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2024


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Empowering Change: The Role of Student Changemakers in Advancing Sustainability within Engineering Education

Matthew, V., Simancek, R. E., Telepo, E., Machesky, J., Willman, H., Ismail, A. B., Schulz, A. K.

Proceedings of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE), June 2024, Victoria Matthew and Andrew K. Schulz contributed equally to this publication. (issue) In press

hi

[BibTex]

2024


[BibTex]


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Koopman Spectral Analysis Uncovers the Temporal Structure of Spontaneous Neural Events

Shao, K., Xu, Y., Logothetis, N., Shen, Z., Besserve, M.

Computational and Systems Neuroscience Meeting (COSYNE), March 2024 (poster)

ei

link (url) [BibTex]

link (url) [BibTex]


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Interpreting How Large Language Models Handle Facts and Counterfactuals through Mechanistic Interpretability

Ortu, F.

University of Trieste, Italy, March 2024 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

2023


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Denoising Representation Learning for Causal Discovery

Sakenyte, U.

Université de Genèva, Switzerland, December 2023, external supervision (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

2023


[BibTex]


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Navigating the Ocean of Biases: Political Bias Attribution in Language Models via Causal Structures

Jenny, D.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland, November 2023, external supervision (thesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Efficient Sampling from Differentiable Matrix Elements

Kofler, A.

Technical University of Munich, Germany, September 2023 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Intrinsic complexity and mechanisms of expressivity of cortical neurons

Spieler, A. M.

University of Tübingen, Germany, March 2023 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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CausalEffect Estimation by Combining Observational and Interventional Data

Kladny, K.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland, February 2023 (mastersthesis)

lds ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Towards Generative Machine Teaching

Qui, Z.

Technical University of Munich, Germany, February 2023 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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ArchiSound: Audio Generation with Diffusion

Schneider, F.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland, January 2023, external supervision (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Generation and Quantification of Spin in Robot Table Tennis

Dittrich, A.

University of Stuttgart, Germany, January 2023 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


An Open-Source Modular Treadmill for Dynamic Force Measurement with Load Dependant Range Adjustment
An Open-Source Modular Treadmill for Dynamic Force Measurement with Load Dependant Range Adjustment

Sarvestani, A., Ruppert, F., Badri-Spröwitz, A.

2023 (unpublished) Submitted

Abstract
Ground reaction force sensing is one of the key components of gait analysis in legged locomotion research. To measure continuous force data during locomotion, we present a novel compound instrumented treadmill design. The treadmill is 1.7 m long, with a natural frequency of 170 Hz and an adjustable range that can be used for humans and small robots alike. Here, we present the treadmill’s design methodology and characterize it in its natural frequency, noise behavior and real-life performance. Additionally, we apply an ISO 376 norm conform calibration procedure for all spatial force directions and center of pressure position. We achieve a force accuracy of ≤ 5.6 N for the ground reaction forces and ≤ 13 mm in center of pressure position.

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arXiv link (url) DOI [BibTex]


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Natural Language Processing for Policymaking

Jin, Z., Mihalcea, R.

In Handbook of Computational Social Science for Policy, pages: 141-162, 7, (Editors: Bertoni, E. and Fontana, M. and Gabrielli, L. and Signorelli, S. and Vespe, M.), Springer International Publishing, 2023 (inbook)

ei

DOI [BibTex]

DOI [BibTex]

2022


Magnetic Micro-/Nanopropellers  for Biomedicine
Magnetic Micro-/Nanopropellers for Biomedicine

Qiu, T., Jeong, M., Goyal, R., Kadiri, V., Sachs, J., Fischer, P.

In Field-Driven Micro and Nanorobots for Biology and Medicine, pages: 389-410, 16, (Editors: Sun, Y. and Wang, X. and Yu, J.), Springer, Cham, 2022 (inbook)

Abstract
In nature, many bacteria swim by rotating their helical flagella. A particularly promising class of artificial micro- and nano-robots mimic this propeller-like propulsion mechanism to move through fluids and tissues for applications in minimally-invasive medicine. Several fundamental challenges have to be overcome in order to build micro-machines that move similar to bacteria for in vivo applications. Here, we review recent advances of magnetically-powered micro-/nano-propellers. Four important aspects of the propellers – the geometrical shape, the fabrication method, the generation of magnetic fields for actuation, and the choice of biocompatible magnetic materials – are highlighted. First, the fundamental requirements are elucidated that arise due to hydrodynamics at low Reynolds (Re) number. We discuss the role that the propellers’ shape and symmetry play in realizing effective propulsion at low Re. Second, the additive nano-fabrication method Glancing Angle Deposition is discussed as a versatile technique to quickly grow large numbers of designer nano-helices. Third, systems to generate rotating magnetic fields via permanent magnets or electromagnetic coils are presented. And finally, the biocompatibility of the magnetic materials is discussed. Iron-platinum is highlighted due to its biocompatibility and its superior magnetic properties, which is promising for targeted delivery, minimally-invasive magnetic nano-devices and biomedical applications.

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link (url) DOI [BibTex]

2022


link (url) DOI [BibTex]


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Life Improvement Science

Lieder, F., Prentice, M.

In Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research, Springer, November 2022 (inbook)

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DOI [BibTex]

DOI [BibTex]


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Investigating Independent Mechanisms in Neural Networks

Liang, W.

Université Paris-Saclay, France, October 2022 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Multi-Target Multi-Object Manipulation using Relational Deep Reinforcement Learning

Feil, M.

Technnical University Munich, Germany, September 2022 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Independent Mechanism Analysis for High Dimensions

Sliwa, J.

University of Tübingen, Germany, September 2022, (Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience) (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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On the Adversarial Robustness of Causal Algorithmic Recourse

Dominguez-Olmedo, R.

University of Tübingen, Germany, August 2022 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Independent Mechanism Analysis in High-Dimensional Observation Spaces

Ghosh, S.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland, June 2022 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Causal Models for Dynamical Systems

Peters, J., Bauer, S., Pfister, N.

In Probabilistic and Causal Inference: The Works of Judea Pearl, pages: 671-690, 1, Association for Computing Machinery, 2022 (inbook)

ei

arXiv DOI [BibTex]

arXiv DOI [BibTex]


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Towards Causal Algorithmic Recourse

Karimi, A. H., von Kügelgen, J., Schölkopf, B., Valera, I.

In xxAI - Beyond Explainable AI: International Workshop, Held in Conjunction with ICML 2020, July 18, 2020, Vienna, Austria, Revised and Extended Papers, pages: 139-166, (Editors: Holzinger, Andreas and Goebel, Randy and Fong, Ruth and Moon, Taesup and Müller, Klaus-Robert and Samek, Wojciech), Springer International Publishing, 2022 (inbook)

ei plg

DOI [BibTex]

DOI [BibTex]


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CLEVR-X: A Visual Reasoning Dataset for Natural Language Explanations

Salewski, L., Koepke, A. S., Lensch, H. P. A., Akata, Z.

In xxAI - Beyond Explainable AI: International Workshop, Held in Conjunction with ICML 2020, July 18, 2020, Vienna, Austria, Revised and Extended Papers, pages: 69-88, (Editors: Holzinger, Andreas and Goebel, Randy and Fong, Ruth and Moon, Taesup and Müller, Klaus-Robert and Samek, Wojciech), Springer International Publishing, 2022 (inbook)

ei

DOI [BibTex]

DOI [BibTex]


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Causality for Machine Learning

Schölkopf, B.

In Probabilistic and Causal Inference: The Works of Judea Pearl, pages: 765-804, 1, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 2022 (inbook)

ei

arXiv DOI [BibTex]

arXiv DOI [BibTex]


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Voltage dependent investigations on the spin polarization of layered heterostructues

Miller, M.

Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, 2022 (mastersthesis)

mms

[BibTex]

[BibTex]

2021


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Learning Neural Causal Models with Active Interventions

Scherrer, N.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland, November 2021 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

2021


[BibTex]


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Study of the Interventional Consistency of Autoencoders

Lanzillotta, G.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland, October 2021 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Electriflow: Augmenting Books With Tangible Animation Using Soft Electrohydraulic Actuators

Purnendu, , Novack, S., Acome, E., Alistar, M., Keplinger, C., Gross, M. D., Bruns, C., Leithinger, D.

In ACM SIGGRAPH 2021 Labs, pages: 1-2, Association for Computing Machinery, SIGGRAPH 2021, August 2021 (inbook)

Abstract
We present Electriflow: a method of augmenting books with tangible animation employing soft electrohydraulic actuators. These actuators are compact, silent and fast in operation, and can be fabricated with commodity materials. They generate an immediate hydraulic force upon electrostatic activation without an external fluid supply source, enabling a simple and self-contained design. Electriflow actuators produce an immediate shape transition from flat to folded state which enabled their seamless integration into books. For the Emerging Technologies exhibit, we will demonstrate the prototype of a book augmented with the capability of tangible animation.

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Supplemental Material link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Supplemental Material link (url) DOI [BibTex]


Promoting metacognitive learning through systematic reflection
Promoting metacognitive learning through systematic reflection

Frederic Becker, , Lieder, F.

The first edition of Life Improvement Science Conference, June 2021 (poster)

Abstract
Human decision-making is sometimes systematically biased toward suboptimal decisions. For example, people often make short-sighted choices because they don't give enough weight to the long-term consequences of their actions. Previous studies showed that it is possible to overcome such biases by teaching people a more rational decision strategy through instruction, demonstrations, or practice with feedback. The benefits of these approaches tend to be limited to situations that are very similar to those used during the training. One way to overcome this limitation is to create general tools and strategies that people can use to improve their decision-making in any situation. Here we propose one such approach, namely directing people to systematically reflect on how they make their decisions. In systematic reflection, past experience is re-evaluated with the intention to learn. In this study, we investigate how reflection affects how people learn to plan and whether reflective learning can help people to discover more far-sighted planning strategies. In our experiment participants solve a series of 30 planning problems where the immediate rewards are smaller and therefore less important than long-term rewards. Building on Wolfbauer et al. (2020), the experimental group is guided by four reflection prompts asking the participant to describe their planning strategy, the strategy's performance, and his or her emotional response, insights, and intention to change their strategy. The control group practices planning without reflection prompts. Our pilot data suggest that systematic reflection helps people to more rapidly discover adaptive planning strategies. Our findings suggest that reflection is useful not only for helping people learn what to do in a specific situation but also for helping people learn how to think about what to do. In future work, we will compare the effects of different types of reflection on the subsequent changes in people's decision strategies. Developing apps that prompt people to reflect on their decisions may be a promising approach to accelerating cognitive growth and promoting lifelong learning.

re

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Robotic Surgery Training in AR: Multimodal Record and Replay

Krauthausen, F.

pages: 1-147, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, May 2021, Study Program in Software Engineering (mastersthesis)

hi

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Direct detection of spin Hall effect induced torques in platinum/ferromagnetic bilayer systems

Alten, F.

Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, January 2021 (mastersthesis)

mms

[BibTex]


Scientific Report 2016 - 2021
Scientific Report 2016 - 2021
2021 (mpi_year_book)

Abstract
This report presents research done at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems from January2016 to November 2021. It is our fourth report since the founding of the institute in 2011. Dueto the fact that the upcoming evaluation is an extended one, the report covers a longer reportingperiod.This scientific report is organized as follows: we begin with an overview of the institute, includingan outline of its structure, an introduction of our latest research departments, and a presentationof our main collaborative initiatives and activities (Chapter1). The central part of the scientificreport consists of chapters on the research conducted by the institute’s departments (Chapters2to6) and its independent research groups (Chapters7 to24), as well as the work of the institute’scentral scientific facilities (Chapter25). For entities founded after January 2016, the respectivereport sections cover work done from the date of the establishment of the department, group, orfacility. These chapters are followed by a summary of selected outreach activities and scientificevents hosted by the institute (Chapter26). The scientific publications of the featured departmentsand research groups published during the 6-year review period complete this scientific report.

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Scientific Report 2016 - 2021 [BibTex]


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Turbulence Modulation and Energy Transfer in Turbulent Channel Flow Coupled with One-Side Porous Media

Chu, X., Wang, W., Müller, J., Schöning, H. V., Liu, Y., Weigand, B.

In High Performance Computing in Science and Engineering’20, pages: 373-386, Springer, 2021 (incollection)

minibot

[BibTex]

[BibTex]

2020


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Hydromagnonics: Manipulation of magnonic systems with hydrogen

Sauter, R.

Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, December 2020 (mastersthesis)

mms

[BibTex]

2020


[BibTex]


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A Robotic Manipulation Benchmark for Causal Structure and Transfer Learning

Ahmed, O.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland, October 2020 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


Towards Hybrid Active and Passive Compliant Mechanisms in Legged Robots
Towards Hybrid Active and Passive Compliant Mechanisms in Legged Robots

Milad Shafiee Ashtiani, A. A. S., Badri-Sproewitz, A.

IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), IEEE, October 2020 (poster) Accepted

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Abstract Poster [BibTex]

Abstract Poster [BibTex]


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Deep learning for the parameter estimation of tight-binding Hamiltonians

Cacioppo, A.

University of Roma, La Sapienza, Italy, May 2020 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


VP above or below? A new perspective on the story of the virtual point
VP above or below? A new perspective on the story of the virtual point

Drama, Ö., Badri-Spröwitz, A.

Dynamic Walking, May 2020 (poster)

Abstract
The spring inverted pendulum model with an extended trunk (TSLIP) is widely used to investigate the postural stability in bipedal locomotion [1, 2]. The challenge of the model is to define a hip torque that generates feasible gait patterns while stabilizing the floating trunk. The virtual point (VP) method is proposed as a simplified solution, where the hip torque is coupled to the passive compliant leg force via a virtual point. This geometric coupling is based on the assumption that the instantaneous ground reaction forces of the stance phase (GRF) intersect at a single virtual point.

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Poster Abstract link (url) [BibTex]

Poster Abstract link (url) [BibTex]


Viscous Damping in Legged Locomotion
Viscous Damping in Legged Locomotion

Mo, A., Izzi, F., Haeufle, D. F. B., Badri-Spröwitz, A.

Dynamic Walking, May 2020 (poster)

Abstract
Damping likely plays an essential role in legged animal locomotion, but remains an insufficiently understood mechanism. Intrinsic damping muscle forces can potentially add to the joint torque output during unexpected impacts, stabilise movements, convert the system’s energy, and reject unexpected perturbations.

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Abstract Poster link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

Abstract Poster link (url) Project Page [BibTex]


How Quadrupeds Benefit from Lower Leg Passive Elasticity
How Quadrupeds Benefit from Lower Leg Passive Elasticity

Ruppert, F., Badri-Spröwitz, A.

Dynamic Walking, May 2020 (poster)

Abstract
Recently developed and fully actuated, legged robots start showing exciting locomotion capabilities, but rely heavily on high-power actuators, high-frequency sensors, and complex locomotion controllers. The engineering solutions implemented in these legged robots are much different compared to animals. Vertebrate animals share magnitudes slower neurocontrol signal velocities [1] compared to their robot counterparts. Also, animals feature a plethora of cascaded and underactuated passive elastic structures [2].

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Abstract Poster link (url) Project Page [BibTex]


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Learning Algorithms, Invariances, and the Real World

Zecevic, M.

Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, April 2020 (mastersthesis)

ei

[BibTex]

[BibTex]


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Interaction of hydrogen isotopes with flexible metal-organic frameworks

Bondorf, L.

Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, February 2020 (mastersthesis)

mms

[BibTex]

[BibTex]