
A novel wearable haptic interface based on an exoskelett was developed at RBO.
- © Robotics
Using tree-based robot motion planning algorithms for protein loop closure
Florian Kamm, December 2010
A novel approach for the protein loop closure problem inspired from robot modeling is developed using the kinematic chain representation of the loop chain and a motion planning technique.
- © Robotics
Simulating Physical Dynamics of Virtual Objects with a Wearable Haptic Interface
Lars Raschendörfer, September 2010
Haptic devices enhance the range of multi-modal interaction in virtual reality environments. With the wearable haptic device, developed at the RBO Lab, this interaction is not limited to a small workspace any longer. The wider range of motion allows for new application scenarios.
- © Copyright??
Evaluation of Three Sensor Technologies for Use in Soft Robot Fingers
Stefan Schirmeister, März 2016.
Sensing for soft continuum actuators as a necessary technology has emerged recently with the development of so called soft hands, which exploit the high deformability of soft structures and materials. Unfortunately, soft, stretchable sensors capable of withstanding a stretch of 100% are commercially not available. At the same time their tight integration into actuators is required to address the specific challenges of continuously deforming actuators. The thesis evaluates three potential sensor technologies for their suitability in soft hands. The thesis investigates their robustness, ease of use, long term stability and responsiveness with respect to the intended application in soft hands.
