Learning Multimodal Latent Dynamics for Human-Robot Interaction

This article presents a method for learning well-coordinated Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) from Human-Human Interactions (HHI). We devise a hybrid approach using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) as the latent space priors for a Variational Autoencoder to model a joint distribution over the interacting agents. We leverage the interaction dynamics learned from HHI to learn HRI and incorporate the conditional generation of robot motions from human observations into the training, thereby predicting more accurate robot trajectories. The generated robot motions are further adapted with Inverse Kinematics to ensure the desired physical proximity with a human, combining the ease of joint space learning and accurate task space reachability. For contact-rich interactions, we modulate the robot's stiffness using HMM segmentation for a compliant interaction. We verify the effectiveness of our approach deployed on a Humanoid robot via a user study. Our method generalizes well to various humans despite being trained on data from just two humans. We find that Users perceive our method as more human-like, timely, and accurate and rank our method with a higher degree of preference over other baselines.Comment: 20 Pages, 10 Figure

Observation of audio-frequency edge magnetoplasmons in the classical two-dimensional electron gas

The electric admittance of a two-dimensional electron gas on liquid helium measured at audio frequencies ¿ is observed to oscillate as a function of magnetic field at strong magnetic fields. The oscillations can be attributed to the propagation of very-low-frequency (¿t~10-6, t scattering time; ¿/¿c~10-8, ¿c cyclotron frequency) edge magnetoplasmons. The directly determined dispersion relation agrees with theory and quantitatively with measurements in the collisionless regime (¿t»1). The attenuation, theoretically obtained by incorporating the screening in a simple local-capacitance model, agrees well with experiments

Magnetoresistance of nondegenerate quantum electron channels formed on the surface of superfluid helium

Transport properties of quasi-one-dimensional nondegenerate quantum wires formed on the surface of liquid helium in the presence of a normal magnetic field are studied using the momentum balance equation method and the memory function formalism. The interaction with both kinds of scatterers available (vapor atoms and capillary wave quanta) is considered. We show that unlike classical wires, quantum nondegenerate channels exhibit strong magnetoresistance which increases with lowering the temperature.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Sorting of chromosomes by magnetic separation

Chromosomes were isolated from Chinese hamster x human hybrid cell lines containing four and nine human chromosomes. Human genomic DNA was biotinylated by nick translation and used to label the human chromosomes by in situ hybridization in suspension. Streptavidin was covalently coupled to the surface of magnetic beads and these were incubated with the hybridized chromosomes. The human chromosomes were bound to the magnetic beads through the strong biotin-streptavidin complex and then rapidly separated from nonlabeled Chinese hamster chromosomes by a simple permanent magnet. The hybridization was visualized by additional binding of avidin-FITC (fluorescein) to the unoccupied biotinylated human DNA bound to the human chromosomes. After magnetic separation, up to 98% of the individual chromosomes attached to magnetic beads were classified as human chromosomes by fluorescence microscopy

Das Budget für Arbeit. Eine explorative Studie zur Umsetzung von § 61 SGB IX in Berlin

Die UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention (UN-BRK) trat in Deutschland am 26. März 2009 in Kraft. Trotz der dort verankerten Verpflichtung der Vertragsstaaten, einen offenen, integrativen und für Menschen mit Behinderungen zugänglichen Arbeitsmarkt und ein ebensolches Arbeitsumfeld zu gewährleisten (Art. 27 UN-BRK), steigt die Anzahl der in Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen (WfbM) Beschäftigten seitdem an. Nach Ansicht der Bundesregierung spielen WfbM nach wie vor eine wichtige Rolle für die Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben. Der UN-Ausschuss für die Rechte von Menschen mit Behinderungen kritisierte Deutschland jedoch dafür, dass WfbM den Übergang auf den allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt bislang nur unzureichend fördern. Um Übergänge zu fördern, wurde das Budget für Arbeit (BfA) am 01.01.2018 bundesweit eingeführt. Die Nutzer:innenzahlen liegen weit unter den Erwartungen der Bundesregierung. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die förderlichen und hemmenden Faktoren, die die Inanspruchnahme des Budgets für Arbeit bedingen. Für diese explorativ-qualitative Studie wurden Ende 2019 fünf Fokusgruppen und zwei problemzentrierte Einzelinterviews mit insgesamt 42 Interviewteilnehmenden durchgeführt. Befragte waren Leistungsberechtigte, Budgetnehmende, Arbeitgeber, Unterstützende sowie Leistungsträger. Die transkribierten Interviews wurden mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse in MAXQDA ausgewertet. Bei einem Großteil der Befragten, vor allem bei den Leistungsberechtigten, herrscht ein geringer Informationsstand zum BfA. Sie haben Zweifel an ihrer eigenen Leistungsfähigkeit und befürchten im Vergleich zur Beschäftigung in der WfbM Nachteile hinsichtlich der sozialen Sicherung und Renteneinbußen auf dem allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt. Diese und weitere Faktoren hemmen die Inanspruchnahme. Praktika auf dem allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt, die Anleitung und Begleitung sowie die Aussicht auf eine unbürokratische Rückkehr in die WfbM können Übergänge im Rahmen des Budgets für Arbeit erleichtern.The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) entered into force in Germany on 26/03/2009. Despite the obligation of the States Parties to the Convention to ensure an open, inclusive and accessible labour market and working environment for persons with disabilities (Art. 27 CRPD), the number of persons employed in sheltered workshops for persons with disabilities has been increasing ever since. In the view of the Federal Government, sheltered workshops continue to play an important role in participation in working life. However, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities criticised Germany for the fact that WfbMs have so far only insufficiently promoted the transition to the general labour market. In order to promote transitions, the Employment Budget was introduced nationwide on 01/01/2018. The number of users is still low and does not meet the expectations of the federal government. The study examines the factors that promote and hinder the use of the Employment Budget. For the explorative qualitative study, five focus groups and two problem-centred individual interviews were conducted at the end of 2019 with a total of 42 interview participants. The interviewees were beneficiaries, budget recipients, employers, supporters and service providers. The transcribed interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis in MAXQDA. The majority of respondents, especially those entitled to benefits, have a low level of information about the Employment Budget. They have doubts about their own ability to perform and fear disadvantages in terms of social security and pension losses on the general labour market compared to employment in the sheltered workshops. These and other factors inhibit them to claim the subsidy. Internships on the general labour market, guidance and support, as well as the prospect of a non-bureaucratic return to the sheltered workshops can facilitate transitions within the framework of the Employment Budget.Not Reviewe

Listening to citizens

Focusing on local politics in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion,  this report investigates the interaction between citizens and local politicians in four municipalities: Riemst (Belgium, Flanders), Visé (Belgium, Wallonia), Übach-Palenberg (Germany) and Valkenburg aan de Geul (Netherlands). The purpose of the research project is to bring new insights into the interaction between citizens and local politicians and the expectations of citizens about that interaction. Therefore, this report analyses the experiences of citizens with politicians (including the mayor) at local government level, using Easton’s (1965) model of the political system and Denters’ (2013) models for the role of elected representatives.The research was conducted in the framework of the Marble (Maastricht Researched Based Learning for Excellence) programme, open for highly motivated and excellent undergraduate students. The structured interviews with the citizens were conducted in April and May 2016.Overall, this research finds that, despite some differences between the four municipalities in terms of the relationship between citizens and local politicians, most citizens contact their local politicians for a concrete problem affecting them. Citizens expect politicians to help them with these issues. On the other hand, citizens expect politicians to approach them to ask for input in the decision-making process. These expectations fit best with the politicians’ role of trustee and democratic watchdog as defined by Denters (2013). Local politicians do not completely fulfil these expectations yet. They should engage with citizens more often to ask for their input or to explain council decisions (output). As an approach to tackle this issue and facilitate effective communication, this paper proposes implementing “tailored” communication modes, based on the different target groups.This research is complementary to the 2015 study by Peters et al., which focused on the experiences and expectations of local politicians in the same four municipalities in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion

Associations Between Mode of Birth and Neuropsychological Development in Children Aged 4 Years: Results from a Birth Cohort Study

The aim of this prospective longitudinal study was to examine the association between Cesarean section (CS) and child development and behavior. The sample consisted of 256 children who were born at term without serious perinatal pathologies. Their development and behavior was assessed at the age of four using Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), Children’s Behavior Questionnaire and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between CS and child outcomes. CS was associated with better scores in the Problem Solving domain of the ASQ in the whole sample. After stratifying by child sex, the positive association between CS and the Problem Solving domain was significant in boys, while no association was found in girls. Girls were rated less optimally in the Gross Motor domain of the ASQ when born via CS. Mode of birth was not associated with behavioral outcomes

Glucose enhancement of human memory: A comprehensive research review of the glucose memory facilitation effect

The brain relies upon glucose as its primary fuel. In recent years, a rich literature has developed from both human and animal studies indicating that increases in circulating blood glucose can facilitate cognitive functioning. This phenomenon has been termed the ‘glucose memory facilitation effect’. The purpose of this review is to discuss a number of salient studies which have investigated the influence of glucose ingestion on neurocognitive performance in individuals with (a) compromised neurocognitive capacity, as well as (b) normally functioning individuals (with a focus on research conducted with human participants). The proposed neurocognitive mechanisms purported to underlie the modulatory effect of glucose on neurocognitive performance will also be considered. Many theories have focussed upon the hippocampus, given that this brain region is heavily implicated in learning and memory. Further, it will be suggested that glucose is a possible mechanism underlying the phenomenon that enhanced memory performance is typically observed for emotionally laden stimuli