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Schulz AK. Autistic and abroad. eLife 2024; 13:e97640. [PMID: 38488147 PMCID: PMC10942776 DOI: 10.7554/elife.97640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
An AuDHD researcher recounts the highs and lows of relocating from the United States to Germany for his postdoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Schulz
- Haptic Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent SystemsStuttgartGermany
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Chellapurath M, Khandelwal PC, Schulz AK. Bioinspired robots can foster nature conservation. Front Robot AI 2023; 10:1145798. [PMID: 37920863 PMCID: PMC10619165 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2023.1145798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We live in a time of unprecedented scientific and human progress while being increasingly aware of its negative impacts on our planet's health. Aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic ecosystems have significantly declined putting us on course to a sixth mass extinction event. Nonetheless, the advances made in science, engineering, and technology have given us the opportunity to reverse some of our ecosystem damage and preserve them through conservation efforts around the world. However, current conservation efforts are primarily human led with assistance from conventional robotic systems which limit their scope and effectiveness, along with negatively impacting the surroundings. In this perspective, we present the field of bioinspired robotics to develop versatile agents for future conservation efforts that can operate in the natural environment while minimizing the disturbance/impact to its inhabitants and the environment's natural state. We provide an operational and environmental framework that should be considered while developing bioinspired robots for conservation. These considerations go beyond addressing the challenges of human-led conservation efforts and leverage the advancements in the field of materials, intelligence, and energy harvesting, to make bioinspired robots move and sense like animals. In doing so, it makes bioinspired robots an attractive, non-invasive, sustainable, and effective conservation tool for exploration, data collection, intervention, and maintenance tasks. Finally, we discuss the development of bioinspired robots in the context of collaboration, practicality, and applicability that would ensure their further development and widespread use to protect and preserve our natural world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrudul Chellapurath
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pranav C. Khandelwal
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute of Flight Mechanics and Controls, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Andrew K. Schulz
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
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Schulz AK, Schneider N, Zhang M, Singal K. A Year at the Forefront of Hydrostat Motion. Biol Open 2023; 12:bio059834. [PMID: 37566395 PMCID: PMC10434360 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, in the field of interdisciplinary work in biology, there has been a significant push by the soft robotic community to understand the motion and maneuverability of hydrostats. This Review seeks to expand the muscular hydrostat hypothesis toward new structures, including plants, and introduce innovative techniques to the hydrostat community on new modeling, simulating, mimicking, and observing hydrostat motion methods. These methods range from ideas of kirigami, origami, and knitting for mimic creation to utilizing reinforcement learning for control of bio-inspired soft robotic systems. It is now being understood through modeling that different mechanisms can inhibit traditional hydrostat motion, such as skin, nostrils, or sheathed layered muscle walls. The impact of this Review will highlight these mechanisms, including asymmetries, and discuss the critical next steps toward understanding their motion and how species with hydrostat structures control such complex motions, highlighting work from January 2022 to December 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K. Schulz
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Nikole Schneider
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Margaret Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Krishma Singal
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Schulz AK, Shriver C, Stathatos S, Seleb B, Weigel EG, Chang YH, Saad Bhamla M, Hu DL, Mendelson JR. Conservation tools: the next generation of engineering-biology collaborations. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20230232. [PMID: 37582407 PMCID: PMC10427197 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent increase in public and academic interest in preserving biodiversity has led to the growth of the field of conservation technology. This field involves designing and constructing tools that use technology to aid in the conservation of wildlife. In this review, we present five case studies and infer a framework for designing conservation tools (CT) based on human-wildlife interaction. Successful CT range in complexity from cat collars to machine learning and game theory methodologies and do not require technological expertise to contribute to conservation tool creation. Our goal is to introduce researchers to the field of conservation technology and provide references for guiding the next generation of conservation technologists. Conservation technology not only has the potential to benefit biodiversity but also has broader impacts on fields such as sustainability and environmental protection. By using innovative technologies to address conservation challenges, we can find more effective and efficient solutions to protect and preserve our planet's resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K. Schulz
- Haptic Ingelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Schools of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Cassie Shriver
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Suzanne Stathatos
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Benjamin Seleb
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Emily G. Weigel
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Young-Hui Chang
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - M. Saad Bhamla
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - David L. Hu
- Schools of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Joseph R. Mendelson
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
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Jadali N, Zhang MJ, Schulz AK, Meyerchick J, Hu DL. ForageFeeder: A low-cost open source feeder for randomly distributing food. HardwareX 2023; 14:e00405. [PMID: 36950388 PMCID: PMC10026035 DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2023.e00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Automated feeders have long fed mice, livestock, and poultry, but are incapable of feeding zoo animals such as gorillas. In captivity, gorillas eat cut vegetables and fruits in pieces too large to be dispensed by automated feeders. Consequently, captive gorillas are fed manually at set times and locations, keeping them from the exercise and enrichment that accompanies natural foraging. We designed and built ForageFeeder, an automated gorilla feeder that spreads food at random intervals throughout the day. ForageFeeder is an open source and easy to manufacture and modify device, making the feeder more accessible for zoos. The design presented here reduces manual labor for zoo staff and may be a useful tool for studies of animal ethology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Jadali
- College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Margaret J. Zhang
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Andrew K. Schulz
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - David L. Hu
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Schulz AK, Reidenberg JS, Ning Wu J, Ying Tang C, Seleb B, Mancebo J, Elgart N, Hu DL. Elephant trunks use an adaptable prehensile grip. Bioinspir Biomim 2023; 18:026008. [PMID: 36652720 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/acb477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Elephants have long been observed to grip objects with their trunk, but little is known about how they adjust their strategy for different weights. In this study, we challenge a female African elephant at Zoo Atlanta to lift 20-60 kg barbell weights with only its trunk. We measure the trunk's shape and wrinkle geometry from a frozen elephant trunk at the Smithsonian. We observe several strategies employed to accommodate heavier weights, including accelerating less, orienting the trunk vertically, and wrapping the barbell with a greater trunk length. Mathematical models show that increasing barbell weights are associated with constant trunk tensile force and an increasing barbell-wrapping surface area due to the trunk's wrinkles. Our findings may inspire the design of more adaptable soft robotic grippers that can improve grip using surface morphology such as wrinkles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Schulz
- Schools of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States of America
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Joy S Reidenberg
- Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jia Ning Wu
- School of Additive Manufacturing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheuk Ying Tang
- Radiology, Neuroscience, & Psychiatry Translation and Molecular Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Seleb
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States of America
| | - Josh Mancebo
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30315, United States of America
| | - Nathan Elgart
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30315, United States of America
| | - David L Hu
- Schools of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States of America
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States of America
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Schulz AK, Shriver C, Aubuchon C, Weigel EG, Kolar M, Mendelson JR, Hu DL. A Guide for Successful Research Collaborations between Zoos and Universities. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:icac096. [PMID: 35771995 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoos offer university researchers unique opportunities to study animals that would be difficult or impractical to find in the wild. However, the different cultures, goals, and priorities of these institutions can be a source of conflict. How can researchers build mutually beneficial collaborations with their local zoo? In this article, we present the results of a survey of 117 personnel from 59 zoos around the United States, where we highlight best practices spanning all phases of collaboration, from planning to working alongside the zoo and maintaining contact afterward. Collaborations were not possible if university personnel did not appreciate the zoo staff's time constraints as well as the differences between zoo animals and laboratory animals. We include a vision for how to improve zoo collaborations, along with a history of our own decade-long collaborations with Zoo Atlanta. A central theme is the long-term establishment of trust between institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Schulz
- Schools of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Cassie Shriver
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | - Emily G Weigel
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | - Joseph R Mendelson
- Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - David L Hu
- Schools of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Abstract
Despite having a trunk that weighs over 100 kg, elephants mainly feed on lightweight vegetation. How do elephants manipulate such small items? In this experimental and theoretical investigation, we filmed elephants at Zoo Atlanta showing that they can use suction to grab food, performing a behaviour that was previously thought to be restricted to fishes. We use a mathematical model to show that an elephant's nostril size and lung capacity enables them to grab items using comparable pressures as the human lung. Ultrasonographic imaging of the elephant sucking viscous fluids show that the elephant's nostrils dilate up to [Formula: see text] in radius, which increases the nasal volume by [Formula: see text]. Based on the pressures applied, we estimate that the elephants can inhale at speeds of over 150 m s-1, nearly 30 times the speed of a human sneeze. These high air speeds enable the elephant to vacuum up piles of rutabaga cubes as well as fragile tortilla chips. We hope these findings inspire further work in suction-based manipulation in both animals and robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Schulz
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Jia Ning Wu
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Sung Yeon Sara Ha
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Greena Kim
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | | | - Joy S Reidenberg
- Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA
| | - David L Hu
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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Friedrich C, Bettin H, Schulz AK. [The private institute of Franz Wilhelm Schweigger-Seidel (1795-1838) in Halle]. Pharmazie 1999; 54:935-40. [PMID: 10631758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to describe the development of the chemical-pharmacist institute of Franz Wilhelm Schweigger-Seidel (1795-1838) in Halle. The institute was founded in 1829. Six letters by Johann Salomo Christoph Schweigger (1779-1857) and Franz Wilhelm Schweigger-Seidel to Johann Bartholomäus Trommsdorff (1770-1837) present new detailed information on the institute of Schweigger-Seidel and on his biography, especially on his descent and on his work as a pharmacist. Besides it was possible to show the family links between him and J. S. Chr. Schweigger resulting from adoptation in a correct way for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Friedrich
- Institut für Pharmazie, Geschichte der Pharmazie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Germany.
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