Biking through my PhD

My PhD Notes

Forward Congratulations! You've (somehow) managed to stumble across my vast repository of knowledge on all sorts of fun and exciting topics somehow related to the work of this robotics PhD student. This document contains all of my notes since I started my PhD in 2012. Many portions have come from my study of various internet sources including others' personal notes; I found these to be extremel...

PhD Education Through Apprenticeship

We describe and analyze the PhD education in the visualization group at the Vienna University of Technology and set the education in a larger perspective. Four central mechanisms drive the PhD education in Vienna. They are: to require an article-based PhD; to give the student freedom to choose research direction; to let students work in shared offices towards joint deadlines; and to involve stu...

Biking Without Pedaling

It is well known that skilled bicycle riders can balance and propel themselves forward using motions of the handlebar. We present the complete nonlinear dynamics and control of such a pedal-less bicycle with a rider. Propulsion is achieved not by pedaling but by a cyclic motion of the steering axis of the bicycle. It is shown that this kind of actuation results in net forward motion of the bicy...

See me through my eyes

Poison running through my veins.

G o shopping in any large supermarket in a Western country and you are likely to find yourself bombarded with enticements to purchase ‘organic’ produce. In so doing, you are made to feel as if you have added a personal contribution to the welfare of our dear green planet. Those slightly higher prices surely are a justified donation in support of hard-working local farmers, struggling to compete...